This guide tells “how and when” to help your lawn recover from the summer stress, create a beautiful lawn this fall, prepare it to survive our harsh winter, and thrive next spring. For homeowners with professional services and DIYers.
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Keep Mowing.
Grass continues to grow until the first hard frost. Then, mow your lawn two or three times. For Arapahoe and Douglas County Co, this usually means until the 2nd or 3rd week of October.
Dr. Tony Koski, Turf Specialist at Colorado State University, says about mowing in the fall:
“While mowing isn‘t needed as frequently during fall, the turf DOES continue to grow – but in ways that differ from spring and summer. Turfgrasses form tillers (side shoots) and rhizomes that increase the density of fall turf. This is an important time for turf to “heal” after a stressful summer, especially if it has been worn down by traffic or suffered from disease or insect problems.”
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Keep Watering.
Program Your Controller to less time as the temperature falls in September.
Consider what Dr. Tony Koski, Turf Specialist at Colorado State University, say about watering lawns in the fall:
“Lawn watering is often stopped in early fall. Conventional thinking is that because ET (evapo-transpiration) rates are low and the turf isn‘t growing much, it is OK to stop watering. However, historic ET and rainfall data for most of Colorado shows a need of 0.5 to 0.75 inch of irrigation per week during September and October.
Use a rain guage to measure your weekly rainfall and supplement it if needed by watering.
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Sprinkler Winterization.
Do Sprinkler Winterization in October and November.
Compressed air is used to blow out the water from your lines and components to protect from freezing and damage.
Call and reserve this service early to reserve a spot on the production schedule.
Click to see our Sprinkler Video.
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Weed Control.
Get Rid of Unsightly Weeds in September & October.
Consider what Dr. Tony Koski, Turf Specialist at Colorado State University, say about fall weed control:
“Fall is the best time of year to control perennial broadleaf weeds – dandelion, clover, bindweed, plantain, and thistle, to name a few. Fall herbicide applications are more effective when applied to healthy, green, actively growing weeds.
The herbicide is more easily absorbed and moved to weed roots resulting in better control.”
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Fall Fertilization.
Apply an Early Fall Fertilizer between September 15 and October 31st.
Use a 65% slow release granular fertilizer that feeds your lawn over 6 – 8 weeks vs. cheaper liquid or Big Box store granular fertilizer that quickly releases the nitrogen over 7 – 10 days.
This will avoid burning your lawn during the last of summer making stress conditions worse.
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Aerate.
Get to the Root of the Problem. Aerate Your Lawn in September.
The stressful combination of hot, dry weather and a season full of foot traffic leaves your soil compacted and making it difficult to breathe.
To alleviate this problem CSU professors recommend fall aeration to open pockets of air to allow your turf’s root system to breathe, grow deeper, and absorb nutrients and water.
Over seeding is often done with aeration.
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Over Seed.
Over Seed to Improve Turf Density in September.
Fall over seeding helps your turf to become thicker and choke out weeds that grew during the grueling summer.
The new growth will fill in areas where the grass is thinning or where there are bare spots.
The best time to over seed is with aeration because much of the seed will go into the plug holes from aeration.
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Fall Color.
Up Your Fall Wow Factor.
Take your fall containers and beds a step beyond traditional mums and sunflowers (not that those aren’t great fall flowers—they are a couple of our fall favorites!).
Consider these 10 additions:
– Lady Godiva™ Calendula
– Purple Fountain Grass cultivars Pennisetum setaceum
– Graceful Grasses® Toffee Twist Carex flagellifera
Sunsatia® and Innocence® Nemesia
– Supertunia® Petunia
– Bright Lights™, Soprano® and Symphony Osteospermum
– Dolce® and Primo® Heuchera
– Fun and Games® Heucherella
– Prairie Winds® ‘Cheyenne Sky’ Panicum
– Rock ‘n Grow® Sedum
Sunsatia® and Innocence® Nemesia, Supertunia® Petunia, Graceful Grasses® Toffee Twist Carex flagellifera
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Prepare your bulb garden.
Autumn is a good time of year to plan ahead for your spring bulb garden.
Choose the right location in your landscape, preferably an area that gets full sun—at least six hours each day.
Think about which flowers you’d like to see next spring in your garden. In addition to tulips and daffodils, consider some less-common bulbs for variety and interest, like the dramatic snake’s head fritillary (fritillaria Meleagris), shown top left, or early-blooming snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis), shown bottom left.
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Winter Fertillizer.
Apply an Early Winter Fertilizer between October 15th and November 30th.
Because your lawn is recovering from a grueling summer it is more vulnerable to winter damage.
Most of lawn care experts agree that the early winter application of fertilizer is the most important one for lawns.
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Halloween Plants.
Orange pumpkins are the icon of American Halloween festivities. But the holiday is actually All Hallows Eve, a time when ghosts may emerge from their graves and scary things can happen at night. That opens up many more possibilities for plants for a Halloween garden.
When you are selecting Halloween inspired plants, go for the interesting, the spooky and the night-blooming. Read on for some tips about choosing plants with a Halloween theme.
Top Ten Spooky Plants
– Deadly Nightshade (Atropa belladonna)
– Devil’s Claw (Proboscidea louisianica)
– Purple Devil (Solanum atropurpureum)
– Cockscomb (Celosia cristata)
– Witch Hazel (Hamamelis)
– Doll’s eyes (Actaea pachypoda)
– Dracula Orchids.
– Ghost Plant (Monotropa uniflora)
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Halloween Lights.
Escape into an enchanted world where ghosts and goblins come out to play and all things spooky roam…
You know that house in your neighborhood, the one with the mesmerizing display full of amazing purple, green and amber lights, ghostly decor and fun animation?
If you have a passion for Halloween and a love for all things fun, we invite you to explore our selection of long lasting, energy efficient LED Halloween lights in vivid orange, green and purple!
See our store or visit our website to see Halloween Lights.
Brite Ideas Decorating of Colorado by BestYard.com.
9647-B County Line Rd,
Centennial Co 80112
303-798-2036
email: colorado@briteidea.com
web: BriteIdeas-Colorado
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Winter Mites.
Apply a Mite Control Application in November to Mid-December.
Do this if your lawn or your neighborhood had mite damage in 2018.
This is one area where an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure.
Mites can cause considerable damage to your lawn if left undiagnosed and not treated in 3 weeks or less.
Almost all serious injury by grass mites are related to winter drought stress.
South-facing hills with sun exposure are typical areas where turf damage can be expected.
Tony Koski, Turf Specialist at Colorado State University, says, “fall watering of lawns that were damaged by winter mites (clover mites, Banks grass mites) is essential for discouraging mite activity this upcoming winter and reducing potential mite problems.”
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Thanksgiving Decor.
Add to your Halloween pumpkins to make a have the best Thanksgivng decor to welcome family and friends and be the envy of the neighborhood.
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Winter Mulch.
Mulch after Fall Clean Up in November to mid-December.
Add an inch-thick layer of fresh mulch in plant beds and around trees, but don’t let the mulch touch tree trunks.
Mulch insulates roots and retains water during the winter. It adds organic matter to the soil as it decomposes.
A great lawn is like a nice dress, or a well-fitted suit. But what is a dress without shoes? Or jewelry, or a purse?
If you want to make everything come together, and look perfectly finished, you want mulch.
Click Mulch Secrets for more information.
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Winter Water.
Complete a deep water in December.
We normally have exceptionally dry Winters in Denver. Even with winter snow, we can’t assume our plants have enough moisture. Snow doesn’t go as far as you might think: it takes, on average, 10 inches of snowfall to equal 1 inch of rain.
Give trees and shrubs a deep watering after the leaves on the trees drop and just before turning the outside water off for the season. Don’t forget to soak lawn areas where you suspect poosilbe mite infestation. They will go elsewhere.
Click Winter Watering Tips for watering thru next April.
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Winter Color.
Containers add festive flair.
Containers on the porch add a bright spot amidst the cold, dormant landscape of winter.
From the holiday season through early spring, they can be filled with plants and other natural materials to create an ongoing focal point of interest.
Thriller, filler, spiller still applies.
Even though the materials may be different in winter, use the same formula used to combine plants in the growing season.
Use a tall element like dogwood branches for thriller, rounded items like dried pods, cones or flowers for filler and a cascading component like evergreens for spiller.
Plan an easy transition from “holiday” to “winter” décor.
Many elements like evergreens and pine cones used for holiday décor in December transition well into simple winter interest for the months ahead.
By removing red bows and glass balls used during the holidays, what remains in the container can keep the seasonal interest going until it’s time to plant pansies.
Decorating Ideas.
– Berries such as red cotoneaster, blue/green juniper and orange pyracantha
– Cones from evergreen trees and shrubs
– Seed pods and dried plants like yarrow, hydrangea or Echinacea
– Deciduous branches in interesting colors or shapes
– Evergreen branches from trees and shrubs or the lowest branches that got pruned from the Christmas tree when you put it in the stand
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Christmas Lights.
Do you want to transform the outside of your home into a holiday wonderland?
The holiday season is a time for family and friends.
Enjoy the holidays with dazzling displays that will create memories that last a lifetime.
See our Christmas Video.
Browse our Christmas Online Catalog.
See our store:
Brite Ideas Decorating of Colorado by BestYard.com.
9647-B County Line Rd,
Centennial Co 80112
303-798-2036
email: colorado@briteidea.com
web: BriteIdeas-Colorado
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Fall Clean Up.
Do a Fall Clean Up in November to mid-December.
Take time to put your yard and landscape “to bed” in fall, your lawn will reap the rewards.
Give your lawn a healthy start next spring by managing these fall tasks.
- Trim shrubs and ornamental grasses
- Divide plants. If your perennials are overcrowded, fall is an ideal time to divide the root ball and replant. Cutting back the plants prior to transplanting can help reduce shock.
- Plant fall bulbs. Plant in fall to enjoy spring’s first blooms – crocus, daffodil, tulip. The best time to plant is after the first frost so the bulbs will stay cool all winter. Dig holes for bulbs and fertilize before replacing soil.
- Pick up leaves. Fall cleanup will save time for gardening come spring, and clearing your lawn of leaves and sticks will prevent the heavy, wet foliage from suffocating the turf. Dark, moist environments are breeding grounds for disease.
- Clean up. Wash down the patio furniture and store it for the season. Make sure to pick up toys so they don’t get buried or lost.
If you give us the opportunity, we are confident we can please you.
From 2009 to 2019 BestYard were awarded the “Best Lawn & Garden Maintenance Company”.
Google, Facebook, Yellow Pages, and Super Pages shows our clients give us the most 5 Star Reviews in Colorado.
