Hey everyone!
I’m in Brampton, Ontario (Zone 6a), and I’ve spent most of this year renovating my front lawn. I’m hoping to get some advice on whether I should fertilize one last time before winter.
A little background:
Renovated different sections of my lawn in May, June, and August.
Used the same cool-season grass seed mix for all sections.
My older renovations received nitrogen fertilizer (27-0-2) around August.
The newest section was seeded on August 14 and established really well.
I’ve also been tackling dandelions and plantain, with pretty good results.
Current situation:
It’s now mid-October, and my grass has noticeably slowed down. I last mowed about 10–12 days ago at 3 inches, and it doesn’t seem to have grown much since.
The older renovated sections have also lost their deep-green summer colour and are looking more yellow-green/olive, while the newer sections are still relatively green.
Overall, the lawn is fairly dense, and I don’t see much actual dead grass.
My goal: I really want a thick, lush, uniformly green lawn next spring, without the uneven colour I’ve been dealing with this year.
My questions:
Have I already missed the ideal fall fertilizer window for Southern Ontario?
Would applying 27-0-2 now still benefit the lawn, even though top growth has slowed?
Should I use a fall/winterizer fertilizer instead, or save fertilizing until spring?
Could the yellow-green colour be a nitrogen deficiency, or is this normal seasonal behaviour?
What would you recommend doing now to give the lawn the best possible start next spring?
I’ve attached current photos for reference.
Would especially appreciate advice from anyone maintaining cool-season lawns in Ontario or similar climates.
Thanks in advance!