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Now is the time to get your lawn back in shape
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Published: August 3, 2008
If Bermuda, violets, wild strawberries and other perennials are a major problem in the lawn, now is an excellent time to evaluate it and plan to get it back in good shape again. "Major" is used here to describe a lawn with less than a 60% stand of desirable grass. One will hope that the tough weeds are isolated rather than dispersed throughout. A lawn with poor fertility and badly in need of lime, plus having a high weed population is also a good candidate for fall work.
Spraying now with glyphosate (Roundup) is highly recommended. This will allow time for soil sampling in addition to reapplication of Roundup in about 2 to 3 weeks if good control is not achieved after the initial one. Skipping a mowing to allow weeds to become healthy and actively growing is a practice for obtaining good control with Roundup. Two to three hours or more without wetness is also extremely helpful after the weed killer application. These conditions are critical because this weed killer is systemic and has to move into the plant then down into the roots, which requires about two weeks.
Overseeding as well as maintenance fertilizer should be done by early September. Any blend or mixture of varieties will look better than a single one. Bluegrass will complement the newer turf type fescue or blends of several fescues. There are special blends for shade or creeping red fescue can be planted into a weak one. Soil samples taken now should have results back in adequate time for planting. Containers are available at the Extension office as well as some farm supply dealers. Additional fertilizer high in phosphate in the form of 0-20-0 and 0-46-0 incorporated into the soil as well as lime will produce the best results. These are slow moving and whenever possible should be mixed four inches or deeper into the soil.
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