Preparing a lawn for Autumn Winter

Can anyone help? I have spent a lot of time this spring and summer bringing my lawn back to life after a year of abuse (we had an extension built and the builders used our back lawn as a dumping ground)but I am concerned about the harsher weather in Winter.

Does anyone have any good ideas of the things that I can be doing to prepare my garden for the winter months to ensure that I still get lush green grass back in Spring 2011?

Reply to
floss2205
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Aerification is definitely a good start, but don't stop there. Late Fall is the best time of year to apply a Herbicide because the plant is storing energy for the Winter so it will absorb the chemical better. You should wait until the grass is dormant and apply a fast release fertilizer like Urea 46-0-0. In Michigan, usually the best time is somewhere around Thanksgiving or just before the first big snow storm. What this will do, because the grass is dormant it will not promote shoot growth (the grass will not get taller), but it will increase the root growth. Any time that you can increase the root grown you can improve your lawn's health.

Reply to
runnerduane

Reply to
runnerduane

Rake, aerate, top dress, and over seed.

Reply to
Brooklyn1

Scarify it. Aerate it. Put down some winter feed. Stay off it if it rains or snows.

Steven

Reply to
Steven Wayne

: Aerification is definitely a good start, but don't stop there. Late : Fall is the best time of year to apply a Herbicide because the plant : is storing energy for the Winter so it will absorb the chemical : better. You should wait until the grass is dormant and apply a fast : release fertilizer like Urea 46-0-0. ..

I had a similar question in another thread. Because of pets and children we have been advised to use Corn Gluten Meal instead of instead of more traditional weed killers. Is Urea safe enough or should we stick with CGM?

Also confused about the order. Everyone seems to agree that raking/aerating comes first. However, the other thread suggests applying CGM (Nitrogen) before overseeding.

So I still need advice on when and in which order to do the following:

Spread fertilizer overseed (= compost layer + seed + compost layer) Corn Gluten Meal (or another safe weed preventer)

This is for Chicago, if the climate matters.

Reply to
Newbie

A small lawn with cavorting pets and children hasn't a chance no matter what you do... you'd just be wasting your money, time, and effort... in fact the more you do the worse your lawn will become. Just mow and water as needed, that's it.

Reply to
Brooklyn1

Brooklyn1 wrote: : A small lawn with cavorting pets and children hasn't a chance no : matter what you do... you'd just be wasting your money, time, and : effort... in fact the more you do the worse your lawn will become. : Just mow and water as needed, that's it.

LOL the children and the pets don't really spend that much time on the lawn to cause damage. We as well as a few neighbors have simply decided together to avoid poisonous chemicals as a matter of policy.

Reply to
Newbie

So where is this utopian green neighborhood. Sort of reminds me of the book "ecotopia" no place I ever saw.

One of my top 50 books BTW.

Reply to
Bill who putters

: In article , Newbie : wrote: : : > Brooklyn1 wrote: : > : A small lawn with cavorting pets and children hasn't a chance no : > : matter what you do... you'd just be wasting your money, time, and : > : effort... in fact the more you do the worse your lawn will become. : > : Just mow and water as needed, that's it. : > : > LOL the children and the pets don't really spend that much time on the : > lawn to cause damage. We as well as a few neighbors have simply : > decided together to avoid poisonous chemicals as a matter of policy. : : So where is this utopian green neighborhood. Sort of reminds me of the : book "ecotopia" no place I ever saw.

"Neighborhood" to me means a larger area. I am only talking about four houses, mine and three neighbors. All have kinds and pets. It is a blessing to have good neighbors. However, please note that "not doing something" requires no money or effort. :)

Reply to
Newbie

Good on you and your neighbours Newbie. I really can't understand the obssession to weed feed and mow grass that doesn't support a single cow/horse/goat or even a rabbit or 6.

Reply to
FarmI

Better than blacktop.

Reply to
Brooklyn1

: >Good on you and your neighbours Newbie. I really can't understand the : >obssession to weed feed and mow grass that doesn't support a single : >cow/horse/goat or even a rabbit or 6. : : Better than blacktop.

I had the same thought. Would it be better to simply ignored the land cover it all with bricks/tar/concrete?

Reply to
Newbie

Not to mention the fact that it's illegal for some of us to have goats etc on our property! As for letting the land go wild, I can tell you that one bout of Lyme Disease is enough (I live in a tick-ridden area- have not seen deer ticks here yet, but they are out there) and once is more than enough when you have a kid that likes to play outside. That's the main reason I mow my lawn, thanks.

Chris

Reply to
Chris

Many communities allow chickens. Chickens and especially Bantam hens love ticks. So for a tick free yard think about chickens, also with chickens will never have to mow the lawn again!

Reply to
Dan L

Only Sheldon would even think of mentioning such a silly thing.

Reply to
FarmI

You're envious because you didn't think of it. Actually a 1,000 sq ft would make a lovely flagstone patio... a property that puny doesn't need any stinkin' lawn.

Reply to
Brooklyn1

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