Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
atekk_gw

Lawn Maintenance Schedule

ATekk
12 years ago

Hi all,

So last summer while looking through the different threads I found a great post by someone (whom I can't remember) listing by month the best practices for lawn maintenance (when to apply what etc.). I thought I had clipped that post but appears I did not.

Would anybody be able to link to that thread if they have it saved or even better provide a new listing of month by month maintenance? I tried searching but no luck on my end.

With spring just around the corner I want to make sure I take all necessary steps to take care of my lawn that I just planted last fall and came in beautiful (and still looks good going into Feb!).

Thanks in advance.

Comments (2)

  • fruitjarfla
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Do a browser search -- new jersey extension service -- to find assistance on most growing things.

  • ATekk
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    So here is the post that I was referring to in case anyone is looking for a pretty concise fertilizing schedule. Credit going to garycinchicago for the OP. Thank you gary!

    Posted by garycinchicago Z5 Chicago IL. (My Page) on
    Sat, Jun 20, 09 at 1:31

    > "The pre-emergent I applied last fall, and which I was planning on applying again this fall, only contains Dimension, no fertilizer. In the spring, the product I put down I think was both a fertilizer and a crabgrass preventer combo (from the HD)."

    OK, thanks for the fill in. Like i said, I feel you have the right concept, just you need a little fine tuning - a little change of thought.

    This is what *I* would do on LI and basically what I do in Chicago. Your zone 6, I'm 5a .. you're just a little warmer than me .. earlier and later than me.

    [Keep in mind the times are generalized, not specific. Adjust accordingly for LI. but I'm close]

    Spring - April 1. PreM alone, no fertilizer. Watch forsythia. When they bloom yellow, it's time!

    Allow grass to green up naturally. Every year will be different. Some years spring is earlier, some are later. Some are dry, some are wet. Mother nature knows when the time is right - leave her alone, don't bother her!

    May 1, when grass is actively growing - when you actually gave it a complete hair cut, cutting every blade of grass ... go ahead and fertilize. Straight fertilizer, no step numbers. You pick which one (I'm cheap - I buy what's on sale like Scotts, Bill's, Joe's, Pete's etc - names, scnames. The main thing is nitrogen.)

    June 1, 4th of July, go ahead and drop that Milorganite. The lawn will love the iron.

    End of June - July 4, GrubX. Some will say don't apply unless you are sure you have grubs! I contend, don't drive unless you have insurance. Grab damage is BRUTAL. GrubX is cheap insurance.

    August's step #16 / Summerguard. Skip this. What's this protect you from, mosquitoes, house flys? It's too hot to fertilize. You end up stressing the lawn forcing it to grow when conditions aren't favorable for growing (notice now how you aren't mowing twice a week like you were in spring?)Your protected from grubs - you're good to go.

    Maintain irrigation throughout summer.

    Labor Day - whatcha got laying around. Turf Builder? That's fine - go ahead, temperatures are dropping which means favorable growing conditions again.

    PreM - now's the time to drop prevention against poa! Poa germinates when soil temps drop below 70 degrees.

    So like I said - whatcha got? Use it then. Still have preM alone and fertilizer alone, then you make two drops that day. Have Dimension w/fertilizer left over? Then that's what you use on or around Labor Day.

    Mid October - again, search the garage, use what you have. Did you buy the big bag of turf builder and still have some left? That's fine - USE IT! Don't fall for the marketing hype and names like "Winterizer" because that's a crock! In October, it's perfectly fine to apply a starter fertilizer too, *IF* your soil need the added phosphorous. University studies have proven that turf wants Nitrogen in fall, so it can store it as carbohydrates over winter to be used the following spring, NOT potash, which is what 'Winterizier' is full of. http://www.agry.purdue.edu/turf/tips/2008/09_03fallfert.html

    Now last thing and if you truly want to walk on the dark side of lawn geektom. Once top growth has stopped, when you make that final, last cut of the year, when you cut up mostly leaves not grass - drop the secret potion, Nitrogen. This needs to be fast release nitrogen, 46-0-0 urea (cheap, $23 for 50Lbs at Lesco) Urea is very strong and can cause nitrogen burn if too warm but not now because we're talking what? Thanksgiving? It's too cool outside for that to happen.

    The urea will not be used that fall but rather absorbed and then stored in the root system of the turf as carbohydrates until spring, when mother nature says "Wake up - it's time!" as noted above, LOL!!!!