Plan now to winterize your lawn

Now that it's fall, have you decided what type of fertilizer you are going to use on your lawn? Have you taken a soil sample to determine what nutrients are deficient in your soil?

Fall fertilization is a very important part of a good nutrient management program for your lawn. You certainly want to have your turfgrass in great condition as we move into the winter period. Avoid applications of excessive nitrogen during this period, especially with a quick-release nitrogen fertilizer source. It can lead to disease problems.

On the other hand, you don’t want to use a fertilizer with an extremely slow-release nitrogen component either since this can lead to excessive nitrate nitrogen left over into the winter months that may be susceptible to leaching into our groundwater. Make your last fertilizer application at least 30 days prior to the first frost. In Fannin county this is November 15.

Proper fertilization in the fall will pay dividends on your lawn and our environment!

Mowing

If you are mowing your lawn within the optimum range for your
species/variety but are at the lower height, raise your cutting height
to a higher level-especially if your turf is under stress. Recommended
height for common Bermuda grass, Carpetgrass and Centipedegrass is 1 to 2 inches. Height for St. Augustine, Buffalograss and tall fescue is 2 to 3 inches.

Watering

Apply irrigation on an as-needed basis-too much or too little will cause problems. Irrigate deeply - to a depth of 6 inches - with each watering. Shallow watering produces weak, shallow roots which are more susceptible to drought stress. A lawn that is watered deeply should generally be able to go 5 to 10 days between watering. Early morning is the best time to water when wind and temperatures are usually lowest. Water can be applied evenly, with little loss from evaporation.

Watering late in the evening or at night, causes leaves to remain wet
for an extended period, which increases the chance for disease. Do not apply water to the point of run-off. If we have an extremely dry winter we may need to irrigate. Do not allow the soil to become dry,
especially when low temperatures exist.

Weeds

Winter annual weeds stand out like a sore thumb, especially when your warm season lawn grass is dormant. They can invade many areas within your landscape, especially those sites where the turf density has been reduced and bare soil exists. Make sure you go into the winter months with a healthy, dense turfgrass as your best defense against these winter pests. Another approach is to use a pre-emergent herbicide to control them.

These weeds germinate in the late summer/early fall season. They will
live during the winter and mature in the spring, then die, leaving the
seeds for next winter. Examples of winter annual weeds include: annual ryegrass, annual bluegrass, rescue grass, bur-clover, chickweed, henbit, and mustard weeds.

Control of these weeds can be accomplished with applications of the correct pre-emergent herbicide at the proper time. In North Texas, applications may be needed in late August. Timing is important since you are controlling germinating seeds-so this pre-emergent herbicide needs to be applied prior to germination. If you have a lawn care company, ask them about their approach to these pests-sometimes they use products that will control the weeds prior to or just after germination. Please make sure you read the labels on all herbicides and calibrate your spreader/sprayer accordingly.

Winter Diseases

Diseases in warm season turfgrasses such as Bermuda grass,
Buffalograss and St. Augustine usually occur during both the spring and fall seasons when it is cool and wet (humid). Fungus problems such as brown patch, gray leaf spot, helminthosporium, leaf spot, downy mildew, dollar spot and take-all root rot enjoy the weather at this time of year. Monitor your grass f or unusual patterns or stressed areas.

Have the grass analyzed to determine proper identification of the disease or problem. Proper treatment will depend on the specific fungus or other problem with the grass. Improper water and nutrient management (fertilization) as well as other cultural practices can enhance disease development.

For more information on lawn management practices throughout the
year, contact the AgriLife Extension office. The Texas AgriLife
Extension Service, Fannin County office is located in the South Annex, 210 S. Main, Bonham. Phone - (903)583-7453. E-mail: fannin-tx@tamu.edu