By Paul  Wallin, Realtor

Continue your summer watering schedule through this September. This month also begins the rebuilding season for Southern Idaho lawns. The cooler nights let the grass breathe a sigh of relief from the heat. This is the most important time of the season for fertilization. We recommend two end-of-season lawn feedings. The first in September and the second six weeks later in either October or November. Fall is the ideal time to also feed the trees in your yard. Long before the leaves change color they stop taking up nutrients and take in less water.

• Check for lawn thatch build up. If there is over ¾ inch, it is time to de-thatch.
• Reduce mowing height down to fall leaves and continue mowing frequently to recycle organic material back into the soil.
• Fall is also the best time to reseed grass. If you have bare spots from the summer, put down a seed mix that matches the yard during the first 15 days of September. Yards with crabgrass will notice the patches turn purple with the first frost. It is important to thoroughly seed and water those areas.
• During the first 10 days of October, take care of those pesky weeds and dandelions. Spray a liquid broadleaf herbicide over the yard. Weeds germinate in the fall, so by treating the problem in October, there will be fewer dandelions in the spring
• It’s important to get those leaves off the ground as to not suffocate the lawn. But a better option would be to grind up the leaves and mulch them back into the yard. Most lawnmowers have blades designed for mulching. This provides natural nutrients and can be an organic weed controller — particularly maple leaves, which are a natural herbicide toward dandelions.
• Play with the fall colors. Display potted mums. Think red. Dogwood bushes are cold-weather hardy and have red or yellow branches. Holly is another great way to decorate the outside of a home, where the bright red berries on the branches can standout.