Plants & Pests with Nicole

Fall fertilization is the most important application for a lawn. Apply a granular fertilizer with 50% slow-release nitrogen, or less, from the beginning to mid-September. Apply 1 pound of Nitrogen per 1,000 square feet for this application. A second application of fertilizer can be applied around mid-October, if necessary. Older lawns likely do not need a second application in the fall. If your lawn maintains a medium green hue, forego the second application. Don't wait until late October to apply a second round of fertilizer if you do fertilize later in the fall. It isn't absorbed by the plant so late in the season.

Perennial broadleaf weeds including dandelions, creeping Charlie or ground ivy, and clover are best controlled in the later Fall once the weeds have begun their preparations for winter. Spray weeds with a 2,4-D product two or three times from late September through the end of October. Make sure that temperatures are below 85 degrees for 72 hours following application to reduce damage to nearby plants because those chemicals will turn into gas and move to non-target plants if applied in hot temperatures.