Bluegrass Fertilization and Watering

Bluegrass Fertilization

Lawns will thrive on a regular a fertilizing schedule. Bluegrass should be fertilized three to four applications a year. An early Fall, late Fall, and mid Spring application are typically the best. Some schedules call for a summer application. I prefer to avoid summer applications. The cool weather grasses have a greater chance of fertilizer burn during hot weather. Bluegrass fertilization  requires 3-5 Pounds of Nitrogen per year in your applications. Be careful that the Spring application is not too heavy. Excess nitrogen will promote excessive shoot growth and potentially rob the lawn of more important root growth.

Fertilizer Rate and Type

To accomplish this you may want to apply fertilizer at the rate 1.5# per 1000Sq ft in September, 1.5# per 1000 Sq ft again in October and .5 to 1 # per 1000 Sq Ft in mid spring. The use of a slow release fertilizer is preferable. Most any of the commercially available fertilizers will work well on your Bluegrass Lawn. It is important to make sure it is a “balanced” fertilizer for lawns such as a 27-4-6 or 20-5-15 as examples and that you take into account the amount of nitrogen required by your grass type.

Pre-emergents

There are varieties of fertilizer that include pre-emergent’s or weed killer. My inclination is not to use these unless I know there is a specific problem for my lawn and even then, I prefer to spot treat the problem if at all possible. Pre-emergent’s do work well but it is not advisable to use them if you plan on seeding a new lawn or over seeding any sections. Bluegrass is weed resistant once it is well established, chiefly because it forms a dense weave as the rhizomes spread and interleave with each other.