Winterizing Lawns

Autumn is the best time of the year to get your lawn in shape so that it will be lush and beautiful when spring arrives. There are several things every gardener needs to do.

Materials:
* manual aerator / hand aerator
* powered aerator
* lawn fertilizer
* sod
* sprinkler markers

Tips:
* Cool-season grasses such as perennial rye, blue grass and fescue do best this time of year for filling bare spots.
* If you live in the South where zoysia or Bermuda is grown, your lawn is probably ready to go dormant and turn brown, but you can overseed it with fescue or rye grass to keep it green for the duration of cool weather.
* If you live in the North, overseed bare areas. The cooler season allows seeds to germinate, there is less weed competition and your lawn will fill in before the soil freezes. Also check for weed invasion or a disease caused by insects.
* If you want immediate gratification from your lawn, you can take pieces of sod and cut them to size and work them into the bare spots in the lawn with compost. This will bring immediate results so that you don't have to wait for seeds to germinate. Once sod is in place, make sure you water it thoroughly, and keep it watered daily for a week or so until the sod roots.

Aerating Steps and Tips:

* Aerating your lawn before you apply fertilizer means going in and taking out cores to break through the compacted soil from summer traffic and lawnmowers. Aeration will break through that compacted layer and help your fertilizer get down deeper .
* Mark your sprinkler heads with landscape flags so the aerator won't damage them . Use a gas-powered aerator.
* If aeration is successful, many plugs will appear on the lawn. (Three inches in depth is a good plug). When the plugs come out, they are breaking through the thatch layer that develops between the root system and the soil that can impede root growth . Aeration creates passageways for water, air and nutrients.
* If you have a large lawn, rent a large aerator, or you can have a lawn-care company do the job.
* If you have a smaller lawn, consider buying a hand aerator. First, make sure the soil is moist; then step on the tool every two or three square inches. The tool takes out cores of soil from the lawn. Just leave the plugs on the lawn .

Fertilizing:

You will need a fertilizer that will provide the lawn with the needed nutrients and micronutrients that will help it endure the winter and come into spring in good shape.

* Pick a fertilizer that is formulated for your area. Load the spreader over the sidewalk or driveway to prevent lawn-burning from accidental spills. (Caution: some fertilizers contain iron and sulfur that can stain concrete.)
* Apply the fertilizer uniformly with the spreader over the lawn.
* Water the fertilizer in, if the manufacturer recommends it, or simply follow the label directions on the package.

Continued Fall Lawn Care:

* As your lawn continues to grow in the fall, continue mowing as needed; however , don't scalp your lawn. Leave your lawn about 2-1/2 inches high, because tall grass will encourage a deeper root system.
* When you are mowing for the final time, use your mower as a mulching mower. The grass clippings will return as much as 25 percent of the nitrogen back into the soil over the winter and spring.
* To keep your lawn in good shape this time of year, check for weeds. Use a dandelion digger to pop them out of the soil so that they don't return in the springtime.
* If you have a sprinkler system in your yard, be sure that you drain it as cold temperatures approach. A freeze could damage the system. Also protect the vacuum breaker. If you live in an area that doesn't get much moisture from snow and rain, drag out the hose on warm days and do some winter watering as needed.