Fall is the optimum time to fertilize grass lawns.

  • Topic: Grasses and Lawns
  • Author: Mary Ann Walz
  • Keywords: grasses, fall, turf, Maintenance
  • Date: October 2002

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Fall is the optimum time to fertilize grass lawns. Fall “feeding” of turf and native grasses strengthens the roots and increases the grass density. It also helps grass have good green color next summer while avoiding the fast, thirsty growth that results from summer “feeding.” It is best to use all natural formulations like Gro-Power 5-3-1 or Yum Yum Mix®. They are excellent soil building fertilizers that keep turf and native grass lawns healthy. Turf lawns should be fertilized twice during the fall, once in early October and again one month later in early November. Native grass lawns and meadows only need a single fertilizer application, preferably in October.

For Kentucky Blue and Fescue turf grass, apply 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of actual nitrogen per 1000 square ft. per application. For Legacy grass, use a single application of 1 1/2 pounds of actual nitrogen per 1000 square ft. For Blue Grama or other native grasses, a single application of 1/2 pound of actual nitrogen per 1000 square ft. is adequate. A 20-pound bag of Gro-Power 5-3-1 will cover 660 (1.5 lbs/sq. ft.) to 1000 (1 lb/sq. ft.) square feet of lawn. A 25-pound bag of Yum Yum Mix will cover 330 to 500 sq. ft of lawn. When looking at the numbers on a bag of fertilizer, 5-3-1 for example, the 5 refers to the percentage weight of nitrogen in the bag. Thus a 20-pound bag is 5% nitrogen by weight or one pound of actual nitrogen.

When selecting fertilizers for your lawn, try to avoid pure chemical fertilizers that have no organic content. The chemically derived nutrients bypass the microbial activity in the soil and are absorbed directly by the plant roots. Prolonged use of chemical fertilizers will actually deplete the soil’s organic matter and kill the good microbes by starvation, leaving the plants completely dependent on the continued use of non-organic formulations. Lawns that have been fed for years with chemical “lawn food” require annual de-thatching, or the removal of accumulated dried grass clippings, because there are no beneficial microbes in the soil to break down the clippings and convert them into humus.

Instead, build your soil through the use of organic fertilizers. Healthy soils are full of beneficial microbes that break down organic material and convert it to nutrient rich humus. A lawn growing in healthy soil never needs de-thatching and is typically not bothered by dollar spot or other fungal diseases because the beneficial microbes crowd out the ones that cause disease. This healthy interaction of the roots and soil microbes is the cornerstone of a healthy, lower maintenance landscape.

A light application of Soil Mender compost or other good quality compost as a top dressing is also beneficial to lawns, affording a bit of extra protection as we move into winter. This is particularly important for lawns that have been started this year. The compost will break down over the winter and will have disappeared as spring approaches. The compost will help build the soil, which in turn promotes strong root systems.

Finally, don’t forget to add some spring blooming bulbs to your lawn. There is a wide variety of choices but the early spring blooming bulbs are probably best. They will have bloomed and the foliage will have dried up before your lawn starts to green in the spring. Muscari, Crocus, and Chionodoxa are especially pretty in lawns. Other possibilities are the small Wildflower Tulips and Miniature Daffodils.

Taking an organic approach to lawn care also gives assurance that you are doing your part to protect the environment. You’ll be able to observe more birds, bees and butterflies in your yard. Also you’ll just feel better knowing you’re encouraging nature to be a part of your landscape. .