For those wishing to overseed successfully before leaves fall, Corn Gluten time is around Sept. 1. Corn Gluten suppresses new weed seeds for 4 to 5 weeks, then overseeding is done, and new seed takes a few weeks to be established just in time for fall cleanup. If you don’t plan to overseed before cleanup time, then you can probably wait another week or two and still get most of the new weed seeds.
We are one of very few sources of Non-GMO, organic corn gluten.You may have it allocated in your program already, or you may want to add it. For inquiries please email
Fall Checklist:
1. Corn Gluten, Pre-emergent Weed Control and #8 Nitrogen Fertilizer – Corn gluten is effective but must be managed with proper timing and delivery (get it wet, then go for a few dry days, spread 50 lbs. per 2500 S. F..
We get the only certified non-GMO, organic corn gluten available. It’s a small market, but I have seen it online at only one place for $75 per bag plus hefty shipping charges. We supply it at that price (or less for quant. 2+) without the shipping charges.
Corn Gluten suppresses new weed growth in Spring and Fall by desiccation (drying), shunting new seed germination, as well as a protein type reaction that suppresses broad leaf weeds especially. When done in Spring, Fall and Spring again, it is reputed to be 90% effective for weed control. It doesn’t kill existing weeds, and so you may still have to do something else for perennial weeds (we’ve got you covered with organic citrus and high conc. vinegar).
2. Other Weed Control – A mix of pulling weeds, spraying with high concentration white vinegar mixed with other organic weed killers (Citrus based), or pulling seeds, then grinding certain ones (like crabgrass) down with a trimmer before they produce more seeds are good methods. Removing weed seeds by hand or with a grass catching mower to keep them off the lawn is good practice.
3. Mowing for Weed Control – If you have weeds that are annuals (like crabgrass) and they have seed heads, best to mow them with a bag and keep the weed seeds off the lawn as much as possible now. The crab grass is sprouting seeds like crazy lately!
4. Trimming for Weed Control – Pick those weed seed heads and pocket them before trimming and spraying them around!
5. Soil Samples – we do soil samples and get them lab analyzed with recommended PH control and fertilizer reports. The average report calls for some added Nitrogen & Pottassium fertilizer and some high calcium lime for PH adjustment and soil biology restoration. A lab in New Haven, the New Haven Agricultural station will receive soil samples and analyze and report on them for different types of plants.
6. Fertilizing – Corn gluten is not only a weed suppressor, but a nitrogen fertilizer (N). When combined for weed control and including some grass and leaf mulch mowing, leaving clippings on the lawn, you may not need much fertilizing. Additional fertilizer is often recommended to help boost overseeding success. Some fertilizing is often suggested by our soil sample reports. We use only orgranic fertilizers and have used a variety including Chicken Poop granules, all veggie based and spray derivative from sea weed which is sometimes referred to as a “liquid aerator”.
Popular Science – rated slowest growing! Native fescue mixes with super deep roots, evergreen, needs less water, fertilizer and mowing.7. Overseeding – Keeping grass dominant is great weed control, so overseeding 5 weeks after corn gluten is often done (Spring and/or Fall). We use Pearls Premium Ultra Low Maintenance Mix. It costs a bit more than what you get at the hardware store, but is ranked best for slow growth and less water and fertilizer – it’s evergreen and resilient. Its also sold at Whole Foods.
A little light raking preceding the seeding makes sense for seed contact with soil for quick rooting. We often sprinkle some top soil and fertilizer around when we overseed and usually some straw to help keep it in place and retain moisture. The top soil we use has a component of compost to it, so its a nice top dressing and improves overall soil biology.
Pearl’s Premium grass seed is rated as the slowest growing (Popular Science Mag.), deepest roots, and requires less mowing, water and fertilizer. It is a mix of mostly native fescues. It is also evergreen and looks better than others all year.
8. Liming – If you are in New England and haven’t limed lately, your PH is acidic and more hospitable for weeds than grass. 98% of all tests show that lime is needed for good grass growing soil. We use high calcium, humic acid enhanced lime which spreads quickly and easily and is quite affordable. It is high in calcium and helps quickly restore the soil’s biology. The results are fast and amazing. With our acid rain, lime is something to add annually in differing doses, first to assure PH scores are high on your soil samples, and half as much to maintain it that way. Soil for grass should have a PH rating above 6. Most soil tests below that without regular liming. A single bag of Solucal can maintain PH for a large lawn (6,000 s.f.) and spreads in about an hour or less. One bag 2000 to 4,000 s.f. raises the PH. This is one of the most important and affordable steps in lawn maintenance (no brainer, about $50 a bag, applied).
9. Compost top dressing or tea – This is another suggested addititive for overseeding to help the seed get a quick start. It also helps maintain healthy soil biology. We sprinkle top soil as a light top dressing when we overseed, and that has a compost component to it, this aspect of soil health maintenance is often addressed when we are overseeding in the fall.
10. Aeration – Cutting out plugs of soil to provide air to roots keeps them healthy. Especially in high traffic packed down areas, this can make a big difference. We have stilt like dual core cutters that can be walked on like stilts for a great workout and aeration as fast as aeration machines. For larger lawns we do use aeration machines. Aeration can be done any time of year, but not suggested for the heat of summer months. Important: Only do aeration after it rains or you have watered the lawn, as the soil needs to be moist for the plugs to slide through. It doesn’t really work when soil is dry.
11. Compost Areas – Corrals, Pits, Containers, piles, etc., we will help setup composting if you are interested. Your towns are hoping you will compost yard debris on your property to avoid the cost of hauling it all away and concentrating it at a facility. The best way to deal with yard and food waste is to turn it into fertilizer on site!
12. Fall Cleanup – We don’t use gas blowers, but with rakes and solar/green power charged battery blowers, we are competitive for cleanup. Making an area on your property to pile the debris can save alot of time and effort and make rich compost additive for your soil. Also consider using leaves as natural mulch in your beds rather than removing it and replacing with wood mulch.
13. Hedging – We have solar/green power charged battery hedgers consistent with our mission and your sanity. Fall is usually the time for final hedging.
14. Pruning – We do pruning required with some manual loppers and saws and also solar/green power charged battery chain saws. Easy on the ears and lungs! Fall is a good time for pruning branches away from the house or those encroaching on other areas like driveways.
15. Gardening – We would love to help you reduce your grass lawn and replace with food or edible or decorative native plants. Less lawn mowing, more food growing! We partner with specialists in this area and there are many great options. MowGreen HQ reduces their lawn with raised bed vegetable and herb gardens as well as wild raspberry and blueberry patches. We can deadhead flowers, trim as prescribed for different types, or just hedge them down to the grown at season end, as is customary for plants like butterfly bushes and tall decorative grasses.
Natalie dons the backpack sprayer!16. Organic Tick Control> – Ticks can be controlled on your
property with organic methods to protect your family and pets from Lyme disease. We use a special mix of cedar oil and other plant derivatives that kill ticks and repel them with natural pheromone science.
17. Light or Hard Edging – We do hard edging around gardens with manual shovel-like edgers. I think that’s overdone, but we do it. Its great exercise too : ). Our battery powered trimmers tilt and cut nice edges around beds and along walks, and that is part of our normal mowing routine. This is typically done in Spring but we can clean up areas any time.
18. Mulching – We use organic mulch and have prepared many a bed. Its worth noting that leaves are a natural mulch for beds, so for innovators, consider skipping the bed leaves removal, and the bark mulch! Or just leave the leaves in your beds and put a little mulch on top!
Other – We aspire to provide safe healthy methods for other lawn and land care, like grub control with natural methods and other projects like installing or removing plants, stone walls, etc. If you need something say something : ). We can recommend specialists for jobs beyond our scope (like gutters or tall tree work).
We have organic trained and experienced staff. Our methods, equipment, treatments and results improve every year, which has helped us sustain double and triple digit growth rates since 2007.
We’d be happy to tailor a program personalized to your property to help you estimate and control any services desired.
MowGreen is for social benefit, not profit, and we all win together. Visit MowGreen.com, email or call us for an easy switch allowing you personally to avoid tons of carbon pollution at your place.
- 200 tons Carbon (& other) pollution avoided annually!
- 4 MILLION auto-mile equiv. emissions cut since 2007
- 1000 Acres Mowed Without Gas!
Happy Fall!
Dan QuiMowte
