Feeding a lawn that sits over a high water table
South of Merrick Road, roots hit saturated soil a few inches down even when the surface looks dry. That traps grass in a shallow root system that can't reach water on its own once August heat sets in. We topdress with compost during core aeration in early fall, overseed with a tall fescue blend bred to root deep, and hold off on late-season nitrogen that would push soft top growth instead of roots. The four-step program is timed to Nassau County's growing season, not a generic national calendar, so the heaviest feeding lands right before root development windows in spring and fall.