Late summer and fall are an exciting time in the garden. Harvest is in full swing, perennials can be divided, lawns can be overseeded, and so much more! It’s a shame to miss this window of opportunity to “upgrade” your landscape. There’s work to be done – that’s for sure – but focusing on the most important tasks first and tackling them in the right order will save work in the long run.
So, what’s first? Harvesting and preserving of fruits and vegetables is going on right now, but do you need tips on the safest methods for preserving your harvest?
Lawn overseeding will begin this week – August 15th– and continue through September 15th. If you have questions about the best way to succeed when overseeding, then here’s a great opportunity.
Join the GRO Big Red Team!
Starting August 15th, Nebraska Extension offers a 3-part webinar series to help you with your late summer garden tasks. Join our lawn & landscape management experts to ask your questions and get geared up for this exciting time in the lawn, garden and landscape. These programs are free and open to everyone. Register at go.unl.edu/grobigred
August 15 - Lawn Care for Healthy Lawns & Rehabilitating Languishing. Whether your lawn is healthy or struggling, there are many best practices to ensure it remains a vibrant part of the overall landscape. This program will provide information on when to fertilize, how to water, the importance of aeration, controlling weeds and how to return an ailing lawn to health. Presenter: John Fech, Nebraska Extension Educator
August 22 - Safely Preserve Foods. Whether canning, freezing, or dehydrating – preserving foods at home is a great way to use up produce, build food storage and save time. Join Nancy as she provides established and trusted research-based food preservation information, while maintaining nutritional value, texture and flavor. Presenter: Nancy Urbanec, Nebraska Extension Educator
August 29 - Fall Landscape Playbook. Fall is a great time to get many landscape tasks accomplished. Join us for a discussion of four common landscape projects listed in order of attack, including fall weed control, dividing perennials, tree & shrub planting and composting. Presenter: Sarah Browning, Nebraska Extension Educator
Water Dogs – Update Your Lawn Irrigation Skills
Water Dogs is another program offering for those in the Lancaster county area. Did you know - how often and how deeply your lawn is irrigated throughout the summer has a huge impact on lawn health. The best technique is to water very deeply, but infrequently – but what does that mean? How deep and what does “infrequently” mean when temperatures may vary from 60s to 95+ during any week?
Join us for a Water Dogs program this fall to get answers, including the following.
- How much water does my grass really need?
- How often should a lawn be watered?
- Is soil compaction affecting my lawn's health?
- What’s the best fertilization schedule for my lawn?
- What difference will changing my watering practices really have on my lawn? Plan to join us and I’ll show you!
Water Dogs programs are free and open to the public.
When: Saturday August 19 at 10 AM or Thursday September 14, 6:30 PM central time
Where: Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County conference rooms
444 Cherrycreek Road, Lincoln, NE
Register: Go.unl.edu/water-dogs
Get your late summer and fall off to a great start by increasing your skills with several important landscape tasks. Your landscape will reward you next spring!
Images
- Water Dogs image from Nebraska Extension.
- Tall fescue lawn watered using two different methods. Which lawn would you prefer - the right or left? Image used with permission from a Nebraska Extension Master Gardener Volunteer.