Your Hungry Lawn...Fertilization Schedule for Illinois

A lush green lawn is the goal of most homeowners, including my lawn-jockey brother-in-law, who's grass is akin to green velvet. Not only is the emerald area beautiful, it is also healthy. Healthy soil equals healthy grass equals fewer weeds and, in the long run, less effort to maintain.

In central Illinois, we are instructed to use the following schedule for fertilization (not applying weed killer) to our lawn. This schedule is written directed by how many times per year you decide to fertilize:

September 1 - If money is tight, this is the most important fertilizer application of the year. Cooler weather insures that the Kentucky Blue Grass is growing rapidly, allowing the roots to become healthy and robust.

May 1 and September 1 - If you can fertilize only twice per year, this is the schedule to follow. Feeding the lawn in the early spring while it is still cool and the grass is rapidly growing insures it will have the energy to make it through the upcoming hot spells of summer.

May 1, September 1, and Late October - Three fertilizations per year may sound like overkill, but it is strongly suggested that the lawn gets one last boost of energy to keep the roots healthy and happy over the winter. During mild winters grass may continue to remain green.

May 1, June 15, September 1, and Late October - The June 15 suggested feeding is the least important of all, but gives your grass the extra boost to keep it healthy during the dormant hot summers.

Remember that all of these dates are approximate but try to stick to the schedule as much as possible. During mild autumns, I have been known to fertilize as late as Thanksgiving. If the spring has been hot and dry, avoid the June feeding.

Most importantly, more is not better! Applying too much fertilizer will burn your grass, leaving big holes in the yard that weed seeds will find for sure.

May your grass be healthy and happy.

shel