With summer at an end, now is the time for local homeowners to prepare their lawns for next season.

“Taking care of your yard in the fall will prevent the need for pesticides and fertilizers next year,” said Gary Fish of the Maine Board of Pesticides Control and YardScaping Partnership. “Too often homeowners are led to believe that yard care begins in the springtime. After all, that’s when advertisers hawk the widespread use of weed killers and fertilizers-whether your yard and lawn need them or not.” But there are some valuable steps you can take between Columbus Day and Halloween that will pay off in the spring.

Lower lawn mower height: Your normal grass height of 2A?1?2 to 3A?1?2 inches needs to be reduced gradually to 1A?1?2 to 2 inches. Reduce the height by one-half inch every two weeks. Lower grass height takes some of the effort out of leaf raking while resisting snow mold disease that threatens higher mown grass. Lower grass height prevents critters from nesting in winter, reduces thatch and resists snow mold.

Water thoroughly: If rain is sparse, be sure to water all lawn and plant areas-especially evergreen shrubs. Adequate soil moisture protects plants from winter injury.

Rake, mulch, and cover: Mulch or rake off leaves as soon as possible. Tender plants benefit from leaf, needle, or other mulches. Cover plants that grow under roof eves. Packed, falling snow can break even the healthiest shrub.

Build up roots with selective fertilizer use: Fall is the best time to feed your lawn. It is when the fertilizer benefits the grass instead of the weeds. A soil test is essential for understanding its exact nutritional needs. Depending on the soil test results, add no more than one-half to one pound of nitrogen and one-half pound of potassium per 1,000 square feet of turf.

De-thatch and/or aerate: Thatch is an essential organic mat between grass blades and roots. Thatch thicker than one-half inch, however, stresses grass and invites opportunistic weeds. De-thatching works wonders for strengthening turf, while aeration does that and more. Aeration reduces thatch and improves soil structure. Seeding over freshly aerated turf is feasible right up to the end of the growing season-just be sure to water thoroughly.

With questions or for more information about low-impact lawn care alternatives, contact Gary Fish at [email protected], or check out YardScaping for a Healthy Maine: www.yardscaping.org.

[tagline]YardScaping hopes to inspire Maine people to create and maintain healthy landscapes through ecologically based practices that minimize reliance on water, fertilizer, and pesticides. The Maine YardScaping Partnership was formed out of the rising concern among statewide organizations and agencies over the possible pollution caused by yard care chemicals washing away into water bodies, as well as the risks of pesticide exposure to people, pets, and wildlife.[tagline]