Please edit, chif and send to NRV Ready. Thanks. edited by durango -- alison chiffed Keep your lawn green and healthy with these fall tips We are heading into the last three weeks of one of the mildest summers I can remember in the New River Valley. The temperatures have been delightful and rainfall plentiful. It has been a great year for vegetable gardens, fruit trees, annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs and lawns. The only possible downside could be that we have to mow the lawn so often, but that's not a bad trade-off. Late summer/early fall is a great time of year to do almost any landscape chore. With cooler temperatures and adequate rainfall it's not such a struggle to get grass seed to germinate and new shrubs to take root. Another good thing is that crabgrass and some of the other summer annual weeds have reared their ugly heads and are easily identified and killed. Applying a nonselective herbicide such as glyphosate (Roundup) to weeds now will get them temporarily under control, but they will be back in the spring. A better strategy is to out-compete crabgrass by reseeding this fall, then applying a pre-emergent herbicide in March to keep crabgrass seeds from germinating. Turf grass seeds need light, water and temperatures in the 50- to 70-degree range to germinate. They also need good contact with the soil. Just throwing seed on hard-packed clay is not enough; the soil needs to be loosened. If you are doing a small area, a steel rake can be used to remove weeds and dead grass. For larger areas, a tiller or other machine may be necessary. After scratching up the soil, spread a half-inch thick layer of good crumbly topsoil or compost over the area. Then apply a small amount of starter fertilizer, just don't overdo it. Sow fistfuls of the grass seed in a sweeping motion, making sure to cover the area and into the border of the surrounding grass. Use the rake to gently bury the seed into the topsoil. At this point I like to apply a layer of straw as a mulch to keep the area moist and keep birds from feasting on the new seed. Lightly water the area at least once a day for several weeks. When the grass is 3 to 3 1/2 inches tall, mow with a sharp blade to prevent pulling the new plants out of the soil. If you have a large area of lawn that died or just needs to be reseeded to thicken it up, a machine called a slit-seeder or slice-seeder can be very helpful. This device, which can be rented, distributes seed down individual tubes that are suspended over sharp metal discs. These discs cut grooves in the soil and the seed is deposited into the grooves. Guide the machine along in parallel rows, then sow seed perpendicular to the original paths so the grass doesn't come in like rows of corn. This walk-behind machine eliminates the need to rake, broadcast seed or even apply mulch. Thatch is a controversial subject in lawn care. It is a natural buildup of stems and dried grass clippings that is meant to protect the root system. Soil microbes are there to break down thatch and can usually keep it to a healthy level. The problem comes when thatch builds up to the point where it slows water and air penetration to the roots of the turf. This buildup is caused by management practices that fuel vigorous growth, such as high rates of fertilization or excessive watering. Soil that is compacted or has a very low pH also inhibits microbial decomposition. This is where dethatching and aeration of the soil become necessary. A dethatcher is a mower-like machine that has double rows of knifelike blades that bite 1 1/2 inches into the turf, pulling away dead matter and opening the soil to air and water penetration. Dethatching should only be done when the turf is actively growing, so spring and early fall are the best times. If you are planning to broadcast seed to fill bare spots or thicken up an area, dethatching first is a good idea. Aerating your lawn is one of the best things you can do to let more air, water and nutrients into the soil. There are two types of aerators. One type simply pokes holes in the ground, which leads to further compaction of the soil. The better type to use pulls out plugs of soil and deposits them on the lawn. Aerating is very effective when done before reseeding or fertilizing your lawn. The plugs gradually break down and fill the open holes with uncompacted soil. Following aeration of a lawn, water infiltration is higher, oxygen movement to the roots increases and grass growth is stimulated. Early fall is also an excellent time to weed and feed the lawn. Broadleaf weeds, such as dandelion and plantain, can be controlled this time of year as long as the weather stays relatively warm. Fall fertilization helps build a healthy strong root system that allows the plants to survive stress better. Fall is the best time of year to fertilize turf in the New River Valley. You can do many of these lawn chores yourself. However, if you need help, we are lucky to have many good lawn and landscape companies in the New River Valley. Consider giving them a call. These people are professionals and can really get your yard in shape. Jim May is a certified arborist and earned a master's degree in horticulture from Virginia Tech.