Fall Newsletter
As we start the Fall Season, we hope that everyone enjoyed their Summer!
This Summer the weather was very rough on the lawns and landscapes. June had heavy rainfall and high humidity which promoted an abundance of turf disease and excessive weed and weed grass growth. July brought excessive heat, with temperatures in the high 90’s, and very little rain. This was followed by heavy storms and flooding in August. Unsurprisingly, these conditions created an unhealthy environment for your lawn and landscape, causing damage to many of our trees, shrubs and lawns. The good news: we have seen some recovery with the cooler temperatures at the end of August.
With the Fall Service we will be repairing the damage caused by the Summer weather. Here are some suggestions for corrective measures you should consider for this Fall:
Caring for Your Lawn in the Fall
Certain areas of your lawn may thin out each year because of annual grasses, summer stress, insects and diseases. It will be necessary to have these areas reseeded; this work will be performed along with your Fall Service. Prior to your Fall Service, we would like you to be aware of the following:
- This is an excellent time to give your lawn a good raking. As in the Spring, get your leaf rake and rake out the dead grasses in any damaged or thin areas. Doing this means that when your reseeding is done, the seed will be able to easily make the soil contact needed to germinate.
- After raking you should fill in any thin, low areas, or holes in the turf by adding small amounts of topsoil. This “topdressing” can be done by lightly spreading ½ to 1 inch of soil onto the ground with a garden rake. This soil can be purchased in 40 lb. bags from any garden center.
- Note: For those who want topdressing, but cannot do it yourselves, our company offers this service at an extra charge. The topdressing will be done at the time of your Fall Service.
Entire Lawn Core Aeration is Available
During the Fall Service, we spot core aerate when we repair the damaged areas as part of the reseeding extra work. However, if you are interested in having the entire lawn core aerated this Fall, please contact us and we will email you the cost for your property. For more information on the benefits of whole lawn core aeration, see our web page’s FAQ: Core Aeration
Leaf Removal
As we get deeper into autumn, it is important that you remove the leaves from your lawn for as long as they continue to fall. This means raking and clearing right into December and January. Leaves left on the lawn cause dead areas and other problems. The easiest and safest way of removing leaves from your lawn is to use a lawn mower bag while cutting. For heavier amounts of leaves, raking is not a problem on established turf. Please note on newly-seeded, shady, or shallow-rooted areas, heavy raking may be damaging to the lawn. Either rake these areas lightly or (if you have one) use a leaf blower. A blower would move the leaves off the weak areas onto established turf, driveway, street or sidewalk where they can then safely be raked into bags.
If you need help finding assistance with leaf removal, please contact us and we can make recommendations.
Watering Procedures
Please do not turn off your water until late November. In the Autumn, the lawns become drier than most people realize due to windy days, trees absorbing moisture before winter dormancy, and cooler temperatures. If there is no measurable rainfall for a week, make sure that you provide a good soaking, especially if extensive seeding was done in the Fall service. Continue watering until the weather prohibits.
For those customers who have a sprinkler system, you will need to water three times a week because of the amount of time needed to be sure each zone is properly watered – especially if extensive seeding was done in the Fall. Due to the cooler temperatures this time of year, you need to set your sprinkler to start later in the morning, for example at 10 a.m. rather than 5 a.m. You may also reduce the amount of time each zone is on. Please do not set the system to come on the day your lawn is scheduled to be mowed. Unless directed otherwise by our company, you can schedule your sprinkler system’s winterization after November 15th.
We will be starting our Fall Service shortly. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us on 302-792-2201 or at Finolawn@gmail.com.
Have a wonderful Fall Season!
Gabriel L. Clouser, President
Eric M. Plummer, Vice President