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Early Fall Lawn Maintenance
(Aug. 15-Sept. 30)
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1. Aerate established lawns. Most of us have compacted soil which squeezes the roots of grass plants. Core aeration makes holes and drops soil plugs back onto the lawn. Leave them there to breakdown. The North Side True Value (241-1541) rents aerators $28 for 2 hours.
2. Spread a 1/4” layer of compost over your lawn. This will not kill your grass but will sink in and enrich the soil underneath it.
3. Overseed your lawn. Fall is the perfect time to do this because grass is a cool season crop; starting more grass plants in the fall will give weed seeds more competition next summer. Select a seed mix that is appropriate for the amount of light your lawn receives. The Middleton Co-op (831-5921) sells WI HWY Grass Seed Mix #3 which is a mix that competes well with weeds. It is $54 for 50 lb.
If you don’t want to do all of these, just pick one and it will still make a big difference. The aeration and compost steps are especially important if you have been using chemical fertilizers and/or herbicides because these kill earthworms and microbes which naturally aerate the soil.
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