As nighttime temperatures dip into the low 50s, and daylight hours continue to get shorter, one thing is certain: fall is here.

Turf will begin to recover from the stresses of summer and grow more vigorously.

Several conditions may exist in turf that need to be addressed, such as weeds, compaction and thin areas.

Do you have a plan in place to address all of your turf problems?

This is the optimum time of the year to address most lawn problems. Re-examine your plan to ensure the best results.

Late summer to early fall usually is the best time to establish a new lawn from seed. New seedings are normally more successful at this time of year than in the spring because of reduced weed competition.

The new grass will have two cool growing seasons (fall and spring) before it encounters its first period of heat stress.

Also, soils may be too wet for good seedbed preparation in the spring. Seeding later than mid-October is not suggested for most areas of Pennsylvania.

Proper seed selection is very important. Make sure to select the correct species of grass for the location. There are no seed mixes or blends that should be used everywhere.

Match the type of seed that you will put down with what is already present or what you are converting to. The saying “you get what you pay for” is usually true with seed.

Seed prices have skyrocketed over the past few years, but that doesn’t mean you should buy what is cheapest. Do your research.

Look at NTEP (National Turfgrass Evaluation Program) data and select seed by the location of turf. Otherwise, you may find yourself doing it all over again or trying to remove grass you put in the year before.

Overseeding into thin turf or small patches of bare soil can be done in late winter, spring or early fall. Spring and early fall overseedings can be made following aeration (six to eight passes over the lawn with a core aerator), dethatching or by using a disk-type seeder that drops seed into slits in the soil.

When overseeding, it is especially important that the seed comes into contact with the soil and has space to germinate and develop.

While this time of year is not the best time to soil sample, it can still be done effectively, especially if you plan on renovating or aerating a lawn. By taking a soil sample, you will be able to determine if the soil pH is optimum (between 6.0 and 7.0).

Additionally, the need for phosphorus or potassium will be indicated by the soil test as well. Lime applications work best when incorporated into the soil, and aeration is a prime time to get down into the soil profile.

Fertilization does more to improve poor-quality turf or maintain good-quality turf than any other single management practice. Grass plants often need nitrogen, phosphorus (phosphate or P205), and potassium (potash or K2O) in greater amounts than can be supplied naturally from soil.

The only way to determine how much phosphate and potash turf requires is from a soil test. Nitrogen requirement cannot be determined by a soil test.

Fall is the best time of year to control most weeds. Hard-to-control weeds like ground ivy and wild violets can be controlled best with fall applications of herbicides.

While spring is a necessary time to control clover, dandelion, and other summer annuals, perennial weeds will be better controlled in conjunction with a fall application.

Check the label of two- or three-way herbicides to make sure your target weeds are on the label. There are some great products available to control most broadleaf weeds. Remember to add a surfactant if the product recommends one being used.

Most insect problems occur from late spring to early fall. Japanese beetle grubs feed on turfgrass roots during May and June and again in late August, September and early October. As grubs feed on roots near the soil surface, large segments of turf begin to die.

Often, the sod can be rolled back like a carpet and the grubs exposed. Birds, skunks, raccoons, and moles will often dig up grub-infested turf, sometimes creating extensive damage.

For control of grubs during late summer or early fall, a chlorantraniliprole-containing product can be applied during the spring and watered into the soil. Products containing imidacloprid should be applied and watered into the soil from mid-June to mid-July to control grubs in late summer or early fall.

In cases where grubs are actively feeding at the soil surface and no preventive insecticide was used in spring or summer, products containing carbaryl or trichlorfon can be applied and watered into the soil.

Spotted Lanternfly Update:

Adults are active. For information on the spotted lanternfly and eradication:

https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly.

“Growing Green” is contributed by Lehigh County Extension Office Staff and Master Gardeners. Information: Lehigh County Extension Office, 610-391-9840; Northampton County Extension Office, 610-813-6613.