Tired Lawn?
By: B. L. Holland, Master Gardener

This time of year our cool season grasses such as fescue, rye and bluegrass look tired and may be dormant but will soon perk up and grow better again in fall. The best way to a great lawn is healthy grass which crowds out weeds and resists disease.

Fall is the best time to work on getting cool season lawns in shape. These grasses do most of their growing now and need 75% of their annual fertilizer dose. Seeding a new lawn or reseeding bare areas is best done now while the soil is warm enough for quick germination but needed water won’t evaporate so quickly. The new grass then has all winter to grow strong roots without competition from annual weeds and is ready to take off again in spring.

If you have bermuda or zoysia lawns (warm season grasses), they grow best in the heat of summer and go dormant in winter and require a different care schedule.

Cool season lawn mixes consisting of several types of grasses usually perform best for all over-seeding of new lawns. Bare areas under trees may be seeded with fine fescue as it grows best in shade with a little less water.

If you haven’t done so in a few years, have your soil tested. A soil test can tell you how much of which kind of fertilizer your soil needs to grow grasses. If you get this done early enough you can begin a lawn fertilizing program this fall. Take soil samples from 2-6 inches deep (where the grass roots grow) from several areas in your yard. For $11.00 your soil sample can be analyzed by the Jasper County University of Missouri Extension Center in Carthage which will generally take about two weeks to complete. They will give you a full report on your soil’s status, what fertilizers it needs and when to apply it. They can also provide detailed guidesheets for growing and maintaining your lawn.

Meanwhile large areas of unwanted vegetation can be cleared and prepared for new grass seed. Water first to get weeds growing then apply glyphosate herbicide. This is a complete herbicide and will kill all vegetation but you may need to apply more than once 7-10 days apart for tougher weeds and grass and at least 10 days prior to seeding. Selective herbicides which kill only certain types of weeds but leave the grass cannot be used just prior to seeding.

Tilling will loosen the soil, but raking and tilling will also uncover dormant weed seeds that await sunshine to germinate. Till one time and prepare to kill weeds again when they germinate. You can also apply weed-free compost, peat moss or other soil amendments into the top 4-6 inches of soil.

By this time your soil test should be ready and you may need to apply lime, nitrogen or other recommended fertilizers. After seeding and mulching lightly with straw be sure to sprinkle, sprinkle and sprinkle again. Water just until puddles begin to form several times a day depending on the heat, wind and evaporation. Germinating and new grass will die in only a few hours without moisture so again water lightly and prepare to water again. Good grass is a lot more than just good luck.