Fall Lawn Care

Note that the information in this blog post is intended for the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island regions. See here for Fall Lawn Care in the Okanagan.

Fall provides an excellent opportunity to renew and revitalize tired lawns. Whether you're planting a new lawn or need to put some growth onto your existing lawn, now is the time to undertake this project. The soil has been absorbing heat all summer, meaning seed germination will be fast and the individual plants will establish well before the weather turns cool. With our mild, wet winters and relatively dry summers, a little extra autumn care will set your lawn up for success when spring returns.

Fall lawn care can be done any time from early September to late October, but we advise allowing a few days of rain before any major decisions. This will let your lawn to re-green after a dry summer; you can then more easily see where problem or patchy areas have developed. The soil will be easier to work with too.

Feed Your Lawn

We recommend an application of GARDENWORKS Premium Fall Fertilizer in late September to early October. This will help lawns resist drought, disease & winter damage, providing a very gradual release of nitrogen during the early spring to stimulate growth & green-up of lawns. Remember: a thick, healthy lawn is easier to maintain and will discourage weed & moss growth.

Oh My Moss!

The lawn enthusiast’s nemesis are moss and weeds. Moss is caused by a number of factors:

• Acid soils. Our high rainfall on the coast leaches the calcium from our soils, leaving them acidic. Applying Dolomitic Lime in the spring and fall can remedy this drop in pH. It also replaces the Calcium and Magnesium the lawn needs. Remember, lime does not remove moss, it just makes the soil less inviting 
• Moss loves the shade. Remove some of what is causing the shade, or overseed with GARDENWORKS Shady Lawn Seed
• A lawn with lots of traffic is susceptible to moss growth; the quick remedy is to aerate and dethatch

Dethatching and Aeration

Thatch problems are the result of over fertilizing and leaving long grass clippings on the lawn after mowing; hampering water penetration to the root zone. For a spot thatch problem, rake the area with a stiff lawn rake and remove the thatch. For large areas, use a de-thatcher. De-thatching should be done in early spring or early fall so that the lawn has a chance to recuperate before weed seeds germinate. To avoid thatching problems, do not over fertilize with nitrogen and make sure to mow regularly.

Aeration is the removal of soil plugs which will allow air to penetrate directly to the root zone. The added oxygen encourages soil microbes to break down organic matter, such as thatch. These holes also allow water to penetrate more easily. When aerating, we recommend applying a thin layer of GARDENWORKS Lawn Soil and Top Dressing which will fill these holes with well drained, nutrient enriched soil.

Click here to learn more about moss removal.

Seeding 

With the dethatching and aeration done, it's the perfect time to establish new grass. Please ensure areation holes have been refilled before this step.

Apply to the entire lawn to avoid visual differences. Multiple passes may be necessary. Lightly rake in the grass seed into the soil. Top dress with a thin layer of soil and water well.

You (and your neighbours!) will be impressed at how much better your lawn looks next spring.