Three Late Summer Keys to a Lush Lawn 

The end of summer may sneak up on you every year. But no matter how many times in the past you've said you “can't believe it's over,” this is the year you could bid a proper goodbye to summer and prepare your lawn for fall.

This is the year you could unlock the three (not-so-secret) doors to a lush lawn: aerating, seeding and fertilizing.

You may think that spring is the best time of year to call on Richmond's premier landscape company for lawn care help. And while Oriole Landscaping does field a large number of calls after a long winter, fall is actually the ideal time to give your lawn the “triumphant trio treatment” to ensure it rebounds in the spring and flourishes all summer.

Many homeowners need to do little more than see our aeration machines in action to instantly understand the process as well as the benefits. As the machine moves across a lawn, it plucks out small plugs of soil and thatch, laying them on the surface. (The plugs dissolve or wash away with watering or after the first rain.)

With all these small holes inserted across the lawn, more air, water and nutrients can penetrate the soil, allowing the grass roots to grow deeper and healthier. This is why many topical lawn treatments fail on their own; they overlook where thick, lush lawns get their start: the root system.
Why seeding matters

It's a rare lawn that doesn't benefit from what is called “overseeding.” This doesn't mean you overdo it; it means you lay seeds on top of bare or thin spots, right on top of the soil, instead of tearing it up first. The result: a filled-out lawn that looks better and is fortified to deflect the weeds that naturally propagate in the spring.

At Oriole, we prepare the soil properly so that it becomes a conducive “host” for seeds to germinate. And we leave instructions behind for regular watering – the key to ensuring that those seeds settle into the soil and literally spring into action.

Fertilizer may seem like a basic if not “no-brainer” treatment. But if you apply too little, your lawn will hardly “blink.” If you apply too much, you could burn your lawn. And if you use the wrong type, you could damage your lawn so badly that it could take several seasons to recover.
At Oriole, we have struck a balance with a fertilizer that is high in potassium, promoting winter-time hardiness, but is also environmentally friendly, which means it is inherently safe and gentle. In addition to helping make a lawn greener, it sinks down to the roots so that they become stronger and more absorbent.

Summer may be over, but your lawn could be on cusp of a new day: a thicker, greener look, a healthier root system and the veracity to handle whatever Mother Nature dishes out over the long winter.