Fall Newsletter 2024

Did you just put new sod in your yard this year?

If you put new sod in your yard this year it is important to understand how to take care of it over the winter to ensure it bounces back nicely for you in the spring. If it was installed early in the season and had enough time for the root system to get established, you are off to a good start making it through the winter. If you haven’t already done so, apply a winterizer fertilizer following the instructions carefully. Applying in October or early November is best. This will give it the proper amount of nutrients needed to get it through the winter and prepare it to thrive in the spring. 

Here in Colorado we can have very dry and warm winters. If this is the case go out and winter water your new lawn when there are multiple consecutive dry and warm days. If the ground is frozen, a light watering is all that is needed. If the ground is not frozen, a more thorough watering will be beneficial. This will all aid in getting your new lawn through it’s first winter. Obviously if there has been a lot of moisture, winter watering will not be necessary. This is extremely important for late season installs. The roots for sod installed late in the season may not have grown as deep as possible, so longer watering is very helpful in these situations.

How to fight off spider mites?

These pesky little mites are devastating to lawns if you are not careful. This year many home owners lost a lot of their lawn due to spider mites. These little critters love dry hot areas especially South facing lawns. If our winters are dry and warm the best way to fight off these destructive mites is to apply water using a hose if necessary to the dry warm areas of your lawn. Spider Mites do not like cold damp areas and will not go into those areas. If it is not feasible to apply water, you can hire a company to apply a pesticide for Spider Mites. If these little critters get a hold of your lawn you can be looking at a costly repair the following season.

Dog Tuff™ Bermuda Grass!

If you are looking for a beautiful green lawn that can hold up to dog traffic and takes very low water and mowing, Dog Tuff may be your answer. This fall is a good time to do some research into our new Dog Tuff product. It is too late into the season to plant it now, but it is a good spring project that will save you time and money on maintenance as well as help the overall water conservation effort.

The problem with Colorado and grass is the moisture content on an average has declined in Colorado over the years and the winters can be extremely cold. Finding a grass that requires little water and will survive our winters is no easy task. However, Dog Tuff is extremely drought tolerant and survives our winter better than other warm weather grasses if maintained properly. Dog Tuff only requires water two to three times a month when fully established.

Dog Tuff is a Bermuda grass that was discovered in the mountains of Africa that thrives in the Colorado area if exposed to a lot of sun. Planting Dog Tuff also means you won’t have to drag out the lawn mower or pay the neighborhood kid to mow your lawn. Dog Tuff only grows 3 to 4 inches tall which means you never have to mow it if you don’t mind the height. It does get a bumpy or wavy look to it if you don’t mow it but would only require a mow once a month If you like the manicured look.

If you are considering Xeriscaping/Zeroscaping, look into Dog Tuff first. Xeriscaping/Zeroscaping only contributes to the overall warming we are experiencing. Keeping lawns will help keep the earth cooler and Dog Tuff would be a good compromise with its drought tolerant, low water and maintenance attributes. The Sod Guy is excited to start offering Dog Tuff and looks forward to talking to you more about it. Contact us here at The Sod Guy with any questions 303-841-7575.

What is the difference between Xeriscape and Zeroscape?

Xeriscape is a type of landscape design that uses low-water-use or drought-tolerant plants that require little to no supplemental irrigation. Zeroscape is a yard filled predominantly with gravel and dirt containing few or no plants

Fall FAQ’s

Is it too late to lay sod?

This time of year is a good time to lay sod because it is cooler and you won’t use as much water to get it established and you still have enough time to get the sod established before the winter sets in.

How often should I be fertilizing my new lawn?

If you just installed the new sod, wait until mid to late October or early November and spread a winterizer. Winterizer has what the grass needs to prepare it for the winter and help it come out of dormancy in the spring. Fertilizers in general shouldn’t be applied any more often than every 6 to 8 weeks. Be sure to follow the directions on the bag to prevent over fertilizing and burning your lawn.

Is now a good time to Aerate?

Yes now is a great time and also overseeding if needed. Aerate before the end of October and it will help your root system grow healthier into the soil.

Reminders

Daylight saving time will end for the year at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, Nov. 3, when we “fall back” and gain an extra hour of sleep.

Historically The Sod Guy has sod available for purchase until mid November (weather permitting). Give us a call to place an order.

If you are thinking about reseeding your lawn and want to match our sod, we carry our blend of seed in our office. It is available for pickup year round.