Cooperative Extension

Lawns Online! Lesson 2 - October & November

Leaf Management

If you have new seedlings coming up and leaves falling down, it is important to keep those leaves and other debris off of the grass.  The easiest way to manage leaves on your lawn is to mulch them back into the lawn with a mulching mower.  Studies show that a tremendous amount of leaves can be mulched back into the lawn without any detrimental effects.  In fact, by mulching the leaves and leaving on the lawn you are actually improving the soil structure by adding organic matter.  For more information see the Virginia Cooperative Extension publication “Leave” Them Alone: Lawn Leaf Management publication – by mulching leaves instead of bagging you’ll save your back AND all that space in the landfill.  

If you plan to remove the leaves to use for composting, you can rake, use a leaf blower, or use a leaf vacuum. Remember to use any of these methods gently if you have recently seeded to prevent new seedlings from being torn from the soil.

Fertilizing S-O-N

Remember your second and third applications of fertilizer should be done in October and November.  There should be thirty days between each fertilizer application.

Watering - Water Deep and Infrequent

Now that the grass has germinated, deeper infrequent watering is recommended.  Avoid brief, frequent watering that promotes shallow root growth.  DO NOT WATER EVERY DAY! Grass needs 1 inch of water a week, and if there is no rainfall, be sure to irrigate ½" water every three or four days.  Measure to know how much you are applying by setting a straight sided can or cup (tuna or pet food can) under your sprinkler to see how long it takes your sprinkler to apply ½" of water.  For optimal grass growth, the soil should be moist to at least 3-4” below surface. Use a screwdriver to check if soil is moist at to this depth.  Water grass early in the day to deter fungal infections; this is especially important in the cooler months of fall.

Mowing

Continue to keep your lawn mowed at the recommended height (see table below).  Mow high and often, cutting no more than 1/3 of the blade at a time. 

DON'T BAG THE CLIPPINGS!   Clippings left on the lawn break down and provide a needed organic content to the soil.  In addition, significant amounts of nitrogen and potassium are returned to the lawn when clippings are returned.

Many people believe that clippings cause thatch, but our research has shown that recycling turfgrass clippings in fescues lawns contributes very little to thatch. Mulched clippings provide nutrients to the lawn equal to one fertilizer application.  Save money by mulching! 

Weed Control

Many of the weeds you see now are summer annual weeds which are mature and will die after our first frost.  Forget about them until next spring.  They have already set their seeds which we will deal with in the spring.  Now (October and/or November) is the time to control winter annuals and perennials which are young and growing close to the ground.  HOWEVER, if you have put down grass seed this fall you should not use any herbicide to kill or control the weeds until you have mowed the new grass three times. 

To use an herbicide effectively now, weeds should be actively growing so the mid-day temperatures should be above 60 degrees but not above 85 degrees.  Choose an herbicide that contains a combination of active ingredients (2,4-D, Dicamba, Mecoprop, Triclopyr).  For best results, use a liquid formulation which allows you to treat small weeds more effectively and provides better coverage than granular products.  Spot treat areas where there is a weed problem rather than treating the entire lawn (see chart below).

Remember, the weed killers you use are designed to kill green plants that have a broad leaf.  That means your flowers, shrubs, and trees can be damaged by these liquid herbicides.  Use them on days when there is no wind to prevent drift onto the ornamentals and onto yourself.  If you decide to use a granular weed killer, be sure the lawn is wet before applying to get a good contact between the weeds and the chemical.  Do not apply any of these products closer than one foot from shrubs and other desirable plants since some can travel through the soil and cause damage.

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Broadleaf Weed Control

Trade and brand names are used only for the purpose of information and Virginia Cooperative Extension does not guarantee nor warrant the standard of the product, nor does it imply approval of the product to the exclusion of others which may also be suitable.

Key Points for October & November

• Keep Leaves off New Turf
• Water 1" per Week (two ½ “ waterings)
• Fertilize October/November
• Take Control of Winter Weeds Now

Questions? Contact us by e-mail

If you have specific questions about your lawn, email our Extension staff at edwardssu@chesterfield.gov.

• Go to Lesson 1 - August & September
• Go to Lesson 2 - October & November
• Go to Lesson 3 - December, January & February
• Go to Lesson 4 - March & April
• Go to Lesson 5 - May, June & July
• How to measure your yard

DISCLAIMER

Commercial products and organizations are named in this publication for information purposes only. The Virginia Cooperative Extension Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and Virginia State University do not endorse or warrant these products and organizations and do not intend or imply discrimination against other products or organizations that also may be suitable.