Fall is for loving your lawn

The calendar may still say summer. But in Colorado, the thermometer is already saying fall-ish.

We've noticed daily highs getting cooler and the daylight hours getting shorter. But did you notice the much cooler nights?

Right now, average night-time low temps are more than 10 degrees cooler than they were on August 1st. Cooler night-time lows mean fall is in the air and especially so, for the lawn. Cooler nights combined with fewer hours of daylight slows lawn growth considerably. And that means it's really time to crank down the water and soon, slow down the mowing.

Grass in fall mode needs less water and less mowing the closer we get to the official start date of fall in just a couple weeks.

Even with the grass slowing down, you still need to love your lawn a little longer this growing season with a bit more TLC. Do these fall lawn activities and you will build a hardier lawn for the winter and see a stronger come-back next spring.

• Apply a final application of fertilizer timed around the first day of fall, September 23rd. Using the same fertilizer you used earlier this season is fine. But if you need to buy more, look for a formulation high in Nitrogen and Potassium because these minerals are good for the roots.
• Core aerate the lawn before winterizing the sprinkler system. Aeration pulls plugs of soil and sod out of the lawn and these holes open up the soil so that the roots can take in maximum moisture during the winter.
• Zap turf weeds. Here's your last chance for this year to get after turf weeds. Giving one last round of control will really pay off next spring in terms of fewer weeds at the start of the season.
• Get expert help if you have had fungus or other turf disease or insect problems this summer.

Cultural practices like fertilization and aeration go a long way to reduce disease. But it's still a good idea to get problems properly diagnosed so you know what to do now and maybe next spring to get problems under control for good.

Tip of the Week reprinted courtesy of Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) of which Foothills Landscape Maintenance, LLC is a member. ALCC is the only only professional organization for Colorado's landscape contracting industry statewide. Tip of the Week is copyrighted by Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado and may be forwarded or copied by its members provided proper credit is given to ALCC

Snow Mold on Colorado Front Range lawns

Gray snow mold, caused by the fungus Typhula incarnate can occur on many Front Range lawns. Snow mold occurs during periods of prolonged snow cover, but can also occur where leaves and other debris have accumulated on lawns during the fall and winter. North-facing lawns, shaded lawns and areas where snowplowing or drifting snow created especially deep snow will be most commonly affected.

The fungus is active in moist lawns at temperatures just above freezing. Circular patches (6-12 inches) will have a moldy appearance when fungus is actively growing - usually just as the snow melts. Under severe conditions, these smaller patches may grow together to form large, matted areas that appear to be dead. As the lawn begins to dry out the fungal growth slows. Patches can take on a light tan appearance, fading to light gray or white.

This disease rarely kills home bluegrass lawns, although young seedlings from a late fall seeding may be killed (fall sod will be OK).

Fungicide applications are not recommended when snow mold occurs in a home lawn. Spring fungicide applications will NOT effectively control or prevent the disease, nor will fungicide use hasten spring turf recovery.

The best way to speed recovery is to remove dead and matted material by light raking to promote air circulation and drying. Light spring nitrogen fertilization (especially if no fertilizer was applied the previous fall) will help speed the growth of new grass from the underground stems that are not harmed by the snow mold fungus. Lawns that appear slow to recover this spring will benefit from core cultivation, followed by over seeding with the same grass species already present in the lawn.

Contrary to popular belief, late-season fertilization (also referred to as "fall" or "winterizer" fertilization) neither encourages snow mold nor increases its severity. In fact, late-season/fall fertilization will encourage more rapid healing and recovery when lawns are afflicted with snow mold.

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/1543.html