"The only time

you should not perform a late fertilizer application is if you have a

St. Augustine grass lawn or a southern turf type," said Archer. "Such

an application will prevent the lawn from going dormant as it should,

resulting in winterkill."

Aerate. For those

of you with northern turf types, fall is a great time to aerate. Aeration

improves water penetration into the ground. It also allows fall fertilizer

to penetrate into the soil, near the grass roots. Aeration speeds up the

process of getting lawns ready for winter's harsh weather.

Aerating your lawn involves

using a machine to poke small holes in the top 2 to 3 inches of soil.

There are many lawn care companies that provide this service, or if you're

the do-it-yourself type, you can rent an aerator at many rental agencies.

According to Archer,

if a lawn is more than 10 years old, following aeration is a good time

to overseed with newer varieties of grass. These varieties tend to be

darker in color, have increased disease resistance and respond better

to fertilizing. When seeding, the holes should fill to about three-quarters

of an inch.

"By letting the

holes partially fill, you prevent grass seed from being planted too deep,"

said Archer. "Lawn seed only needs to be planted 1/16 to 1/8 inch

deep."

Until next spring...

months, knowing that your lawn is well cared for. And you can dream of

those summertime activities that are just around the corner. Not to mention,

you'll be enjoying your lush, green lawn earlier in the spring, while

your neighbors are scratching their heads trying to figure out your secret

for a healthy lawn.

Available at garden

centers, landscaping companies and retail locations nationwide, Milorganite

products are suitable for use on gardens or lawns. For additional information

regarding Milorganite and its products, call (800) 304-6204 or visit www.milorganite.com.

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