1.  Aeration

Aeration gives your lawn a breather in autumn and provides room for new grass to spread without competition from spring weeds.  You can rent an aeration machine at your local tool shop. A hand-aerating tool ($20), which looks like a pitchfork with hollow tines, is labor-intensive and meant for unplugging small sections of grass. Gas-powered aerating machines (rental, $20/hour) are about the size of a big lawn mower, and are good for working entire lawns  The aeration tools pull up plugs of grass and soil, breaking up compacted turf. This process will allow the water, oxygen, and nutrients to reach roots, & gives seeds room to sprout.

2.  Seeding

Fall, when the soil temperature is about 55 degrees, is the best time to seed your lawn because turf roots grow vigorously in fall and winter. If you want a lush lawn, don’t cheap out on the seed. Bags of inexpensive seed ($35 for 15 pounds) often contain hollow husks, weed seed, and annual rye grass seed, which grows until the first frost then drops dead. Splurge on the good stuff ($55 for 15 pounds of Kentucky Bluegrass seed), which resists drought, disease, and insects. Water your new seed every day for 10 to 20 days until it germinates.

3.  Fertilizing

A late fall fertilization — before the first frost — helps your grass survive a harsh winter and encourages it to grow green and lush in spring. Make your last fertilization of the year count by choosing a product high (10% to 15%) in phosphorous or you can purchase nitrogen rich fertilizers. This is extreemly important for growth.

4.  Mulching

Use your mower to run over fallen leaves. This will create a natural much.The shredded leaves protect grass from winter wind and desiccation. An added bonus — shredded leaves decompose into yummy organic matter to feed grass roots. A mulching blade ($10) that attaches to your mower will grind the leaves even finer.

I hope that these tips are helpful for you as you get your lawn ready for winter. By following these steps you will have a beautiful yard by springtime.

Jan Sohlman

Realtor at RE/MAX Integrity

541-302-4810