It’s hard to believe that we are already in late August. Husker football will soon begin, and the weather will start to cool off. That doesn’t mean that we are done with our lawns and gardens for the season. There are many things we can do now through the next couple of months to get plants ready for winter dormancy and help them thrive next year. But don’t get too excited, there are also plenty of things to wait on, correct timing is very important.
Overseeding Lawns Now
If you have bare patches in your lawn or just would like to make your lawn more vigorous, late August through mid-September is the best time to seed turf in Southeast Nebraska. Kentucky bluegrass and turf-type tall fescue are both great cool season turfgrass choices for southeast Nebraska, purchase seed that is blue tag certified for highest quality and least weed issues.
When overseeding, it can be helpful to aerate the lawn first so the seed can drop down into the plug holes afterwards, but it is not necessary. If you plan to kill off existing vegetation first, you can use glyphosate, or Roundup, but it needs to be done 1-2 weeks ahead of seeding. If you are just thickening up the stand or filling in bare spots, just spread the seed and then rake it in with a stiff-tined rake. You can use a starter fertilizer when planting new grass. Do not use pesticides on the newly seeded areas until it has been mowed 3 times, with the exception of mesotrione, or Tenacity, which can be used at seeding. If you missed the window for using glyphosate and want to reduce weeds and get the seed down soon, you can use a mesotrione product, just follow the label on how to apply at seeding.
Other Things to Do Now
- Fall Watering - All plants will benefit from fall watering, make newly planted trees and shrubs and evergreens the priority. Use a soaker hose or sprinkler to ensure that the soil is wet down to 8-12 inches deep surrounding these plants and at least out to the dripline of trees. Maintain a 2-3-inch-deep mulch layer to keep moisture near the plants.
- Fall Lawn Fertilizer - Fall fertilization is the most important application for a lawn. Apply a granular fertilizer with 50% slow-release nitrogen, or less, from the beginning to mid-September.
- Prevent household invading insects and arthropods - Many insects and other arthropods become a nuisance inside in Fall as temperatures become cooler. The best controls include sealing cracks in the house, using home barrier sprays around the foundation, windows and doors, using sticky traps throughout the house, and using a vacuum when you find them in your home.
Wait until later in the fall
- Manage perennial broadleaf lawn weeds – Perennial broadleaf weeds including dandelions, creeping Charlie or ground ivy, and clover are best controlled in the later Fall once the weeds have begun their preparations for winter. Spray weeds with a 2,4-D product two or three times from late September through the end of October. Make sure that temperatures are below 85 degrees for 72 hours following application to reduce damage to nearby plants because those chemicals will turn into gas and move to non-target plants if applied in hot temperatures.
- Spring blooming bulbs – Spring blooming bulbs should be planted in the fall, but not quite yet. These should be planted in early October for best growth.
- Clean up iris and peonies – Wait until these plants turn brown in later fall before you remove the foliage. If they had leaf spots, powdery mildew, or other disease or insect issues be sure to discard the foliage when you do clean them up to reduce disease problems next year.
With a little work and correct timing, you can have a wonderful lawn and landscape for years to come.
If you have any further questions please contact Nicole Stoner at (402) 223-1384, nstoner2@unl.edu, visit the Gage County Extension website at www.gage.unl.edu, or like my facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/NicoleStonerHorticulture and follow me on twitter @Nikki_Stoner
Nicole Stoner
Extension Educator
Gage County
August 2024