4 Ways Your 1 Series Tractor Can Help With Fall Lawn Care
4 Ways Your 1 Series Tractor Can Help With Fall Lawn Care
1 Series sub-compact tractors from John Deere are built to handle a great many jobs both big and small in just about every season. Because they’re so versatile, it’s no wonder that these small but tough machines are equipped to make your fall yard maintenance chores a whole lot easier. In addition to kicking off one of the best sporting seasons of the year, fall ushers in turf-related tasks that, when done at the right time, allow for greener and overall healthier grass come springtime. Here are four ways your 1 Series tractor can help you prepare your lawn for the changing seasons more efficiently so you can get back to some of your other favorite fall pastimes, like cheering on your football team.
Tackle Fall Lawn Care Basics
Whether you prefer a rear-mounted groomer or can’t imagine life without your mid-mounted drive over deck, one of the simplest ways your sub-compact tractor provides a helping hand is when it comes to the lawn care basic of mowing. Even as the season marches on and we get into regularly cooler temps, as long as your grass is growing, you’ll want to keep mowing. While we are getting closer to dormancy, or the non-growing season that winter brings along, you’ll still want to stick to the 1/3 rule. Meaning, the maximum amount to cut off of a grass blade at once is 1/3 of its total height. The frequency with which you should mow this time of year differs based on the grass species and the speed at which your turf is growing. Let’s say for example you have Kentucky bluegrass. Typically, you want to keep the blade length around 2 ½-3 inches this time of year. So, how often you mow will largely depend on how long it’ll take that blade to add on an extra third to its length. As a side note, mowing is also a helpful tool for weed control when the weeds are still active but the turf is not. In that scenario, keep trimming the weeds to a height that does not disturb your dormant grass.
Accomplish Yard Maintenance Jobs More Efficiently
At times, your property may need a little extra help so that water, oxygen and nutrients can actually make their way to the roots of your grass. To provide this extra help, you’ll want to aerate your turf. Aerating is a great spring and fall lawn care activity because the ground needs to be moist and the right temperature: warm enough, but not liable to freeze. Meaning, this is not a good activity to try out in late November. While there are alternative tools to choose from, strictly from an aerating perspective, a core aerator is an excellent implement to pair with your sub-compact tractor to make quick and efficient work of this type of task. When the timing is favorable, aerating is an important precursor to over seeding and fertilizing because it allows both materials to go deeper into the ground, giving them a higher chance at lasting results. A few notes of caution: take time to remove any potential obstructions and clearly mark areas to avoid like sprinkler heads. Core aerators are powerful tools and as such, can severely damage your sprinkler system.
Quickly Complete Product Spreading Yard Maintenance Tasks
Over seeding your property helps fill in the occasional patchy spot, or areas that have had so much wear and tear that there’s no more grass to be seen. Even if both of those problems are non-issues for your turf, over seeding can still benefit your property. It can create a thicker looking lawn by adding to what is already established and growing healthily. Similar to aerating, this yard maintenance task is most favorable when done in the fall because the temperature is often moderate, and thanks to rainy days, moist soil is liable to be the norm. For optimal results you’ll want to overseed within 48 hours of completing your aerating. Pay close attention to the calibration chart and dispersal rate, that way you can reduce waste and be sure you’re dispensing the right amount per acre. This type of work can be done with different 1 Series compatible implements. Two popular choices are a broadcast spreader or you can opt for the two-in-one functionality of an overseeder, which will be able to aerate and distribute seed simultaneously. As a side note, it always helps when an implement has cross functionality for more uses around your property. For instance, a broadcast spreader can also be a crucial wintertime tool when paired with your sub-compact tractor as a salt applicator.
Distribute Fertilizer Easily and Effectively
Another significant fall lawn care activity has to do with fertilizing. When it comes to making the most out of your efforts, it is important to note that not all fertilizers are appropriate at all times. There are different types of fertilizer for the growing season in spring, and others that will prepare your turf for dormancy in fall. The former has a special mixture of nutrients that encourage growth, whereas the latter has a different ratio of nutrients that’ll help your turf grow next spring. These are also known as winterizers. That said, a winterizer is the better choice for late fall application. Once again, that broadcast spreader makes for a great tool to pair with your 1 Series sub-compact tractor here as well. It’ll make quick and easy work of the chore.
Want more information or assistance selecting the right implements for your fall maintenance jobs? Stop by and talk through what you’re hoping to accomplish this season with one of our experts here at your nearest Middletown dealership.