Lexington and Central Kentucky Lawn Fertilization Programs

Turfgrasses...

Today we have a wide variety of grass species to select from for beautifying our landscape. For example, there are more than 100 different varieties of Kentucky Bluegrass, compared to the 1950s when we only had 1 variety of Kentucky Bluegrass.

Keys to consider when deciding which grass is best for you

• Maintenance required: some grass species require more care than other, high maintenance grasses.

• Drought resistance: some grass species are better suited quickly recover after going dormant during extended drought conditions.

• Shade adaptation: grass species are classified by how much or how little sunlight they need to maintain their health and vigor.

• Wear resistance: this is a measurement of how well a grass species can recover from foot traffic.

Kentucky Bluegrass...

Most common cool season grass. High quality lawn, available in blends. Spreads moderately and will fill in bare spots. Does poorly in extremely shady areas.

Bluegrass seed-blends that include perennial ryegrass, produce a tougher wearing lawn. With the addition of creeping red fescue, the lawn will tolerate shadier areas.

Bluegrass develops a shallow root system that is not very drought tolerant, but will go dormant during extreme conditions. If given intermittent watering during prolonged drought conditions, it will come back.

• Shade tolerance: poor

• Planting: seed or sod

• Mowing height: 1 1/2" - 2 1/2"

• Water: needs regular watering, will survive droughts by going into a dormant state.

• Fertilization: needs regular fertilization

• Maintenance: low

• Introduced by: colonists that brought it from Europe.

Turf-type tall fescue ...

Turf-type tall fescue has become a popular turfgrass for homes. Turf-types are more coarse than bluegrass, though not as thick as traditional tall fescue. The fescue is a bunch type grass, as opposed to the rhizomatic growth of bluegrass. Newer cultivars have the same rich green color as bluegrass.

Tall fescue are more drought resistant than many other lawn grasses such as bluegrass or perennial ryegrass because roots penetrate deeper into the soil.

Tall fescues are also more disease resistant and wear tolerant, making them ideal for heavy foot traffic areas. Like bluegrass, they are considered a cool season grass, remaining green for eight to nine months out of the year.

Tall fescues must remain dense to keep blades thin. Proper mowing and fertilizing practices help keep blades thin; overseeding every other year may be necessary to improve the stand.

Special needs for Central Kentucky Lawns ...

We recognize the special needs of our lawns and have developed a special 7 Application Program that specifically addresses these requirements. This program covers the following applications

• Early Spring: a nutrient-rich feeding to bring your lawn back to life from winter dormancy.

• Late Spring: a balanced fertilization application with Dimension Ultra weed control that stop weeds before they can become a major problem.

• Early Summer: feeding and spot treatments of weeds and insect controls.

• Late Summer: special attention paid to repairing summer stress and maintaining a green, healthy lawn.

• Early Fall: deep feeding for strong root development and growth that will keep your lawn greener longer

• Late Fall: deep feeding for stronger root development and growth that will keep your lawn greener longer and green up faster next season

• Early Winter: extra nourishment so grass plants store vital elements in their root system, helping to withstand the long months of dormancy that naturally occurs during our normally cold winter months.