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Most lawns need watering in the summer.
Without hydration,lawns turn dryfrom the heat and the sun.
Why should you keep watering a lawn in the fall, and when should you stop?
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Meet the Expert
Lotte Berendsenis a certified botanist and plant expert at Plantin.
As a rule of thumb, stop watering your lawn by the third week of November.
In frost-prone regions, you may need to stop watering earlier.
In warm areas, you may need to water into early December.
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“It reduces any stress and drought triggered by the prior summer heat,” Berendsen says.
With temperatures dropping, your lawn has a chance to recover and regain its strength before winter arrives."
Watering is essential, too, when sowinggrass seedto establish a new lawn.
Fall is also a greattime to overseed the lawn.
Overseeding incorporates grass seed into a lawn to thicken growth and fill bare spots.
Since all areas differ, check the date ofyour region’s first frost.
TheUSDA Plant Hardiness Zone Mapwill help you find the average annual minimum temperatures for your region.
If it rains, Berendsen says, you’re able to stop manually watering.
You simply need to reach the weekly water quota, no matter where the water comes from.
Winter’s extreme lows can damage your sprinkler system.
This happens when water left in the pipes expands, cracking the delicate pipes and sprinkler fittings.
Though September is a transitional month, it’s still prime time for growing new grass and overseeding lawns.
So, maintain your regular watering schedule.
October
Water your lawn through the entire month of October.
It’snecessary to remove leaves from the lawnto let water penetrate the turf.
We’ve tested many options to bring you thebest leaf blowers and vacuums.
November
By the end of November, it’s time to stop watering your lawn.
In all but the warmest regions, you will not be watering the lawn during December.
Fall Lawn Care Tips.
City of St. Peter, Minnesota.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension School of Irrigation.
