Now is the time of year when homeowners should be considering spring maintenance for their cool-season fescue lawns. Unusually lower temperatures followed by warm weather has many homeowners questioning when they should initiate fertilization. Mid-February through late March is the time to fertilize cool-season fescue lawns for the best results.

For maximum growth and development, cool-season fescue lawns need a consistent fertilization schedule in the fall and early spring. The greatest effect on growth and development of fescue lawns is fertilization on a regular basis. Turf specialists at N.C. State University recommend one pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet for cool-season fescue and fescue lawn blends in the spring-about half the amount used in the fall. Special blended lawn fertilizers with slow-release fertilizers are available pre-measured, usually in 5,000- or 10,000-square-foot bags which are designed to eliminate the guesswork from proper fertilization. Grade fertilizers without slow release can be used, however the end results are often excessive growth during the spring becoming, in many cases a nightmare to maintain. Use special care not to over fertilize in the spring.

Before fertilizer application, it is very important to determine the correct size of the application area. It sounds like a simple concept, but when asked, many homeowners don’t know the actual size of their lawns. To avoid waste, excessive growth and endangering the environment take a few minutes to correctly measure your lawn area and apply fertilizers and herbicides at the correct rates.

Darrell Blackwelder is the retired horticulture agent and director with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension. Contact him at deblackw@ncsu.edu.