Spring Maintenance of Fescue Grasses

The spring season is well under way and it’s important to keep up proper lawn maintenance in preparation for the summer.  It goes without saying that different types of grasses require different types of maintenance, so in this post we’ll focus on how to manage fescue grass. There are dozens of different types of fescue grasses that can be planted throughout much of the United States.  Fescue is a cool season grass but also survives well throughout the transition zones, making it a very versatile grass.

Fescue grass should be planted in the fall, which means that the spring is when you’ll be doing most of the maintenance.  Crab grass is a major problem in fescue grasses so the first step is to apply crab grass pre emergent from mid February to mid March to prevent these weed-like intruders. Next, it’s time for the weed and feed.  Depending on where you live and what type of fescue you have, this should be applied in April or May.  Your lawn care professional can advise you on when exactly this should be done.  Brown patch is another major problem for fescue grasses. Therefore, it’s a good idea to do a series of brown patch treatments beginning in May.  If your soil is too acidic or you have areas of moss in your yard, you may want to consider a lime application as well.

When it comes to the basics of watering and mowing in the spring, fescue is relatively low maintenance. It’s a good idea to water your lawn twice a week for about 20-30 minutes or up to a quarter inch of water each time.  As for mowing, this can be managed based on your personal preference for grass height.  As we move into summer, try to stay away from seeding or fertilizing fescue because it can stress the grass and actually encourage disease such as brown patch.

If you are ever unsure about any of these aspects of lawn maintenance, you should contact your lawn care professional because the wrong dose of these chemicals at the wrong time can cause serious damage to your grass.