Springtime is often thought to be the best time for planting. Everybody rushes to get their gardens planted for Memorial Day. However, there is still plenty to do in the fall as well. Summer can be rough on our lawns with intense heat, drought, insect and disease pressure, as well as the fact that we use our lawns a lot more during the summer months. All of that traffic and stress can take its toll on the health of the yard.
Cooler Weather Creates Optimal Growth
Fall is the perfect time for planting or overseeding a lawn. The warm days and cool nights create an optimal growing environment for the blends of grasses that we use in our area. Crabgrass and weeds are far less of an issue as we get further into autumn. This allows new seedlings to flourish without pressure from other invasive species. We consider the ideal seeding window to be anywhere between mid-August and mid-September. This is late enough to avoid the issues described above but early enough to allow for adequate germination before the cold of winter settles in.
Alleviates Soil Compaction & Removes Thatch
If the lawn is looking a bit thin at this time of the year, we recommend our Deluxe Overseeding Program. This overseeding system is comprised of several processes working in concert to achieve the best results. It starts with a double-pass core aeration. Core aeration is the process of removing thousands of plugs from the surface of the lawn. These plugs consist of turf, thatch, and a small portion of the root system along with some soil. It’s intended to reduce the thatch and alleviate compaction in the soil. The vacancy created by the removal of the plugs creates space for new root growth to expand into and allows nutrients to penetrate into the soil. The pulverized plugs create a light topdressing over the yard to allow for better germination of the new seed we put down. Green Oasis uses customized blends of grass seed for the absolute best color and long-term health. We finish the process with an application of starter fertilizer and lime. This will ensure that the new seedlings get off to a good start.
It Enhances Your Lawn’s Health
What if the lawn is looking pretty good at this time of the year? Aerating is always a great recommendation for the fall. Healthy turf means vigorous growth both above the soil and below. The root system continually expands and gets denser with each passing season. This increased density leads, eventually, to an excessive thatch layer. Core aeration will help perforate this layer and bring it back down to a healthy level. Our aeration and over-seeding service is a great way to keep a healthy lawn looking its best. Adding fresh seed increases the species diversity within the turf, making it more resistant to disease and other environmental pressure. Aeration and over-seeding are great additions to a comprehensive maintenance process.
Now’s The Time
Don’t wait for spring to give your lawn a boost. Spring seeding can be notoriously difficult with competition from weeds and crabgrass. Now is the time to get your lawn looking its best and be ready for next year.
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Rob. D | Lawn Care Specialist | Green Oasis