Grass Tactics: 8 Fall Tips for a Lush Spring Lawn

Boulder County Home & Garden Magazine, Fall 2007

Fall is the time to get your grass prepared for winter’s chill. Follow these tips from our lawn experts and you’re sure to have a lush green come spring.

By Felicia Russell

FERTILIZE
When wet weather returns to Boulder County in fall, thirsty grasses undergo a growth spurt. Just like teens, your grass will need extra nutrients during this time. Promote root growth with a dose of nitrogen-rich fertilizer in mid-September and follow up with a slow-release fertilizer in October or early November to nourish your lawn through winter.

AERATE
Break up that thick thatch to get air and water into the soil by aerating your lawn in October. Working in the yard while wearing golf cleats won’t do it; instead hire a lawn service or gather some neighbors and rent a core aerator. This is also a great time to reseed your lawn to give germinating seeds a chance to put down roots before spring.

CONTROL WEEDS
Combat weeds by building up healthy turf, which makes it difficult for weeds to seed. Use a pre-emergent in mid-September to stop cool-season weeds from sprouting. A nontoxic alternative is corn-gluten meal, which feeds the turf and suppresses seed germination. Whatever you put on your lawn to prevent weed germination will do the same to grass seeds, so don’t seed and treat for weeds in the same season.

WATER
Fall storms and cooler weather often mean moister soils. Rather than watering on a schedule, give your lawn a drink only when it needs it. A good rule of thumb is to water when you can still see footprints 30 minutes after you walk across the lawn. Be sure to water slowly and deeply, so that water soaks to the roots and doesn’t stay on the surface where it can freeze.

MOW
Continue to mow as needed until the first hard freeze, usually in late October. Your grass will continue to grow slowly throughout winter, so cut the grass a little shorter (to about 2.5 inches) on the last mow of the season.

RAKE
Rake leaves off of the lawn; they can trap water on top of the grass where it can freeze and incubate a lawn fungus commonly called gray snow mold. This fungus can also appear if grass is coated with snow for a month or longer. If your lawn gets snow mold, rake well to aerate the grass.

WINTERIZE SPRINKLERS
Blow out sprinkler lines so they don’t burst when the ground freezes. You can do this yourself with an air compressor, but it’s better to hire a professional now than pay them later to repair damage caused by inexperience.

ENJOY YOUR LAWN IN SPRING

Thanks to Organo-Lawn and master gardener coordinator Carol O’Meara at the Boulder County Extension Office for their helpful advice.

Felicia Russell is assistant editor of Boulder County Home & Garden Magazine. Apartment life means no yard for her, but she hopes to join a community garden.