Three Steps to Breathe New Life into Your Lawn this Fall

Step 1: Removing Weeds and Packing in any Holes

The first step to yard health is eliminating weeds that may compete with your new grass. An effective method to eliminate weeds, and requires less physical labor than the old-fashioned way of pulling by hand, is using an herbicide that contains the active ingredient glyphosate. Most of these herbicides will allow you to seed in 7 days or so. Once weeds are dead, mow the area on the shortest mower setting. Also, be sure to fill in any animal-created holes or otherwise as well as unwanted low spots to avoid future drainage problems.

Step 2: Prepare Your Soil & Selecting the Right Grass

Grass comes in a variety of species and not all work well with the Kansas City climate. The success of your growth depends on selecting the proper species and variety of grass. Several factors should be considered when making your seed selection including the amount of sun and shade your yard receives, the amount of maintenance you are willing to commit to, drought tolerance, and overall foot traffic.  Your soil should be prepared for seeding and over-seeded the same day. To prepare and “open” your soil, start by aerating with either an aerator or slice seeder. When seeding, it’s important to seed at the right rate. Too much seed will cause competition between seedlings which will in turn slow the rate of growth. Be sure to work in fertilizer as well as the clay soils of Kansas City can make it hard for grass to grow, even furthering the need for aeration.

Step 3: The Over-Under on Water

New seeds and young seedlings will die quickly if you let them dry out. Keep seedbeds moist at all times until the new seedlings mature and emerge. The trick is providing your new seeds with the precise amount of water as over-watering can be just as damaging as not watering at all. Be sure not to overwater as that could lead to runoff. Timing the precise amount of water for each area of your property can be a challenge. But, the good news is, the irrigation professionals at Heinen can install just the right automatic underground irrigation system to will ensure your new grass gets the specific amount of water it needs for successful growth!

Need a little help with aerating and seeding?  Call to create a custom plan and start taking the steps this fall to bring your dream lawn to life next spring! Give Debbie a call at (913) 432-5011 to set up complimentary consultation with one of the turf pros at Heinen Landscape and Irrigation!