Distributed in furtherance
of the Acts of Congress
of May 8 and June 30, 1914.
Employment and program
opportunities are offered to
all people regardless of
race, color, national origin,
sex, age, or disability.
North Carolina State University,
North Carolina A& T State
University, U. S. Department of
Agriculture, and local
governments cooperating.
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences · NC State University
School of Agriculture and Allied Sciences and Environmental Sciences · NC A& T State University
These suggested management practices
will help you care for your lawn through-out
the year. Location, terrain, soil type
and condition, age of lawn, previous lawn
care, and other factors affect turf perfor-mance,
so adjust the following manage-ment
practices and dates to suit your
particular lawn.
M a r c h t h r o u g h M a y
Mowing Mow to 2 ½ to 3 ½ inches. Mow often
enough so that no more than one- third of the grass
height is cut; this may be every 5 to 7 days in late
spring. Leave grass clippings on the lawn where
they decompose quickly and can provide up to 25
percent of the lawn’s fertilizer needs. If prolonged
rain or other factors prevent mowing and clip-pings
are too plentiful to leave on the lawn,
collect them and use them as mulch. DO NOT
bag them for trash collection; grass clippings do
not belong in landfills.
Fertilization DO NOT fertilize tall fescue after
March 15.
Watering Tall fescue needs 1 to 1 ¼ inches of
water every week, ideally all at once. A dark
bluish- gray color and wilted, folded, or curled
leaves indicate that it is time to water. Water until
the soil is wet to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. Use a
screwdriver or similar implement to check. Sandy
soils require more frequent watering ( about ½
inch of water every third day). Because clay soils
accept water slowly, irrigate just until runoff
occurs, wait until the water has been absorbed,
and begin watering again. Continue until the
desired depth or amount is applied. Proper
irrigation may prevent or reduce problems later in
the summer. Watering between 2 and 8 a. m.
decreases the incidence of certain diseases.
Weed Control Apply preemergence herbicides
to control crabgrass, goosegrass, and foxtail.
Apply by the time dogwoods are in bloom. ( See
Pest Control Recommendations for Turfgrass
Managers, AG- 408).
Insect Control Check for and control white
grubs in April and May. ( See White Grub Control
in Turf, AG- 366).
Aeration Delay aeriation until fall.
Thatch Removal It is generally not necessary to
remove thatch.
J u n e t h r o u g h A u g u s t
Mowing Mow to 3 ½ inches and mow before the
grass gets taller than 5 inches.
Fertilization DO NOT fertilize tall fescue at this
time.
Watering Either water as needed to prevent
drought stress or allow the lawn to go dormant.
Dormant lawns must be watered once every 3
weeks during a drought.
Disease Control Tall fescue is highly suscep-tible
to Brown ( Large) Patch Disease, which
appears as irregularly shaped patches of dead or
dying turf. Brown Patch likes high humidity and
temperatures above 85o F. It becomes extremely
severe during prolonged, overcast wet weather
with evening air temperatures above 68o F. and
daytime temperatures in the mid- to upper 80s.
Do not apply nitrogen fertilizer when the disease
is active, keep the mowing height above 3 inches,
and water between 2 and 8 a. m. Apply fungicide
during severe Brown Patch outbreaks. ( See
Diseases of Cool- Season Grasses, AG- 361.)
Weed Control DO NOT use herbicides at this
time.
Insect Control Check for and control white
grubs in July and August.
Tall Fescue
L a w n M a i n t e n a n c e C a l e n d a r