As the end of landscaping season arrives, be sure to chip away at these final end of season organic turf tips.
Note Trouble Spots
Large swaths of the Northeast have experienced abnormally dry conditions for large stretches of the fall. It’s important to note trouble spots now that may need additional repairs early in the Spring. If you have any leftover seed, take advantage of winter dormancy. Plan to slice seed early December to get any extra seed into the ground. Temperatures should be low enough to avoid early germination, and it will help turf density going into next summer.
Avoid Excessive Lawn Traffic
With a potential La Nina this winter—and following fall droughts—we may not experience a large snow-pack this fall or a solid freeze to help protect grass. Turf is most susceptible to crown damage early in the morning, when frost has formed on the crown of the plant. On this account, avoid unnecessary foot traffic on the field early in the day. Furthermore, plan any on-field maintenance for the warmest part of the day.
Leaf Management
We recommend mulching your leaves for the end of landscaping season. Although, during Winter, do your best to keep large pockets of leaves and debris off the lawn to avoid dead spots and fungal disease. Notably, DON’T aggressively rake – to protect the crown of the turf grass, opt for a leaf blower when possible.
Install Turf Blankets
We are huge fans of turf blankets at PJC and require them for our High-Performance fields. Be sure to periodically check your blankets to ensure they are secure to the field. Especially before windy days and storm events, you don’t want to show up to work having to suddenly address a turf blanket flailing in the wind.
Avoid Over-Using Ice Melt
If we do get some significant snow this Winter, be mindful of salting. Salting is not good for your turf, pets, or our waterways. Act early with shoveling or snow blowing to keep walkways, driveways, and waterways clean and clear. When salt is unavoidable, you can plan to incorporate a calcium product like Gypsum in the Spring to help reduce the impact from salting.
Maintain Your Equipment
Don’t wait until Spring to get your equipment ready for the season…
- Get fuel stabilizers into your gas tanks.
- Replace fuel filters.
- Sharpen mower blades.
- Add string trimmer line.
- Take inventory of your parts stock.
- Stock up on soil testing supplies, and reach out if you need more!
Business Development
Double check your pricing, clientele, and program offerings—or contact us to help you with it. The end of landscaping season is a great time to plan for the year ahead. We offer many Support Services for landscapers to keep your Organic Turf Care business growing and highly profitable. We have program offerings from 20+ years of tried and true practical experience.
For year-round success, take a look at our turf tip blogs according to season: Spring Part 1, Spring Part 2, Summer Part 1, Summer Part 2, and Fall.
