Never Too Late for a Lush Lawn

By Gilmour

Never Too Late for a Lush Lawn

No matter how well summer treats you, it’ll always put your lawn through a bit of a beating with obstacles like dry spells, heat, wildlife infestation and foot traffic. Luckily, the end of summer is an ideal time to breathe new life into a lackluster lawn. So if you’re thinking it’s too late to grow a lush lawn, think again! You’re right on time.

The Benefits of Late-Summer Lawn Repair

After going dormant in the summer, your grass reawakens when the days become shorter. Soil temperature decreases while natural rainfall increases, encouraging root growth to begin again. This is the time to promote the re-growth of grass through fertilizing, frequent mowing, weed control, re-seeding and smart watering practices. Take the following steps to help your grass survive upcoming winter stresses and thrive next spring.

1. Start Spot-Seeding

If you notice brown spots or thinning grass in your lawn, late August through September is the perfect time to take care of it by re-seeding—the cooler temperatures help promote better growing conditions without extreme heat.

Shoot for Labor Day Weekend to reseed, as this timeframe will give seedlings weeks to build strong roots before winter’s arrival. If you only have a few small spots to take care of, a Stationary Square Sprinkler is your go-to watering tool, as it’ll deliver a gentle, fountain-like spray to fragile seed.

2. Don’t Forget to Fertilize

To maximize your grass’s green and prepare turf for winter, fertilizing is key before the season ends. Be sure to wait until Labor Day or later to do so, as you’ll want your grass to first recover from summer stress. Start by de-thatching any area with more than 1/2” clumps of dead grass. Then, apply about one pound of nitrogen fertilizer to promote grass recovery and stimulate new growth throughout the fall months.

Be sure to water immediately to help the fertilizer work its magic. The Adjustable Circular Sprinkler can be adjusted to cover even large spaces in one shot, so you don’t have to move it to multiple locations in your yard and disrupt your fertilizer.

3. Watch How Much You Water

As the seasons change, how much you water may change as well. With summer’s end come shorter days, cooler temperatures and often more rainfall, which will decrease your grass’s watering requirements. Instead of the usual inch per week you give during the summer, you’ll now want to stretch that inch across a two- and three-week duration, depending on weather conditions.

Simply adjust your watering timer to water less frequently than you would in the summer. But remember that it’s important to water a bit more if late-season rains are limited. When in doubt, place a straight-sided plastic container on your lawn and measure how much natural rainfall your grass receives each week. If it’s less than an inch every two weeks, bring that sprinkler out to finish the job.

Just because summer is winding down doesn’t mean it’s too late to maintain a lush, green lawn. With a little extra effort, you’ll have healthy, vibrant grass now and for seasons to come.