How Are Husbands Like Lawn Mowers? They Are Hard To Start, Emit Noxious Odours And Half The Time They Don’t Work!
It is the last Lumby and Districts Public Market this coming weekend It takes a great deal of work for every one to be there every Saturday so be sure to come down thank the Vendors and get some last shopping in as I know it will be appreciated. The cooler temperatures are still a ways away however the night time temperatures on Thursday and Friday do have a high risk of frost and if you haven’t been hit yet you probably will this time.
This is the time to give your lawn a good fertilizer with an addition of 2-4-D which is an organic hormone that will cause broad leafed weeds like Dandelion, Purslane and Chick Weed to grow rapidly then die off. The Fall fertilization is the second most important treatment you can do for your lawn to promote root growth that will allow it to be more drought resistant in the following year and also set up its defence against fungal disease. This will also help eliminate moss growth usually the reason for it although most people think it is a lime deficiency. Also to help with disease and fungal issues a brisk raking or if your lawn is quite large a power raking to remove dead matter and moss. If your lawn requires top dressing or over seeding this is the time to do it as seeding is best done for repair or new lawns is rapidly coming to an end. Lawns do not die back from freezing and are not totally dormant through the winter. They will start growth slowly when air and soil temperatures are over 0 degrees Celsius no matter what month it is.
Watering at this time should be done twice weekly and deeply to prevent the lawn from going dormant and prevent powdery mildew. Mid morning to late afternoon are good times to water and will allow enough time for the blades of grass to dry to prevent fungal problems. A good mixture of seed should be a mixture of Kentucky Blue Grass and other seeds recommended by a professional. It will usually be a mix of grass that will do well in shade as well as sunny areas.
Cheaper seed will have a higher content of Rye Grass which will die out over the winter and leave your lawn susceptible to weed infestations. I’ve noticed that I have an area where Fairy Ring has affected my lawn. This often will occur with a wet spring where funguses can readily grow and then will show its real damage once the weather has warmed and dried. These rings in the lawn that are circular in appearance and are due to poor aeration and fertilization. These mushrooms thrive on the organic matter in the lawn that produce starch and sugars. Once the rings have appeared you can count on around 8 inches of bullet hard earth that will have to be pried open with a pitch fork and watered deeply as well as good application of fertilizer as this thick matt will prevent water and food from reaching the roots of the grass. This is caused by the root structure of the mushrooms.
Mow your lawn weekly and remove all leaves and grass clippings. Your last mowing should leave your lawn at about an inch in hight to overwinter.
Happy Gardening!
Samantha Nason
BS Ranch & Greenhouses
250 547 6567
sam1nason@gmail.com
