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
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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
Centipedegrass
L a w n M a i n t e n a n c e C a l e n d a r
These suggested management practices
will help you care for your lawn through-out
the year. Location, terrain, soil type
and condition, age of the lawn, previous
lawn care, and other factors affect turf
performance, so adjust these practices to
suit your lawn.
M a r c h t h r o u g h M a y
Mowing Mow grass to 1 inch. Do not let grass get
taller than 1 ½ inches. NEVER burn off
centipedegrass to remove excessive debris.
Fertilization DO NOT apply nitrogen at this
time. Yellow appearance may indicate an iron
deficiency. Spray iron ( ferrous) sulfate ( 2 ounces
in water per 1,000 square feet) or a chelated iron
source as needed. Follow label directions. Grass
will green up within 24 hours.
Watering Actively growing centipedegrass needs
1 inch of water each week. If rainfall is insuffi-cient,
you will need to water. Sandy soils often
require ½ inch of water every third day if rainfall
is insufficient. Proper watering helps prevent or
reduce problems later in the summer.
Weed Control When dogwoods are in full bloom,
apply preemergence herbicides to control crab-grass,
goosegrass, and foxtail. Apply
postemergence herbicides in May if you need to
control summer annual and perennial broadleaf
weeds like knotweed, spurge, and lespedeza. Do
not apply postemergence herbicides until 3 weeks
after greenup. Centipedegrass is sensitive to
certain herbicides ( for example, 2,4- D), so follow
label directions and use with caution.
Insect Control Check for and control any white
grubs. ( See White Grub Control in Turf, AG- 366).
Thatch Removal Power rake ( vertical mow) to
remove thatch ( the layer of undecomposed grass)
in late May if it is thicker than ½ inch. A 2- or 3-
inch blade spacing set ¼ - inch deep in one
direction works best. A power rake with a 1- inch
blade spacing may severely damage the lawn.
Renovation Replant bare areas in May using
seed ( ¼ to ½ pound per 1,000 square feet) or
sprigs ( ¾ bushel per 1,000 square feet). It’s easier
to spread seed if you mix it with 2 gallons of fine
sand per 1,000 square feet to be covered. Seeds
germinate in 28 days, but establishment is slow.
To keep seedbed continually moist, lightly water
several times a day for 28 days. It takes up to 3
years to establish a new lawn. ( See Carolina
Lawns, AG- 69.)
J u n e t h r o u g h A u g u s t
Mowing Follow March through May guidelines.
Fertilization Fertilize with ½ pound of nitrogen
per 1,000 square feet in mid- June using a high
potassium fertilizer like 5- 5- 15 or 8- 8- 24. ( The
third number gives potassium content.) At the
coast, a second fertilization in August may help.
Use a fertilizer without phosphorus ( like 15- 0- 14,
8- 0- 24) if soil testing reveals that you already
have moderate- to- high levels of phosphorus.
Yellow appearance may indicate an iron defi-ciency.
Follow March through May guidelines.
You need to apply ½ pound of nitrogen per 1,000
square feet, but how much fertilizer do you need
to buy? Divide 50 by the FIRST number on the
fertilizer bag. For example, if you’ve got a 5- 5- 15
fertilizer, you divide 50 by 5 and you get 10. That
means you need to buy 10 pounds of fertilizer for
every 1,000 square feet of lawn.
Watering Your lawn needs 1 inch of water every
week. If you don’t get enough rain, you will need
to water. Sandy soils often require ½ inch of water
every third day.
Weed Control Apply postemergence herbicides
as needed to control summer annual and perennial
broadleaf weeds like knotweed, spurge, and
lespedeza. Centipedegrass is sensitive to certain