Lawns - I missed September can I do my lawn care in October?

The quick answer is YES, but you should do it quickly.

In our area, fescue lawns really start to grow again in the middle of September. This is the time that you should be fertilizing your lawn. If you have missed the start point of the growth, don't fret! Simply get out and apply one pound of Nitrogen per 1000 sqft of lawn. This is equal to 10 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 1000 sqft. Some of you may ask why I recommend the standard 10-10-10 fertilizer over other types. Well, the other types have different ratios but in general, you can get more bang for your buck by applying the standard as I have mentioned.

By applying the fertilizer late you can expect to not get as much growth as you would if it was applied earlier but you will still be getting a good benefit from doing it. It's better to do it late than not at all.

One thing you should do prior to fertilizing is to take a soil sample. This is simply done by collecting soil from across your lawn, mixing it together and then placing it in a sample box (they are available at your local cooperative extension office) and sending it to our lab in Raleigh. In about a week or so you will receive a report informing you what nutrients you have in the soil and how you can fix it for what you are trying to grow. This knowledge can save you a lot of money by allowing you to apply exactly what you need and nothing more!

You will also be informed of your Ph level in the soil. This is an important number as it determines how and if your plants can use the nutrients you are providing them. If the Ph number is out of the proper range, then your plants may have all the nutrients they need but they won't be able to use them. It's always good to try to have a Ph around 6.5. This would be slightly acid. The soil test will inform how to accomplish this.