Cool Season Turf Tips

2 min read | Yard & Garden 

Cool Season Grass
(Fescue, Bluegrass, Ryegrass)

General Care Information:

Cool season turf likes to be kept cut on the higher side. We recommend no lower than 3” The only time you will want to cut it lower is prior to over-seeding. This is because we want the grass blades to grow as tall as possible before the first cut. We recommend waiting three weeks before the first cut after over-seeding.
Watering – 1 inch per week to prevent dormancy. Watering instructions for germination when seeding are slightly different and require the lawn to be kept damp for the first week.
Fertilizing – Lawns should never receive more than 4 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft annually.

March- May

Fertilization—Fertilize as needed to promote color and recovery from damage (such as pests, traffic, or early disease). When fertilizing, rates should generally be between 1⁄5 and 1⁄2 pound of nitrogen (N) per 1,000 square feet, with lower amounts generally applied after March 15. You need to apply 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. So how much fertilizer do you need to buy? Divide the FIRST number of the fertilizer bag by 100 and then multiply by the size of the bag. (The first number always represents nitrogen content.) For example, if you’ve got a 10-10-10 fertilizer in a 50lb bag, divide 10 by 100 and you get .10. Then multiply by 50 to get 5lbs of nitrogen per bag. This means that one bag contains enough nitrogen to fertilize 5,000 square feet.
Watering – Needs about 1 inch of water every week, ideally NOT all at once.
Weed Control – Apply preemergence herbicides to control crabgrass, goosegrass, and foxtail. It is typically best if applied in early March, sooner in the piedmont and coastal regions. Examples that we carry in store for your purchase; Ferti-Lome Weed-Out and BioAdvanced All-in-One.

June- August

Watering – Water as needed to prevent drought stress. Needs about 1 inch of water every week, ideally NOT all at once.

September- November

Around Mid-September we recommend aerating, seeding, and fertilizing (starter fertilizer 18-24-12). Over-seeding rate of 6lbs per 1,000 square feet and 10lbs per 1,000 square feet for bare spots or renovation areas. Fertilize with 1 pound of N per 1,000 square feet in mid-September and again in November (about the time the grass is green but not actively growing).

December- February

Weed Control – Apply broadleaf herbicides as necessary for control of annual winter weeds like chickweed and henbit. Examples that we carry in store for your purchase; Ferti-Lome Weed-Out and BioAdvanced All-in-One.