Early Autumn Lawn Care Tips

As temperatures begin to cool and leaves fall, autumn brings ideal conditions to care for your lawn. Before thinking about dusting off that snowblower, here are a few tips to ensure your lawn will be beautiful next spring.

Lay Sod. If you’ve been waiting to lay sod, now is the time to do so. Cool temperatures and regular rainfall allows sod to retain moisture and root quickly. Since we are experiencing a rather hot fall so far, plan to install sod on an overcast day to avoid stress on the plant. Prepare your soil by removing debris on the surface and filling in any small holes. Use a rake to loosen the soil and add any topsoil you may need. Apply the sod in a brick-like pattern, using a utility knife to fit the sod together tightly. Once the sod is in place water it immediately. Typically, it takes sod 2-3 weeks to root completely; avoid mowing until roots are strong, approximately 14 days after installation.

Let your soil breathe. Aerate your existing lawns in the cooler fall season to reap the benefits year round. Aeration creates small holes into the soil, either by using a spike or a machine to remove a core of grass and soil from the lawn. Benefits of aerating are: stronger grass roots, reduced water runoff, improved air exchange between the soil, and less susceptibility to disease. Increase root growth by allowing your grass to breath and minimizing thatch build up by aerating prior to applying a fall fertilizer.

Apply fall fertilizer. While many homeowners may think fertilizer should be applied in the spring, fall is an ideal time to refresh your lawn before going dormant in the winter. Fall fertilization will assist in storing food and ensuring strong roots throughout the winter, and greener grass after the spring thaw. Apply fertilizer around the first week in October for best results.

Purchase sod and winterizing fertilizer from B&B Hoffman Sod Farms in Elk River. To learn more about us and products we offer, visit us online or call 763-434-6572.

Thanks for supporting our family farm for 30 years

B&B Hoffman Sod farm is celebrating its 30th year of producing high quality sod for Midwest homeowners, landscapers, and builders. As a family run company deeply rooted in the sod growing business, we are committed to producing the best Kentucky Bluegrass turf in Minnesota.

Our sod is grown at one of three farms in central Minnesota, offering a slight variety in temperature and terrain to ensure a fruitful season. Seeds are planted in late summer (a lot of seed, about 70 pounds per acre!) and we irrigate as necessary. Our sod is fertilized regularly to produce lush, beautiful grass. Typically, sod is harvested about 12-16 months after plantings to ensure a hardy root structure.

We take great pride in mowing every field, every other day. It is one of the most important parts of the growing process, as mowing stimulates root growth. After each field is mowed, we follow up with a roller to compact the soil and counteract any tire marks.

Sod is harvested when the ground isn’t frozen–usually April to November. We prefer to harvest in the morning, so the ground temperature (and therefore the sod temperature) is lower, increasing the shelf life of the product.  We offer two sizes of sod for our customers, small rolls are ideal for homeowners, while large rolls are perfect for wide open spaces or commercial properties. B&B Hoffman Sod offers convenient delivery throughout the Midwest or pickup at our Elk River, MN location.

We are proud to grow about 600 acres of sod every year. Our family name is not just on our trucks, but in every blade of grass we grow, every delivery we make and every question we answer for our customers. We know this is what makes our company so strong.

To learn more about  B&B Hoffman Sod Farms and our family business, visit us online at bbhoffmansodev.wpengine.com or call 763-434- 6572.

B&B Hoffman Sod – June Blog

In early June, grass begins to develop seeds. Because of the way it looks, some think that it’s weeds, but it isn’t. It’s a process called seeding out and is nature taking care of itself by reproducing itself and making more grass blades. While this happens, continue to mow your lawn to 3 inches high and apply your second round of fertilizer (the first should have been done toward the end of April or in early May).

Early summer is also a good time for weed control, which helps provides a healthy, beautiful lawn. Weed control treatments control annual grassy weeds and broadleaf weeds. Proper summer lawn care fertilizing and weed control will lead to fewer weeds, thicker, greener turf and a heartier stress-resistant lawn.

Another thing to note in summer months is that healthy lawns need at least one inch of water per week. If it doesn’t rain, we suggest watering twice a week and applying a half-inch of water per session. You can use a rain gauge or empty soup can placed nearby to measure the amount of water you are applying.

B&B Hoffman Sod Farms can help get your yard back in shape with its supply of fertilizer. Or for lawns in need of serious repair, B&B Hoffman provides easy-to- use small rolls that make laying turfgrass yourself easy and efficient. There is no expensive machinery needed, making Small Sod Rolls the do-it- yourselfers product of choice.

To learn more about summer lawn care and the products that B&B Hoffman Sod Farms offers, visit them online at bbhoffmansodev.wpengine.com or call 763-434- 6572.