Expert Tip Monday: Transition Your Lawn Into Cooler Weather

Weather's turning around!
Things are getting cooler and soon your lush summer lawn's going to brown up.  Want to make sure your yard looks as good next spring as it does today? Here are some tips from our landscape expert buddy Eric King that will help ease the transition into cooler weather.

• Don't hard prune any shrubs because it will signal them to put out new growth that could be killed by a freeze.
• Mow your yard one last time if you have a warm season grass like Zoysia, Bermuda, Centipede or St. Augustine.
• Don't fertilize most plants now unless your soil test shows you are low on phosphorous or potassium. Get more information on soil testing through your local county extension office. LINK TO http://aesl.ces.uga.edu/
• Aerate, over-seed and fertilize cool season turf grasses like Fescue. Don't aerate warm season grasses until they green up, but do apply pre-emergents now to stop spring weeds.
• If your soil is dry and cracking, give your evergreens a little more water.
• Turn your irrigation system off so it will not be damaged during a freeze.
• Perennial plants like Black-Eyed Susans or Irises will often send up seed heads that some birds like. If you don't mind the look, leave them until they are picked clean.
• Remove the leaves from your lawn, ground covers and beds. Shred them with your mower and then spread them back into the yard. They are your future top soil.