Lawn
Fall Is For Planting Trees, Shrubs, Perennials and Lawn Seed
While it may seem that the gardening season should be over, fall is actually a perfect time to plant. Yes, things above ground may look bleak, but below ground root growth is still in full swing.
- Planting success is all about the roots.
- You can plant later than you may think.
When you plant in the fall the soil is still warm from summer. Warm soil temps encourage new roots to grow. Fall is also the time when plants naturally shift their energy from top growth to root growth. This helps plants establish faster. Rainfall is more plentiful and predictable in the fall. New plantings require moisture for optimal growth. In addition, annual weeds that compete for nutrients and moisture are finishing their life cycle, which reduces this competition. And fall’s ample rainfall encourages roots to grow more deeply. Deeper roots are better able to find water now and next spring.
Another counter-intuitive benefit to planting in the fall is the cooler air temperatures above ground. Cooler temps mean less stress and fewer pest and disease problems.
Last but not least, roots continue to grow until the ground freezes. The results are that plants that are put in the ground in the fall will have stronger roots to start off next spring. Then when summer comes, they will be better equipped to deal with heat and drought.
Some things need to be planted in the early fall
There are many plants that will thrive when planted about four weeks before the first hard frost. These plants – grass seed, turf and cool season vegetables – need to establish a root system before the ground starts to cool in late fall.
Seeds or seedlings of lettuce, radishes, broccoli and spinach can be planted in early fall. To extend the harvest later into the fall, a row cover of black plastic can be added for further protection once heavy frost arrives.
Early fall is the best time for rejuvenating your lawn or for planting a new lawn. Grass seed germinates at cooler temperatures than summer can provide. Weeds are not germinating now making it the perfect time for lawn work. Ideally, new grass seed should be planted about a month before the first hard frost predicted for your area.
Groundcovers such as Vinca or pachysandra will develop strong root systems when planted in the fall. When spring arrives your fall planted beds will be thick and full of healthy plants.
Some things can be planted even into late fall
Any perennial, shrub or tree that has been grown in a container or ball and burlapped can be planted late into the fall – right up until the time that the ground freezes. Later plantings will benefit from a protective mulch once the ground is frozen. This insulates the soil and keeps it from freezing and thawing.
Tulips, Daffodils and other spring flowering bulbs are best planted from mid-October through ground freeze. Planting too early can cause the bulbs to send up top growth at the wrong time. Planting bulbs in the fall ensures a good root system and a beautiful garden when spring arrives.
Final benefit
Savvy shoppers know that plant prices come down as the year comes to an end. Perennials are an especially great bargain because most people see a perennial that has passed and assume it’s dead. Fact is planting perennials in the fall means you’ll get a great price, and the plant will have the fall months to grow a strong root system. Next spring you’ll be rewarded with a fantastic, established plant and some extra money in your pocket to boot.
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PDFOverseeding Your Lawn
Overseeding for better greening.
Every fall when we post our list of lawn care suggestions, we’re reminded that many people think that spring is the quintessential season for lawn care. Yes, spring is when most people dust off their garden gloves and tackle their lawns, but the fact is back-to-school is perhaps an even better time to treat your lawn to some TLC. Fertilizing, compact aeration, composting and compost tea all are excellent ways to help your lawn looks its best, but perhaps the most important fall activity is to thicken your lawn by “overseeding” with new grass seed. Yes, a thicker lawn looks better, but the real secret is that a thicker lawn helps crowd out weeds naturally, without resorting to chemical weed killers.
Why do it now.
Back to school is always a little crazy, but if you can squeeze in a couple of hours, here are a few reasons why late August through September is the best time to grow new grass seeds and get that thick green lawn that will be the envy of your neighborhood. While daytime temperatures are on the decline, below the surface the soil retains its warmth – and warm soil helps seeds germinate faster. Back-to school season also brings more rainfall – not great for football, but super helpful for seed germination. Cooler temperatures also reduce insect infestation and disease. And last but not least, weeds don’t germinate during cooler fall days, so your new grass won’t have to compete with new weeds.
How to Overseed Your Lawn
- Mow at the lowest possible setting. If you got a grass-catcher, use it –– lumps of cut grass will interfere with new seed germination.
- Use a grass rake to remove all dead grass and twigs. This will help ensure good contact between the new seed and soil. It’s also good exercise.
- If your lawn soil is compacted (hard to pierce with a shovel or spade) have the lawn aerated. This allows for moisture to reach the seeds and roots. You can rent a DIY machine, or call Mahoney’s Safelawns and we’ll do it for you. (Compact aeration is a good idea even if you are not overseeding.)
- Spread a high quality seed. Quality seeds cost an extra few bucks but will produce a more disease-resistant, drought-tolerant, attractive lawn. (Click here to learn why Uncle Mike Mahoney prefers the Jonathan Green line of seeds and lawn care products.)
- Apply a quality seed starting fertilizer to provide the phosphorus needed to establish strong roots
- Spread a 1/2-inch layer of compost over the seed –– this is important to improve the soil and will help keep moisture near the seeds.
- Water consistently. Grass seeds will ABSOLUTELY DIE if they’re allowed to dry out, so your number one job is to keep them moist for at least 3 weeks. Watering should be shallow — getting the top 1/4 inch wet is enough — but you may have to water twice a day especially if it’s hot. Warning: Allowing new seed to dry out for even a day or two can ruin the grass seed you just spread. One option is to buy a faucet-end hose timer.
- After 3 weeks, you can water less frequently but more deeply.
- Do not mow until the old grass reaches 3 inches.
Got Bare Patches? Seed Now, Too
- Remove all dead grass roots and debris with garden rake or cultivator.
- If your soil has the consistency of clay, spread some compost over the area. If your lawn is compacted, do compact soil aeration.
- Smooth with a rake or smaller tool, like your hand.
- Sprinkle a modest (not too thick) layer of premium grass seed over the spot.
- Add a quality organic or traditional seed starting fertilizer.
- Gently tamp the seed and fertilizer down so it doesn’t easily wash away when you water.
- Apply a thin (1/4 inch) layer of straw, sifted compost, or soil-less growing medium as mulch.
- Water at least daily to keep the seeds constantly moist for 3 weeks, as you would for overseeding the whole lawn.
Yes, it looks like a lot of steps, but overseeding is not rocket science, doesn’t take all that much work and really isn’t very expensive. Plus year after year you’ll be rewarded with an easer to maintain, more beautiful lawn. One final note: don’t procrastinate –– new grass roots need time to establish before frost, so for best results make sure to overseed before October 15th. Got questions? Stop in to any Mahoney’s – we’ll talk you through it.
Now let’s hear your fall lawn care secrets.
Got any fall lawn care tips or helpful suggestions that you’d like to share? Leave a comment and let us know your recipe for successful fall lawn care.
Why We Carry Jonathan Green Grass Seed
Out of all the grass seed companies in the country, we choose to carry Jonathan Green grass seed because it is the best, hands down the best. We can buy grass seed that’s cheaper, we can buy gimmicky grass seed like coated grass seed, but we choose to go with the quality of Jonathan Green. After sitting down with Barry Green years ago at a trade show, I realized I was not talking to a salesman, but a bona fide grass guru. This man helped me understand that his grass seed is far better than the competition’s seed, which are so often older varieties of turf seed that are out of date.
Customers are always telling us they’re trying to get rid of turf in their lawn and it’s clear that it’s because it came from a poor grass seed mix, plain and simple. High quality grass seed costs a bit more but when it comes to weeds and grass seed, you get what you pay for!
I invited seedsman Barry Green to talk about his product and like anyone who really loves and believes in what he does, he agreed. So here’s Barry Green, 4th generation seedsman.
by Barry Green, seedsman and president of Jonathan Green, Inc.
Our business was founded generations ago by Jonathan Green to supply professional grass seed customers, like sod-growers, with seed varieties and seeding results that met and exceeded their expectations. To accomplish this goal we knew that we would have to get into the turfgrass breeding business and in 1986 we did, when we established a turfgrass research farm near Salem, Oregon in the heart of the grass seed production region in the United States. Soon we were planting turfgrass evaluations plots at leading universities and on sod farms throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states in order to test our seed under all the stressful growing conditions we face in our marketing areas (including very hot and humid summers and icy- cold winters).
Big discovery - beneficial endophytes!
A few years later we learned of a new research breakthrough called “beneficial endophytes” which could be bred into turfgrasses to make them distasteful to surface feeding insects, such as chinch bugs and sod webworms, and soon after we introduced endophytes into our entire grass seed retail program. They also help the grass plant to be more drought-tolerant and disease-resistant. At this time, Jonathan Green, Inc. is the only grass seed company selling grass seed mixtures with beneficial endophytes to the general public.
More discoveries - heat- and drought-tolerant grass seeds
In 1993 we discovered another important breakthrough in turfgrass breeding - a cool-season grass was discovered surviving hot, desert conditions in Africa - because of an invisible waxy-cuticle coating on the outer leaf surface, which we discovered with a microscope. Then a few years later we discovered another grass seed with similar qualities closer to home - in Marquette, Michigan, where the winds are very harsh.
And Black Beauty was Born
After many years of evaluation and turfgrass breeding work, we were able to cross these two grasses to create what we now call the “Black Beauty Breakthrough in Turfgrass Breeding”. These tall fescues look very similar to Kentucky Bluegrass but are more deeply rooted, drought-tolerant and disease-resistant than any other grass seed variety which has previously been available. They grow in full sun and partial shade and in sandy or heavy clay soils. They will thrive under the adverse growing conditions of Eastern New England and will look great doing so! The Black Beauty grasses can be found in our original Black Beauty and Black Beauty Ultra Grass Seed Mixtures and as a key component in many of our other great grass seed mixtures.
Only at Independent Garden Centers
Our products are only available at fine independent garden centers such as Mahoney’s - because this is where homeowners must go to get the advice and instructions that they need to achieve success on their lawns.
Photo: Barry Green with Dr. Xunzhong Zhang of Virginia Tech University inspecting grass samples that were being evaluated for disease resistance.
More info on their website: An excellent link for information regarding Black Beauty Or sign up here for Jonathan Green’s “Timely Tips” e-newsletter.
