Aeration and Seeding… Is it necessary?

Fescue turf has taken a beating this summer between the heat and weeds.  Fall brings a respite to the stressed turf.  However it takes more than cooler weather to get your fescue back in prime condition and to give it back that lush look we all want and love in our lawns.  Aeration and overseeding is a process that alleviates soil compaction and replaces turf lost in summer.  With the hot recent weather in the Charlotte area, it is almost a requirement if you want to get the best look for your fescue.   

Aeration is the loosening of the soil to allow the essential elements (air, water, and nutrients) to better penetrate our heavy clay soils.  It can be done with a core aerator (a machine that pulls plugs of dirt out of the soil) or an aerovator which is a tractor mounted machine that shakes and shatters the top 3 to 4 inches of soil.  Both are effective, but where the landscape allows, we prefer to use the aerovator as the plugs left by the core aerator will be messy and shaking the soil provides a more uniform loosening effect than plugs.  In areas that are too small to maneuver the tractor for the aerovator, we use the smaller core aerator.  Either device will relieve the soil compaction, which with our hard, clay soil is essential for good seed germination.  

Aerovator and Aerator

Overseeding replaces the turf that could not survive the heat of summer.  Fescue is not a spreading grass, so overseeding fills in any bare areas left when crabgrass dies out.  Timing is important.  Typically, we try to aerate and seed in the September/October timeframe.  Doing it earlier as opposed to later gives you the opportunity to touch-up any areas that may not germinate due to a variety of factors.  

Seed and technique matter.  If you are going to tackle this yourself, make sure you are using good, quality seed and take your time to get adequate coverage with the aerator and spreader.  Be careful not to put down too much seed.  Optimally, you want the seed to be about 1 to 1.5 inches apart because as fescue matures, each seedling will form a plant about the size of your fist.  So putting too much seed in one area hinders root growth because too many plants are competing for the same nutrients.  Eventually they will choke each other out.

What can you do to help the process along? 

Before aeration and overseeding:

• Mow:  Mow your lawn at 2 inches tall to allow good seed to soil contact when overseeding.
  
• Irrigation:  If you have sprinkler heads, it is important that you mark your sprinkler heads with flags to avoid any damage by heavy aerators and aerovators.We want to prevent damage to your property as well as complete the job as quickly and efficiently as possible.
  
• Water:  A good watering the night before can make sure the soil is soft for aeration.  Better plugs allow more chance for your seed to grow.
  

After aeration and overseeding:

• Water: Once the lawn has been aerated and seeded it is vital that your lawn receives daily watering to ensure the best germination possible.  The best rule of thumb is to keep soil moist for two weeks after seeding.  Allow the seed to dry out between waterings as overwatering can decrease germination results also.
  
• Mow:  Once seeded, you want to give the young seedlings time to take hold before mowing.  We try to hold off mowing until the seedlings are at least 2 inches tall (typically 10 - 21 days.)  Mowing too soon can pull up the tender shoots.
  
• Traffic:  With newly seeded lawns, you want to avoid stepping on them as much as possible until they are established.  I know that with kids and dogs this is more difficult, but the more undisturbed time you can give the new seed to grow, the better the germination will be.
  

Weeds:  Aeration loosens the soil to allow grass to grow.  By optimizing the soil for seed growth, you also provide a good environment for weeds to grow.  However, herbicides can kill new grass.  We concentrate on getting good germination and improving the density of your fescue.  (As we've said before, the best defense against weeds is dense, healthy turf.)  It is best to wait 6-8 weeks after seeding to spray for weeds.

Just to be clear, this article applies to fescue turfs. If you have a bermudagrass lawn, aeration and seeding typically takes place in the spring before the bermudagrass growing season starts. Hopefully these tips will help you make the most out of your lawn this fall. As always, visit our website or give us a call if AA Tex Lawn can be of any help to you with this process.


Thanks,


The AA Tex Lawn Team

After the Storm… Storm Cleanup

If you live in the Matthews area, you were probably blown away (no pun intended) by the storms in the last couple of weeks. My neighborhood had several large trees felled, lost power for hours, lost our large pool umbrella, and the pool itself had more debris than at the beginning of the summer season. It's always amazing when Mother Nature reminds us who's really in charge. Just like the 3 little pigs, we hope we've built a house to protect us from the unexpected wolves (or storms) that come blowing at our door. Our landscapes on the other hand can take a beating. Rain and wind can fell trees, uproot shrubbery, sweep away mulch, and generally wreak havoc in our yards and communities.

Safety is paramount when you begin the clean-up after these storms. Here are some basic tips to keep in mind:

1. Protective gear: When working with chain saws or disposing of debris, it is best to wear eye protection, work gloves, heavy boots, chaps, and a long sleeved shirt to prevent injury from branches and equipment
   
2. Know your surroundings: Felled trees can land on or near power lines, electrical boxes or other electrical equipment. To avoid risks of shock, if you are working near a downed power line, contact the utility company first to make sure the area is grounded before proceeding. If you are worried about electricity in an area of your house, make sure you either turn off the power at the main breaker or the fuse at the breaker panel.
   
3. Read the directions for your equipment: If working with a chain saw or other equipment, follow all manufacturer instructions. We could write a whole blog on chainsaw safety, but to keep it simple, the instructions come with the equipment for a reason. READ THEM.
   
4. Structures that have been flooded can become unstable. Avoid risks by checking the stability of structures before working on or near them.
   
5. Avoid "Bounce-back": When working with trees or branches that have been bent or caught up under something during wind storms, make sure you know the spring tension for the branch. Branches that spring back can do so with enough force to cause injury to you or a bystander. If you think tension may be an issue, slowly shave the underside of the branch, rather than cutting through it to release tension slowly.
   
6. When in doubt, call a professional.
   

If you'd like our help in cleaning up after these most recent summer storms, let us know. AA Tex Lawn has the manpower and know-how to help. You can call our office at 704-849-9084 or visit our website for more information.

Thanks,

The AA Tex Lawn Team

Defeating the Armyworm

Caterpillars!  Watching them develop into moths and butterflies can be fascinating.  In small numbers they are harmless.  Large numbers feeding on your turf can damage your lawn.  Armyworms feed on the leaves of the grass. In large infestations, they can eat the turf down to the soil. While typically bermudagrass can recover, cool season grasses can receive permanent damage from these attacks.

Armyworms are the larvae caterpillar stage of a light brownish gray moth.  Their name comes from their feeding habits.  They move in groups, consuming all the grass in one area before moving to the next location.  Fall armyworms are not a constant issue in our area, but when they do attack, it can be devastating to a lawn. They are most commonly associated with late summer or fall damage to bermudagrasses, but also feed on fescue, ryegrasses, bentgrasses, bluegrass, and other turfs.



lawn damage from an armyworm infestation

 Since typically these caterpillars feed at night, it can be difficult to explain the brown patches in your bermudagrass at first. There are a few tell-tale signs of armyworms, though. If you have flocks of birds feeding in your turf, you must have something that they are feeding on and this can be an early sign of armyworms. To determine if you have them, inspect the grass for the caterpillars. If you find more than 1 per square foot, you may need to treat for them. In addition, you can do a soap flush to bring the larvae to the surface to make identification easier.

Treatment for the pests is usually effective. A sprayable lawn insecticide can be applied to kill them. Treat in late afternoon when the caterpillars are more likely to be feeding. It’s best to mow before you spray. Then hold off on mowing or irrigating for several days afterward to allow the insecticide to work.

If you think you have an issue with armyworms, give us a call and we can come out and evaluate your lawn and set up a treatment plan for you. As long as you stay on top of the problem you can avoid any cataclysmic results.

Thanks,
The AA Tex Lawn Team