Lawn-Care Calendar for the Midwest
Fertilizing: If you only feed your lawn once a year, autumn is the best time to do it. In fact, your lawn could take a light application of fertilizer in early fall and again in late fall.
More mowing: It seems like it never ends: As temperatures cool, your lawn will grow faster. You'll likely need to mow regularly through the end of the season.
Cleanup time: It's a good idea to clean up fallen leaves. If you don't want to rake them up, run your lawn mower over your lawn two or three times. This chops the leaves into fine pieces so they decompose and add to your soil's structure. Otherwise, rake up and compost the fallen leaves.
Overseeding: Most grasses in the Midwest grow best when it's under 75 degrees F. -- making autumn the ideal time to overseed. Be sure to give your new grass about a month before your first average first frost so it can get established.
Aerating: Cooler autumn temperatures mean your grass will start growing more again -- so it's a great time to aerate to loosen compacted soil.
Go after perennial weeds: Most perennial lawn weeds are most susceptible to attack in fall when they're winding down and getting ready for winter. Tackle them with a broadleaf herbicide or pull them by hand.
Continued on page 3: Summer
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