Shifting gears for fall

Like so many of you, I'm wondering where summer went this year. It seems like we just got out of our jackets and long pants, and we're right back into that mode again! Despite many "experts" predicting a hot and dry summer, it is interesting to note that we only recorded seven days over 90 degrees over the entire season, and we had as many highs in the 60s as the 90s in the month of August (four each). Given the mild weather, and the cooler days that seem to be here to stay, it's time to talk about fall maintenance of your lawns.

First, and most importantly, water management and requirements have been drastically reduced over the past 30-45 days. The most important factor in this is the reduction in daylight hours, but high and low temperatures also influence the reduced water requirements on your lawn. Since the middle of July, our evapotranspiration rate (the inches of water required to replenish what was lost that day) has been reduced by 30 percent. What this means is that our water replacement should also be reduced by that amount. This will save you water, money and reduce the incidence of fall diseases in your lawns.

In addition to reduced water requirements, your lawn is probably due for a light application of fertilizer to help it recover from summer stress and build root systems. Fall is the most active time of year for root production in turf, and a healthy root system can support a healthy lawn much better than a stressed one. Look for fertilizers that have some phosphorous in it, which is the second number in the analysis on any bag. Typical ratios of the three you should look for are a 3:1:2 or something close to that. Don't go crazy with nitrogen this time of the year, since it will push excess top growth, which will have negative effects when it comes to winter hardiness. You just want enough to let the turf rebuild reserves lost through summer growth. The important feed comes after the lawn has turned off color in November. At the golf course, we usually fertilize with a half rate around Labor Day, and then a full rate in early November, which sets us up for quicker green up in the following spring.

Once you've fed the lawn, it's a good time to start any thatching or aeration sooner than later. The advantage to doing it now is that there is still time for the turf to recover. If you wait too long, the plants will exhaust their nutrient reserves trying to fill in and have nothing left for the following year. The longer those holes are open, or turf is thinned by thatching, the better chance we have for weeds to get a foothold. The key to a weed free lawn is thick turf. If we intentionally thin it, we're inviting problems.

Kevin Hicks is the Golf Course Superintendent at The Coeur d'Alene Resort, and can be reached at khicks@cdaresort.com if you have any questions or feedback.