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Fall has arrived in the Piedmont Triad — and if you’re looking at your lawn this weekend wondering what you should be doing, The Yard Boss has some advice. After a couple of gray, rainy days, the forecast is looking beautiful for the first weekend of fall. For a lot of homeowners, that means it’s a perfect time to get outside and tackle some yard work. But what actually needs to be done right now? We asked Rob, owner of The Yard Boss, to give Piedmont Triad homeowners some practical fall lawn-care advice — including what you can do yourself, what you should watch for, and when it’s time to call in a professional. First: Know What Kind of Grass You HaveAccording to Rob, fescue is the most common lawn grass in our area, although hybrid Bermuda is becoming more common in newer planned communities. You’ll also find other warm-season grasses such as zoysia. And that matters because fall lawn care isn't one-size-fits-all. If you have fescue, fall is your big season for lawn preparation. Fescue is a cool-season grass that tends to struggle through our hot Piedmont summers, so fall is the time to help it recover and build strong growth heading into spring. NC State Extension also identifies early fall as the ideal seeding period for tall fescue in the Piedmont. Warm-season grasses such as Bermuda and zoysia have a different schedule. As temperatures and soil temperatures drop, they'll begin preparing for dormancy and eventually turn brown. That doesn't necessarily mean they're dead. Rob's personal favorite? Zoysia.  Photo Courtesy of The Yard Boss If You Have Fescue, Think Seed + AerateFor a fescue lawn, Rob's biggest recommendation is simple: Seed and aerate. The timing is now. Rob recommends late September into early October for fescue, which lines up with the fall planting window for the Piedmont. Aeration is particularly important because your lawn spends the year dealing with foot traffic, mowing and other sources of soil compaction. When you core aerate, you pull plugs of soil from the lawn. That creates pathways for oxygen, water and nutrients to reach the root zone while helping loosen compacted soil. The result is room for roots to grow deeper and develop stronger turf. Then comes the seed. And don't forget the watering. Once you've seeded, Rob says you'll need to keep the soil consistently moist — watering every day for at least two weeks. The goal is moist soil, not a muddy lawn. As the seed germinates and the new grass begins growing, you can gradually back off on the watering. You'll also want to give that new grass a chance to establish. Keep foot traffic and leaves off the newly seeded areas as much as possible. Can You Do It Yourself?Absolutely. Rob says homeowners can tackle fall lawn care themselves, but two things are especially important: buying the correct seed and knowing how to properly core aerate. And this is one area where doing a little homework before you start can save you some frustration later. Not all grass seed is created equal. Rob specifically warns homeowners about using poor-quality seed because unwanted grass species can be introduced into your lawn along with it. One example is Poa annua, or annual bluegrass, which can become a recurring winter weed problem. Rob says getting it under control can take multiple years, depending on how much is present. NC State also identifies annual bluegrass as a common winter annual in North Carolina lawns. So before grabbing the cheapest bag of seed you can find, know what you're buying and what you're putting into your lawn.  Photo Courtesy of The Yard Boss What About Fertilizer and Lime?If you're seeding, Rob recommends using a starter fertilizer rather than simply grabbing any fertilizer off the shelf. He compares starter fertilizer to a “steroid shot” for developing grass — something designed to give new growth the nutrients it needs to get established. Lime is different. Its job is to help maintain the soil's pH, and Rob says the timing of lime application isn't particularly important. But there's a bigger point here: Don't think of fertilizer as something you use once when you seed and then forget about. Your lawn needs nutrients throughout the year. If you're only fertilizing when you put down seed, Rob says you're setting yourself up for problems going into spring and summer. And if you're not sure what your lawn needs, that's a good time to get some professional advice rather than guessing. What About Weeds?This is where fall lawn care can get a little tricky. Rob says many of the weeds you'll see this time of year are seasonal. Some of the common ones include:
But don't immediately reach for the weed killer, especially if you've just seeded. Newly germinated grass can be sensitive to herbicides, and the product, timing and grass type all matter. NC State specifically cautions that some herbicides can affect newly seeded turf and recommends following the product label. Rob's advice is to let the new turf get established before treating weeds, and to make sure any products you're using are appropriate for your particular grass. And Then There Are the LeavesIt's fall in North Carolina. The leaves are coming. Rob's advice? Don't let them sit there. Leaves left on the lawn can block light and air from reaching the grass. If they stay long enough, they can essentially smother the turf and leave you with dead or thin patches. So you don't necessarily have to spend every beautiful fall day chasing individual leaves around the yard — but you do want to keep leaves and other debris from accumulating and sitting on the grass for extended periods. The more frequently you can remove them, the better. What Should You NOT Do?Rob's biggest warning isn't about something you should add to your lawn. It's about what you put on it. If you're following a lawn-care plan you found online, make sure the products you're using are actually appropriate for your particular type of turf — and that they're permitted for use in North Carolina. Pay attention to:
Rob points out that over-application can damage or kill your lawn — and can be illegal. Under-application, meanwhile, may simply waste your time and money. In other words: Don't assume that because a product worked for someone's lawn online, it's automatically right for yours. When Should You Call a Professional?This may be the hardest part for a DIY homeowner to hear. Sometimes the best lawn-care decision is admitting you don't know what's wrong. If your lawn is struggling, you have persistent weeds, you're not sure what type of grass you have, or you're confused about what products to use and when to use them, Rob recommends having a professional take a look. And honestly? That's part of the reason we wanted to ask him these questions in the first place. Lawn care isn't just about buying a bag of fertilizer and putting it down. The grass, soil, weather, timing and environmental conditions are all constantly changing. As Rob put it, “Mother Nature does play by a script” — and that script changes.  Photo Courtesy of The Yard Boss Rob's Simple Fall Lawn ChecklistIf you don't want to remember everything you just read, here's the short version. If you have fescue: ✓ Seed ✓ Core aerate ✓ Keep the soil consistently moist while seed is establishing ✓ Keep foot traffic to a minimum ✓ Keep leaves and debris off the new grass ✓ Use an appropriate starter fertilizer when seeding ✓ Follow a fertilizer plan throughout the year If you have warm-season grass such as Bermuda or zoysia: ✓ Keep leaves and debris off the lawn ✓ Keep foot traffic reasonable as the grass heads toward dormancy ✓ Don't seed just because it's fall — warm-season grasses have a different schedule ✓ Be aware of winter weeds such as Poa annua And if you're not sure what your lawn needs? Ask someone who does. A Word From The Yard BossRob's advice for Piedmont Triad homeowners boils down to something pretty simple: Know your grass, know your timing, and don't guess when you're not sure. Fall is an important season for our lawns — particularly fescue — and the work you put in now can make a difference when your lawn wakes back up next spring. So if you're heading outside this weekend to enjoy that beautiful fall weather, take a look at your lawn. It may be telling you exactly what it needs. About The Yard BossWith over 20 years of general landscaping experience and 12 years specializing in advanced chemical turf care, Rob brings a rare level of dual-expertise right to your front yard. He is the sole operator on your grass. That means zero high-turnover crews, zero miscommunications, and absolute quality control.
Serving King, Winston-Salem, and Surrounding Communities He keeps their routes tight to guarantee expert-quality attention for every client. They proudly serve homeowners across:
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