Fall Lawn Care. Mowing. Thatch. Clippings. Thatch. Power Raking. Do not need to mow shorter in fall 2 ½ - 3 height preferred

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1 Fall Lawn Care Chris Zdorovtsov Horticulture Extension Educator SDSU Extension Mowing Do not need to mow shorter in fall 2 ½ - 3 height preferred Less: Decreases drought/heat tolerance More insect, disease, weed problems Mow into fall dormancy Never remove more than ⅓ of blade Use sharp blade Clippings Thatch Do not contribute to thatch problems Could collect in fall & spring for clean-up Not necessary the rest of the season Why sometimes removed Prevent weed seed spreading Prevent yellow rows To utilize as mulch More fertilizer needed if removed Light brown, spongy organic layer of living & dead grass roots & stems that accumulates above the soil surface Common in Kentucky Bluegrass, Fineleaf Fescue lawns Cut into turf to measure > ½ leads to management problems Thatch Power Raking Power Raking (dethatching) Deep dethatching is very damaging, removes too much living turf, damages crowns Light, shallow can be beneficial if done frequently enough (annually) Does NOT relieve compaction 1

2 Core Aerating More beneficial management technique Controls thatch accumulation Relieves compaction 2-3 plugs, 2 apart Leave cores Disintegrate back into lawn Hastens the decomposition of remaining thatch Complete around Memorial or Labor Day Fall weed control is most effective For established perennial weeds Herbicide move into actively growing root system Spray Before hard frost Temperature is above 50 F, below 75 F Not windy, under 5 mph Read & follow label directions! Volatile Herbicides (2-4-D) Have greater potential to drift as air & soil temps increase Dicamba Do not use over tree & shrub roots, moves in soil Weed & Feed Not recommended in fall White Clover Fall spraying very effective Dandelion Fall nearly 100% effective Ground Ivy (Creeping Charlie) Spring application ineffective Usually repeated applications needed Field Bind Weed (Creeping Jenny) Late fall most effective Fertilizing Crabgrass & Annual Weeds Use pre-emergent control in spring Apply a few weeks before germination Before soil temperature of 55 F Spot treat with post-emergence when small Visit- SDSU Weeds Lawn Weeds Publication-FS525Y s/fs525y.pdf Fall is the best time for majority of fertilizing Readily taken up by plants Encourages strong root growth Improves winter survival Improves spring green-up Generally apply ⅔ of lawn s N requirement in fall 2

3 Fertilizer Types Fertilizer Type Slow release Work well in spring Longer period of available nutrients Reduces growth spurts Best for sandy, light textured soils More expensive Quick release Good in the fall Work well on heavier soils Do a soil test to determine need! N-P-K (Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium) SD soils tend to have enough P & K Use high N proportion: e.g or If need 1# N/1000 ft²: Fertilizer /.13 = 7.69 # of fertilizer/1000 ft² Fertilizer Applications Fertilizer Applications 2 lbs/1000 ft² annually for moderate maintenance Bluegrass lawn + 1# if remove clippings + 1# if heavily irrigate No more than 1 #/1000 ft² per application 1 st application- early Sept. 2 nd application- 1 month later, if ground not frozen 3 rd May 4 th in early June Don t put too much on at once Could burn lawn Apply ½ in one direction and ½ in the opposite direction for even coverage Avoid fertilizing in July & August Seeding Seeding Best time is mid-august-mid September May 2 nd best 1. Prepare Bed Use non selective herbicide in area to kill weeds Cultivate & possibly repeat process Work soil 4-6 deep Incorporated needed amendments: top soil, nutrients, organic matter 2. Apply starter fertilizer, High in P E.g (root growth) 3. Apply seed uniformly 2 directions 4. Incorporate seed & fertilizer Rake or light drag (no more than ½ deep) 5. Roll to firm Double germination rate! 3

4 Seeding 6. Mulch with clean straw 1 small bale/1000 ft² 7. Irrigate daily until emergence Transition to deep & less frequent watering 8. Mow when reaches desired height 9. No herbicides until after 3 mowings Raked/Rolled Raked only Medium to High Input Lawn Low to Medium Input Lawn Cool season, irrigated, sun-shade, 2-3 #N/1000ft² annually 3-4 # PLS/1000 ft² (by weight) 25% Perennial ryegrass 10% of stand Quick Cover 50% Fineleaf Fescue (mix of creeping red, hard, chewings) 40% of stand Cool season, unirrigated, sun-shade, less mowing & fertilizer, 1-2#N/1000 ft² annually # PLS/1000 ft² (by weight) 100% Fineleaf Fescue Mix of creeping red, hard, chewings types 3-4 improved cultivars Deep watering a few times during drought recommended 25% Kentucky Bluegrass (3-4 improved cultivars) 50% of stand Over Seeding Your Lawn Warm Season Lawns Reseed to improve thin areas Mid August-mid September is the best time Spring 2 nd best time Aerate, overseed & top dressing with compost Warm season grasses planted in May-June Buffalograss Blue grama 4

5 Cool Season Turfgrass for SD Kentucky bluegrass Hybrid bluegrass Turf-type tall fescues (dwarf fescue) Fineleaf fescues (hard, chewings, creeping red, sheep) Perennial ryegrass Cool Season Grasses Close to 300 cultivars Kentucky Bluegrass KBG Kentucky bluegrass is the most popular turfgrass in US, grown in all 50 states. Growth habit Strongly rhizomatous = Excellent wear tolerance Establishment Seed, sod, plugs Environment Full sun, well adapted to higher elevations Least resistant to salt Culture 20 days to germinate High input water and fertility Hybrid bluegrass + Fescue Hybrid Bluegrass Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) X Texas bluegrass (Poa arachnifera Torr.) Winter hardy in South Dakota Texas bluegrass is not winter hardy in SD More hardy than turf-type tall fescue Can seed alone or with turf-type tall fescue More drought and heat tolerant than Kentucky bluegrass Deeper, more extensive root system than most K. bluegrasses Hybrid bluegrass + turf-type tall fescue Kentucky bluegrass 5

6 Turf-type tall fescue Weedy forage-type fescue Growth habit Bunch-type (some Rhizomonous TF) Establishment seed, sod w/kbg Environment sun/shade Wear tolerance good Culture medium input Notes very heat/drought tolerant, salt tolerant. Did suffer winter injury in 2007 & 2008 trials in northern SD Turf-type Forage-type Tall fescue Fineleaf fescues Growth habit Bunch-type (except creeping red) Establishment seed Environment sun/shade, drought/salt tolerant, very shade tolerant Wear tolerance medium Culture medium to low input Fine blade Fineleaf fescue cultivars 6

7 Perennial ryegrass K. bluegrass P. ryegrass Growth habit Bunch-type Establishment seed Environment sun/shade Wear tolerance excellent Culture high input Good texture, quick germ, blends well w/ KBG. Winterkills extensively in SD. Poor heat/drought tolerance. L.C. Schleicher Deicers Zoysia a very poor option Also avoid Annual Ryegrass Roughstalk bluegrass Bermuda grass Creeping Bentgrass Melt ice by lowering the freezing point of water Sodium Chloride Common, but harmful to soil & vegetation Calcium Chloride & Potassium Chloride Cause minimal damage Problem on some concretes Calcium Chloride Pellets pose least threat Properly cured concrete is more resistant to scaling 7