Kentucky Bluegrass Lawn Calendar
Robert (Bob) Shearman, Extension Specialist—Turfgrass Loren Giesler, Extension Plant Pathologist
Fred Baxendale, Extension Entomologist
- Mowing
- Fertilizing
- Watering
- Herbicides
- Insect Control
- Disease Control
- Thatch Removal
- Aerification
- Overseeding
Mowing |
|
|---|---|
| March 20 to April 10 | Clean lawn of debris (i.e. rocks, sticks, etc.). Mow lawn as short as possible and remove clipping debris. |
| April 10 to June 15 | Mow lawn at 2.0 inches. Mowing frequency should be dictated by growth rate, never removing more than one-third the mowing height at any mowing. |
| June 15 to Aug. 30 | Raise mowing height to 2.5 inches. |
| Sept. 1 to Oct. 15 | Lower mowing height to 2.0 inches. |
| Oct. 15 to Nov. 15 (or last mowing) | Lower mowing height to 1.5 - 1.75 inches. |
| Alternative and Preferred Mowing Schedule: | |
| March 29 to last mowing | Maintain 2.5 - 3.5 inch mowing height throughout season to promote rooting and stress tolerance. |
Fertilizing |
|
| April 20 to May 10 | Fertilize with 1.0 lb of actual nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. Slow release fertilizer carriers are preferred. |
| June 11 to July 1 | Fertilize with .5-1.0 lb. of actual nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. |
| July to Aug. | Avoid fertilizing. |
| Sept. 1 to Sept. 15 | Fertilize with 1.0 lb. of actual nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. Slow release fertilizer carriers are preferred. |
| Oct. 15 to Nov. 15 | Fertilize with about 1.5 to 2.0 lbs. of actual nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. Phosphorus and potassium can be applied with fall fertilizer formulations. |
Watering |
|
| April to Nov. | Water as needed to prevent wilting and drought. About 1.0 inch of water is needed per week in spring and fall, and 1.5 inches per week in summer. Deep water every two to three days. Avoid daily, light watering. |
| Alternative Watering Schedule: (do not use if lawn receives excessive traffic) | For water conservation allow turf to go dormant. Irrigate only if sustained drought occurs (more than 3 weeks without rain). Lawn will green up with sufficient rainfall in the late summer/early fall. |
Herbicides |
|
| April 20 to May 5 | Apply preemergence herbicides for crabgrass, goosegrass and foxtail control. |
| May 1 to May 20 | Control dandelion and winter annual broadleaf weeds if they are a problem. |
| May 25 to June 20 | Apply second preemergence herbicide application (i.e., six weeks after initial application) to areas where spotted spurge has been a problem, areas with a history of severe crabgrass infections, or presence of grassy sandbur. |
| Sept. 15 to Oct. 31 | Apply perennial broadleaf weed control. This is the preferred time for controlling dandelion and clover. |
Insect Control |
|
| May 10 to May 20 | Control adult billbug, particularly on lawns with a history of injury. |
| June 15 to June 30 | Check for sod webworm larvae and control if necessary. Apply preventative grub control products. |
| July 15 to Aug. 15 | Check for sod webworm larvae and control if necessary. |
| Aug. 1 to Sep. 30 | Check for white grubs and control if necessary. |
Disease Control |
|
| April 10 to June 15 and Sep. 15 to Oct. 15 | Control leafspot on common Kentucky bluegrass lawns. Apply according to label directions. |
| May 30 to July 30 | Apply preventive summer patch control on lawns that have had this problem in the past. |
| Aug. 15 to Oct. 15 | Leaf and stem rust may be a problem on susceptible cultivars. |
Thatch Removal |
|
| April 1 to April 30 and/or Sep. 1 to Sep. 30 | Power rake or aerate if thatch layer exceeds 0.5 inch. Apply leafspot fungicide control to common Kentucky bluegrass lawns after power raking. |
Aerification |
|
| April 1 to April 30 and/or Sep. 1 to Oct. 15 | Aerify lawns that are on clay soil to alleviate compaction and improve rooting and incrase irrigation efficiency. |
Overseeding |
|
| April 1 to April 30 and/or Sep. 1 to Oct. 15 | Overseed thin Kentucky bluegrass lawns with improved cultivars at .75 to 1.0lb. seed per 1,000 sq. ft. |
Index: Horticulture
Turf