This time of year is perfect for thickening an established lawn or starting a new one from seed. The cool evening temperatures, heavy dew, regular rain falls and shorter days of September are perfect for seed germination.
How Do You Start?
Rake your lawn with a fan rake where you plan on sowing fresh grass seed (overseeding) and be sure to remove the dead grass and debris that may be in the way.
Next, spread triple mix or lawn soil over the area about 4- to 6-centimetres thick. Spread the seed by hand by letting the seed roll off your index finger while waving your arm back and forth in front of you. Or buy a small, hand held whirly gig to spread your seed evenly.
Rake smooth.
Step the seed into firm contact with the soil.
Water well and apply a fertilizer with slow release nitrogen or a grass seed starter fertilizer (especially helpful for a new lawn).
Water the area well for 6 to 8 weeks, when Mother Nature is not taking care of this for you.
Competing weeds out of existence is not an exercise of spraying anything on your lawn. It is a matter of changing lawn maintenance habits in favour of a healthier lawn.
Complete the Recipe
Cut your lawn 2 ½- to 3-inches high.
Use a mulching lawn mower (and return the nitrogen rich goodness of the grass blades back to the root zone).
Fertilize three times a year with a slow release nitrogen-based product, including a final application just before the snow flies.
The third and final application of lawn fertilizer is the most important one of the year; use a quality national brand formulated for late autumn application. It will provide a boost to your lawn that will produce results early next spring when the grass plants emerge from winter dormancy. Snow mould will be minimized. Your lawn will green up faster (you can always tell the neighbours who have applied fall fertilizer — they are the ones with the greenest lawns in spring).
