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MARCH
Warm Season Turf: Bermuda and Zoysia
• Mowing: March is a great month to focus on preparing your lawn for the upcoming growing season. Clean up the lawn by raking or mulching leaves and other debris with your mower. Do not bag clippings unless they begin to choke out or cover the plant. For most of March the lawn is likely to remain completely dormant. Do NOT mow until the lawn is actively growing and all cold/below freezing temperatures are no longer a threat. This will provide extra foliage on the plant that will serve as an insulator to help protect the plant.
• Watering: Occasional watering may be needed in dry conditions. Water up to 1” per week.
• Fertilizer: Do not fertilize with Nitrogen.
• Pre-Emergent: Apply a Pre-Emergent to prevent weeds from germinating. Crabgrass is
beginning to germinate in some areas. It usually starts to germinate against buildings or out by the street). The key to a pre-emergent is to apply it before the soil temperatures start to get in the 50’s. Get it down NOW.
• Post-Emergent: Soil temperatures are becoming more favorable for weeds to germinate and grow. Apply a Post-Emergent to control weeds that are up and active.
Cool Season Turf
• Mowing: Your cool season grass should be thriving. If you are not already on your normal 7-10 mowing schedule, you should be. Always remember, NEVER cut more than 1/3 of the grass blade on each cutting. Do not bag your clippings. We recommend a mowing height of about 3”.
• Watering: Watering may be needed in dry conditions to allow your cool season grass to thrive. Water up to 1” per week.
• Fertilizer: Fertilizer high in Nitrogen should be applied to your cool season grasses, such as Fescue and Ryegrass. They are actively growing and ready for food. Apply .50-.75 lb. of N per 1,000 sq. ft.
• Pre-Emergent: Cool Season grasses, such as Fescue and Ryegrass, should now be ready for a Pre-emergent application. Do not apply a pre-emergent to seed that has recently been applied. You don’t want to be late to the party! Apply long residual pre-emergent herbicides for season long control. A Pre-Emergent will help prevent summer annuals, such as crabgrass, from germinating. Crab grass germinates when soil temperatures reach about 56 degrees. Apply the pre-emergent before soil temperatures reach 55 degrees.
• Post-Emergent: Apply a Post-Emergent application for weeds that are up and active.