8 | Saturday, September 23, 2017 | The Topeka Capital-Journal | homes.cjonline.com
Lawn care: Seed lawn in early fall Continued from 3
to use 4 pounds of product per application. One last note about fertilizer: If you’re using granular fertilizer, use a broadcast spreader to ensure even application. Too much fertilizer in one area will burn and potentially kill the grass. What’s the best way to tackle weeds? For large infestations, consider a broadleaf herbicide, which comes in selective and non-selective forms. Selective herbicides only attack specific plants (dandelions, clover, etc.);
nonselective herbicides kill everything they touch. For weeds within the lawn, use a selective herbicide, otherwise you’ll kill the grass. If you’d rather not use a herbicide, you can always dig out weeds by hand, just make sure you pull out the root system or they’ll return the following spring. This method isn’t always practical for large areas covered in weeds. Can you seed a lawn in the fall? Yes. Some pros even recommend it. Cool temperatures and warm soil conditions make late-summer to
early fall an optimal time to sow grass seed. Just don’t wait until too long, or the grass won’t establish by the time temperatures drop. As for repairing dead patches, remove the grass down to the bare soil, use a rake to rough up the soil and then add seed. Germination usually takes around 10 to 15 days. It’s important to keep the soil moist but not drenched during this period. After it starts to grow, you should continue to water on a daily basis to encourage root growth and to prevent it from drying out. homes.cjonline.com | The Topeka Capital-Journal | Saturday, July 29, 2017 | 9
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