Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - 5 Ways to Put Fall Leaves to Work

So, it's Fall. The weather's getting crisper, football is in the air...and your lawn is now covered with fallen leaves.  Normally, we'd just rake them up and get them out.  But, we found another great use for them - 5 in fact - from a great article from Mass Audubon. 

Check them out below - and share your tips!

TIP 1 - LEAVE THEM BE
Why: Leaves act as a home for many different types of beneficial insects (ground and rove beetles, spiders, caterpillars), as well as amphibians such as wood frogs. A layer of leaves also serves as a root protection for trees and shrubs by keeping in moisture and moderating the temperature of the soil. And if that’s not reason enough, you will also attract more birds, which rely on leaves for shelter, nesting material, and water.
How: Leave behind a thin layer of leaves in areas that people don’t walk on (you wouldn’t want anyone slipping). If you’re worried about your grass being smothered, chop the leaves with a lawn mower.
Good to know: Researchers from Michigan State University have found that chopped leaves left on lawns may actually help suppress dandelions.

TIP 2 - MAKE MULCH
Why: A less expensive and taxing option to raking, bagging, and disposing, leaf mulch mimics a natural forest ecosystem, making for excellent nutrient recycling. Plus, it’s more sustainable and you don’t have to buy mulch come planting season.
How: When the leaves begin to fall, mow your lawn as you normally would. This will shred the leaves, making them decompose faster and a bit easier to pack around the bases of plants. In vegetable and perennial gardens, you can keep the leaves whole, and then turn them over come spring. Or, if you like, you could rake them and put them in a shredder.
Good to know: Songbirds love leaf mulch since it harbors lots of nutritious bugs! 

TIP 3 - COMPOST THEM
Why: Any gardener can extol the merits of compost. Good compost requires a mix of high nitrogen (grass clippings, food waste) and high carbon components. The best bet for the latter? Fallen leaves.
How: Scoop them up whole and add them to your compost pile. Not only do they add bulk but leaves make for good aeration. Don’t have a compost pile yet? Leaves are a great way to get started. To speed up the decomposing process, you can shred them a little.
Good to know: Leaves that have been left on the ground for awhile bring useful decomposing microorganisms to the compost pile. A good excuse to put off the yard work!

TIP 4 - HAVE FUN WITH THEM
Why: There’s nothing more thrilling that jumping into a big pile of leaves (and that goes for both kids and adults). Note: Be aware of ticks. Wear light colored clothes and check yourself for ticks after playing outside.
How: In addition to a good old-fashioned leaf pile, you can make a scarecrow, add leaves to vases or window boxes, preserve brightly colored fallen leaves, or make leaf rubbings. For more ideas, visit our Ready Set Go Outside article on leaves.
Good to know: It’s good luck to catch a falling leaf before it touches the ground. Slap the lucky leaf against your forehead, turn around in three complete circles, and then make a wish!

TIP 5 - LEARN MORE ABOUT THEM
Why: Think a leaf is simply just a leaf? Think again. There are compound and simple leaves, broad leaves and needle leaves, leafstalks, leaf teeth, and leaf veins. By learning more about the leaves you see every day, you will gain more appreciation for the natural world around you.
How: Pick up one of the countless books written on the subject. A few of our favorites, which can be found at the Audubon Shop at Drumlin Farm in Lincoln, include: The Sibley Guide to Trees, Fall Color Finder, Why Do Leaves Change Color?, and The Tree Book for Kids and Their Grown Ups. .
Good to know: While we now know science is behind leaves changing color, countless legends have been linked to this fall phenomenon, including Native American lore that said when hunters killed the Great Bear in the sky, the bear’s blood fell on the forests, turning some of the leaves red.

GET READY FOR FALL!
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Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - 3 Must-do Fall Lawn Maintenance Tasks

Hi folks!  Well, the cooler weather is coming.  But, that doesn't mean it time to put our lawn gear to the shed.  Nope!  Let's keep those wheels loose, hoes sharp and garden gloves worked in. 

Here's a great article, 3 Must-Do Fall Lawn Maintenance Tasks, we found from The Northwest Herald, out of McHenry County, IL.  It's a great article and definitely worth the read.  Do you have any great Fall lawn tips?  Be sure to share them with us - we can add to the list!

Here's the list:

1. Fertilize

 

This is the most important time of year to fertilize for cool-season grasses. This last application of slow-release organic fertilizer will provide the grass with the strength it needs to make it through winter. Lay down about 1-4 pounds per 1,000 square feet of grass that gets full sun (shaded areas of your lawn don’t need quite as much). Getting your soil tested first will help you determine any nutrient deficiencies you may then correct by adapting your dosage of fertilizer. (Warm-season grasses need fertilizer in the spring.)

2. Aerate and overseed

In order for cool-season grasses to establish new lawn and build up existing areas, now is the time to plant. The cooler weather helps eliminate the competition from germinating weed seeds, so the grass is able to gain a stronger foothold. Start by aerating your landscape to allow for freer nutrient and water circulation, and to help prevent thatching, then proceed with the overseeding.

3. Eliminate weeds

Take down those dandelions! As broadleaf perennial weeds like dandelion and clover prepare for winter, they pull nutrients (and herbicide applications) from the soil into their roots. Treat problem spots with an herbicide or try an organic alternative, such as a vinegar-based or other acidic product.
In addition to these three tasks, continue your regular lawn care routine. Yes, the weather has cooled and your grass is no longer suffering in the same way it did over the summer. But the landscape still needs a good drink weekly to keep it moist in the drier air of fall and winter. Keep mowing as well, but with a higher setting on your mower — about 2 inches — so you are cutting the blades a little shorter than usual. Do so until you’ve noticed growth has stopped and the lawn has reached dormancy. Finally, as the trees begin to release their leaves, keep your lawn as debris-free as possible by raking often

Good stuff, huh?

Save 50% on your Power-Seeding for Fall with Natural Turf!
We can help with your transition to Fall.  At Natural Turf, we're offering 50% off power-seeding until October 31, 2012.  Keep your lawn looking it's best.  Check it out - we'd love to hear from you!  

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - The Order of Fall Lawn Care Chores

Here's a great article from Mike McGrath, WTOP Garden Editor, out of Washington, DC about the Order of All Things Fall Lawn Care.  How are you handling Fall lawn care?

Carolyn in Clarksburg writes, "What do you recommend as the best order for fall lawn care tasks, specifically applying corn gluten and milky spore, aerating and over-seeding. Which should we do first?"
That's a very good list, Carolyn, and pretty much everything on that list should be done at this time of year if you have a cool season lawn. I'll give you the short answer and then go into more detail below.

• First, aerate the turf to relieve soil compaction.
• Then apply milky spore powder to wipe out grubs feeding on the roots of your grass.
• Then you pretty much have to make a choice. Either overseed to fill in bare spots or apply corn gluten meal to give your lawn a big fall feeding that will also prevent weeds like plantain, chickeed and henbit from germinating. Corn gluten prevents all seed germination, so it would also prevent the new grass from coming up.

Aeration often the cure for a problem lawn
For cool season lawns (fescue, bluegrass and rye) that have seen a lot of foot traffic and were originally installed on unimproved clay, you can't go wrong by starting off the fall lawn care season with some core aeration to relieve soil compaction.

To do it right, you need to rent a machine called a ‘core aerator.' These devices pull little plugs out of your turf, allowing the roots of your grass to have the extra breathing room that can turn a so-so lawn into a vibrant one. You can leave the little plugs on your lawn to rot, or rake them up and compost them. Just be sure to only return that compost to the lawn if you have your turf treated with herbicides.

But don't fall for gimmicks like the famous ‘lawn aerating sandals' that just poke holes in your turf, you must pull plugs out of the soil to make more breathing room for your roots.

Milky spore now can prevent grubs through 2040
Next up on the fall lawn care calendar, the spreading of milky spore powder to control lawn grubs. As we mention frequently, milky spore - which has been around for half a century - is a great, natural way to control lawn grubs. But the powder has to be ingested by live grubs in warm soil, making the timing critical.

Luckily, the ideal time is now. The soil temperature is perfect and this summer's baby grubs are chowing down heartily on the roots of your poor turf. Apply the milky spore now, the grubs will ingest the spores, join the Choir Invisible and become little milky spore factories, protecting your lawn from grubs for decades to come.

Overseed? Or corn gluten for fall feeding and weed control
The last two chores are over-seeding to fill in bare spots and using corn gluten meal to feed the lawn and prevent cool season weeds. But since corn gluten prevents the germination of all seeds, the only way to do both would be to sow the new seed, wait until it has been up and growing for at least two weeks and then spread the corn gluten meal. I'm not sure if gluten will prevent the germination of any late season weeds at that point, but it would provide an excellent fall feeding.

Still, it would be wiser to choose. If your lawn has bare spots, it would be better to sow some fresh seed and choose a different organic fertilizer. But if the lawn is in pretty good shape, a corn gluten feeding now could prevent some pesky weed problems next season.

Compost for fall lawn feeding? There's an app for that
Without a doubt the No. 1 chore for those of you with cool season lawns is a big fall feeding. Cool season lawns like fescue, rye and bluegrass need their biggest feeding of the season right now to help them recover from that brutal summer we all endured.

Long-time listeners know that I advocate spreading compost over the turf for this job, as compost feeds the grass, helps eliminate thatch and improves the very structure of your soil. The big question has always been 'exactly how do I do this?' There's a new answer in town thanks to loyal listener Matt in Laurel, who found a compost spreader at the Gempler's website.

It's a big steel drum with a long handle. You fill it with compost, roll it over your lawn and the black gold comes out the mesh openings. Feed your lawn with this barrel of fun.