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Photo Credit: David L. Morgan

Without good care in September, a once-beautiful lawn may not be so pretty again come spring.

It’s September. It’s still hot, but your landscape looks great because you’ve cared for it all summer. But don’t stop now – after all, it’s time to winter-proof your turf!

Why now? Because if you don’t, you may not get that great-looking lawn next spring. More than any other perennial in your landscape, your turfgrass needs preparation for fall and winter. This is the final tune-up before the cooler weather sets in: You need to make certain your lawn is fertilized, well-watered and free of diseases, insects and weeds. Then you can relax when that chilly weather arrives. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

Don’t let your grass show signs of “hunger” this time of year (color loss, twisting leaves and unusual sprouting of seedheads). Instead, give it a shot of fertilizer to carry it into the dormant season in good health. Just be careful not to over-apply, as you may encourage thatch to develop. And be sure to read and follow the recommendations for your area on the fertilizer bag.

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Photo Credit: David L. Morgan

Don’t wait until all the leaves have fallen to fertilize your lawn – the grass needs to be fed when it’s actively growing.

If you have warm-season turfgrass (St. Augustine, Bermuda grass, hybrid Bermuda, zoysia, centipede or buffalograss), apply the appropriate fertilizer in September. These grasses grow best in hot weather. If yours is a cool-season turf (rye, fescue or bluegrass), wait to feed it until late fall, during cooler weather when those grasses grow most actively. Then fertilize again in winter.

Fall fertilizers should be high in nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) and have low to no phosphorus (P). A ratio of 2-1-2 (N-P-K) or 1-0-1 is recommended for most Southwestern lawns. And look for the nitrogen portion of the fertilizer to be a combination of fast- and slow-release forms for the production of carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are stored in the turf roots for use in early spring to help green up the lawn – and as an energy source for the turfgrass during winter stress. In fact, nitrogen is so important, you might consider applying 1 pound of it per 1,000 square feet of lawn. Again, look on the fertilizer bag for regional recommendations.