Your Best Lawn.
Come on fall…I know you are out there!
It is crazy how nice the upper 80’s and lower 90’s felt this week; temperatures still 10 degrees above typical for this time of year, but so much better than the upper 90’s and 100’s we experienced through the first three weeks of September.
As much as we are anticipating the cool evenings and pleasant days of fall, your lawn and landscape really are. Hey, we could escape inside. We could take a dip in a pool. Your poor trees, shrubs and turf were just stuck out there having to endure one of the hottest summers central Oklahoma has experienced.
But it’s coming to an end, even if it isn’t as fast as we would like it to.
Fall is a transition period for our lawn and landscapes.
Fall is also a restorative time, this year more than ever.
It’s time to turn our focus to restoring our lawns and landscapes.
Much of your lawn and landscape activities in October prepare your lawn and landscape for winter and set them up for success next season. But, good cultural lawn and landscape practices in the fall are also good recovery practices too - just what you need this year.
Here are a few things to stay focused on during October:
Watering
Lack of rainfall continues to the biggest problem of the past 12 months. Over the last 365 days the Oklahoma City metro has received 22.25” of rain, well short of the average, 36.5”. The best thing you can do to help your lawn and landscape recover is moisture. Until rain returns to our area, even with cooler temperatures the goal continues to be to get at least 1.5” of water on your lawn and landscape each week. If you are restricted by city restrictions, you can still achieve this with two good deep soakings per week. If you are limited by budget, if possible, try to give your lawn and landscape one good deep soaking of ½” per week.
Once rainfall returns, monitor rain weekly and supplement as needed to make sure your lawn and landscape are receiving at least 1” per week through the fall. Deep soaking every 4 days for established lawns and landscapes is the best practice. Newly planted fall seasonal color or new landscape plantings will need to be watered more often.
Moisture is important for plants as we head into the winter. For recovery, it is important that you don’t allow your landscape to experience additional drought stress through the winter.
Healthy lawns and landscapes with deep roots are the result of deep, infrequent watering, even in the fall.
Overseeding
We are right in the middle of the best time of the year to establish fescue from seed, September through October. This year, more than ever, fescue lawns need a refresh.
Remember, the keys to successful seeding are a quality certified seed, good seed-soil contact, and keeping the seed consistently moist until it germinates.
Most disappointments with overseeding are due to not keeping the seed consistently moist for two weeks until it germinates. The worse thing for new seed is for the seed to be moist, then dry out, then moist, and then dry out again. Pay extra attention to lawn edges where the soil dries quicker, and water coverage may not be perfect.
We started overseeding fescue on September 8th this year, a week later than typical, due to the extended heat. Lawns that have already been overseeded and have been kept consistently moist are seeing germination within 7-10 days. Lawns that have not been kept moist or have uneven water distribution have areas that are lagging. If you have areas that are struggling to germinate, supplemental watering in those areas will get the seed germinating.
For more information on overseeding, visit our article from September 6, Best Practices For Successfully Establishing Fescue.
Every year we discover lawns overseeded the same day in the same neighborhood experiencing different results.
The difference is if the seed has been kept moist or allowed t
Fescue Lawn Maintenance
Healthy fescue lawns with strong root systems are starting to show signs of recovery. Fescue thrives as nighttime temperatures cool and day length shortens as long as they are receiving sufficient moisture.
The beauty of fescue in the fall is unsurpassed by any other turf grass.
Mow regularly through the fall and always avoid cutting more than 1/3 of the leaf blade off each time you mow.
Bermuda Lawn Maintenance
Warm season lawns will begin to slow as the cooler nights of October set in. In a typical October, a bermuda lawn will need to be mowed no more than 2 or 3 times.
Avoid scalping the lawn short to finish off the season. Anytime grass is scalped, the plant uses nutrients stored in the roots to produce new leaf blades. Scalping in the fall will further weaken an already weak root system reeling from the stress of this summer’s heat and drought. Leaving your bermuda lawn at 2” to 2.5” during the dormant season gives your lawn a layer of protection against extreme cold temperatures and weed germination.
Lawn Fertilizer
Fertilize cool season lawns with a high nitrogen fertilizer this month. Fall is the best time to feed fescue. Full recovery of fescue this fall will be aided by restoring nutrients the turf needs.
If you have a bermuda lawn, put away the high nitrogen fertilizer for the season. Don’t be tempted to promote growth and add color for bermuda lawns, late nitrogen applications are considered a causal agent in the promotion of spring dead spot.
Turf Weed Control
Warm season lawns need two fall pre-emergent applications. If you have not applied the first fall pre-emergent yet, please do so as soon as possible. For the best prevention of fall and winter weeds the first application before soil temperatures consistently drop below 70. The current 3-day average soil temperature in the Oklahoma City metro is 74.
October through early December, a second, winter pre-emergent needs to be applied to keep your lawn weed free until next spring.
Because the best defense against weeds is a think turf, we do not recommend applying the early fall pre-emergent to fescue. Rather we believe it is more important to focus on turf development by overseeding. A thick and healthy fescue lawn will not struggle with poa annua and other winter weeds as much as one that is thin.
Fall is also a great time to control many broadleaf weeds in warm season turf and established cool season turf.
The best way to have a clean warm season lawn next spring is to apply two fall pre-emergent applications this fall, one early and one late.
The best way to have a clean cool season lawn next spring is to develop a thick turf through overseeding and fertilizing in the fall.
Spring Dead Spot
A common disease of bermuda lawns that is visible in the spring, but infection of the disease starts in the fall when soil temperatures drop below 70 degrees. Bermuda lawns that receive late season applications of nitrogen to extend color are more prone to the development of Spring Dead Spot. Effective fungicides for control are not available for homeowner use, but certified lawn care technicians have fungicides in the Fungicide Resistance Action Group available to treat for Spring Dead Spot. Two fall applications are required for the best results. The first application should be made when soil temperatures are in the low 70s with the second application 30 days later.
Tree and Shrub Fertilizer
Do not fertilize trees and shrubs in October. Fertilizing now can encourage new growth that will not have an opportunity to harden off before the first freeze, which may result in plant damage. Wait until we receive our first heavy frost or light freeze before fertilizing.
Seasonal Color
Remove your summer annuals and replace with pansies, kale, and mums for great fall color this month. Pansies love the cool weather. Not only will they provide great color this fall, but if they are not allowed to dry out during the coldest periods of winter, they will offer a wonderful blast of color next March and April.
We covered fall seasonal color in more detail in our September 13, article Coming Soon to a Landscape Near You – Fall Seasonal Color.
Landscape Plantings
Fall is the best time to plant most container grown trees and shrubs. Because soil temperatures remain warm long after the days turn cooler, materials planted in the fall develop strong roots before the following summer heat arrives.
Often late spring and summer planted container materials don’t develop roots until the following summer.
Fall planted materials can gain an entire year of development over plants installed in the spring and summer. Wait to plant ball and burlapped trees until after the first freeze if possible.
For more information on why fall is the best time to plant, see our post from last week, Four Reasons Fall Is The Best Time To Plant.
Don’t lose your focus on good lawn and landscape practices as the season slows down. If you threw in the towel this summer, don’t wait until the spring to get back in the battle. Your efforts this month will not only reward you now but will also set your lawn and landscape up for a great spring.
How well your lawn and landscape stand up to the next high stress environmental event greatly depends on developing the best horticultural practices in every season.
If you have questions or need help with any lawn and landscape needs, simply respond to this email or give us a call at (405)367-3873.
Lorne Hall
Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape
(405)367-3873