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

Fertilize, Fertilize, Fertilize

Notice to my family members that may want to read my blog:
STOP! If you're not interested in fertilizing, don't waste your time. Call me instead and we'll have a chat about the latest craziness in my household.

Notice to garden fans:
This may bore you, but it's important!

The standard procedure for fertilizing lawns in central Illinois is to haul out the old broadcast spreader and purchase lawn fertilizer and weed killer four times a year. The first week or so of September (remember Labor Day) is one of the most important times for the fertilization. Grass, especially our Kentucky Blue Grass, is back in it's full glory of brilliant green since the weather has become cooler and the rains have started again. Keep in mind that you don't have to buy an expensive name-brand product; instead, compare labels. I happen to be running late this year, but I will definitely do my lawn soon.

Be sure to also fertilize around Thanksgiving. This will allow a good root system to develop for your lawn to help hold it over the winter.

If you have a score to settle with a bad neighbor, sneak over in the middle of the night with a bag of fertilizer and use a scoop to pour out fertilizer so that you spell something, like "My dog poops in your yard." It's almost like writing "wash me" on a dirty windshield. (I'm just kidding here, although I considered writting a bad word on a neighbor's lawn when we lived in Bloomington...but really, don't do it!)

When the time comes, we'll talk about the spring fertilizing.

shel
p.s. I try to not use a lot of chemicals, but I do take good care of my lawn. There's just something about walking barefoot on a velvety lawn that makes a person's heart happy. (Just ask my brother-in-law, Rick. Happy Birthday, Rick! Happy Lawns to you!)