The year, by month
A fescue lawn's year in Raleigh
Tall fescue stays green through a Raleigh winter and struggles in July and August. September does the repair work that holds it together.
January and February
Fescue stays green and grows slowly. Stay off the lawn when it's frozen and mow only if it needs it.
A good time to book the soil test
Plan the September budget, not the seed
March and April
Soil warms and crabgrass starts to wake. A licensed applicator puts preventer down when the soil reaches about 55 degrees.
We don't spray, so we don't do this one
Don't overseed now: spring seedlings meet July heat
May to August
The hard months. Mow at three to four inches, water deeply and not often, and expect some browning in a hot July.
Brown patch loves humid nights
Book your slot before the end of August
September
The window. Aeration and overseeding start in the first week and the seed should be down by about the middle of the month.
45 days before a late-October frost
Starter fertilizer goes down with the seed
October
Seedlings fill in and the late slots close. Seed after mid-October roots slowly, and we say so before we spread it.
Water in short rounds while seedlings are small
First mow when the new blades stand tall
November and December
The first frost slows everything. Keep leaves off the new grass and let it rest.
Blow or rake, don't let leaves mat
Winter feeding is a separate visit
Counting back
From one frost date to your seed date
Pick the frost date from your own yard's history, then count back.
- 01
Find the frost
Raleigh's usual first frost is in late October. A low spot or a yard away from pavement gets it a week sooner.
- 02
Subtract 45 days
That lands around the middle of September, which is when seed should be down in a usual year.
- 03
Book backward
We schedule aeration and seeding together so the crew gets there before the date, not after it.
The window moves. The countdown doesn't.
Send your address in August and we'll put you on the list ahead of the frost.