Planning to repair your lawn this fall? Here's what you need to know

September's identity is tied to a seasonal shift. Summer's warmth starts to fade as fall colors start to emerge. That combination signals the perfect time to restore your lawn, which this year might need extra help.

How should you repair a lawn during a drought? The short answer: less is more.

"In some cases, if we don't really get enough rain and the lawn is not actually growing, maybe we should hold off on doing a lot of practices that would normally be advised for this time of year," Jon Trappe said, a turfgrass extension educator for the University of Minnesota.

The first tactic Trappe said that might be worth skipping during a drought is fertilizing. 

"We want those nutrients to not only be taken up by the plant, but to stay where they're fertilized. And if the plant is dormant from drought or some other stresses, it may not take up these nutrients," he said.

Aerating lawns this month helps water better seep into the soil, but if the ground remains dry, aerating isn't worthwhile.

Overseeding in September is a good idea thanks to cooler temperatures, warm soil and usually dependable rainfall.

In a drought, however, you would be required to water the seed. If watering isn't feasible or too costly, Trappe said to wait a few months.

"One thing that we've actually been doing some research on lately is dormant seeding, which is actually not seeding until early or middle of November when soil temperatures are close to freezing," Trappe said.

During winter's freeze and thaw cycle, the melted snow and rain would help grass seed embed in the soil. The dead grass would also hold it in place. Trappe said the new seedlings would germinate and emerge in the springtime, even slightly before the emergence of crabgrass.

"That dormant seeding ends up being a great tool for improving the lawn, especially against summer annual grassy weeds like crabgrass," he said.

Speaking of seed, Minnesota lawns often have Kentucky bluegrass. That type of grass needs more maintenance like fertilizer and watering.

Given the frequency of drought patterns, Trappe suggests some other seed blends that are more resilient.

"Things like the fine fescues and tall fescue end up being better suited grasses for drier, harsher conditions, but they also have really high turf quality that can be used for most lawn functions," he said.

Restoring your lawn remains possible this fall. It just requires a new strategy, one that could better prepare it for future droughts.

The University of Minnesota Extension has more information on grass seed types that can withstand droughts.