With the Fall Equinox behind us, let’s check in on what Ben’s Creek Nursery is focusing on this season.
For the past few weeks we have begun aeration and overseeding in earnest, and will be continuing those efforts into October.
Aeration and overseeding are annual techniques begun just before the existing lawn begins its rapid growth phase. This growth phase can vary with different types of grasses, however, so be careful out there. Fescue, for instance, is a fall growth grass, while others green up in the spring. This is one of many reasons you might consider hiring a lawncare expert to help you with your maintenance (hint, hint).
After aeration & overseeding, we will be hard at work on fall leaf removal and cleanup, and distributing a little fresh mulch where needed.
Come November we focus on preparations for winter’s cold. Two primary tasks are laying down winter pre-emergent and the winterization of irrigation systems.
Certain weeds, like Annual Bluegrass, Chickweed, and Mallow germinate in the winter, and it is critical to control them early with a pre-emergent weed control.
Irrigation winterization is not as simple as turning off the water and opening a few drains. Your system will have many collection points for water, odd nooks and crannies, and gravity will not be enough to clear it. Nor will automatic drain valves be sufficient for all the many places water might collect. Pressurization can be used in some cases to force the water out – but with care so as not to blow out the pipes.
The complexity of winterization is one reason you should hire a skilled and experienced expert to winterize your system (hint, hint).
This is all in addition, of course, to our standard year round maintenance work, which includes mowing, pruning, and more! Need help with your yard? Contact us!
