1. When should I fertilize my lawn?
It depends on what kind of grass you have.
Fescue –
Fertilize in September, November, and May.
Bermudagrass, Buffalograss, Zoysia – 
Fertilize in June for a 1 time application.
Fertilize in May and July for a 2 time application.
2. How much should I water my lawn?
You should not need to water more than one time per week. A lawn needs 1” of water each week, including rain.
3. How do I know when I have watered enough?
One technique is to punch a screwdriver into the lawn. If it goes in easily, the area is well watered. Another technique is to put out a few pie plates or empty tuna cans before the sprinkler is turned on. You can use them to measure how much water has been applied.
4. When should I plant my fescue?
The best time to plant fescue is from September 1 – October 15. The next best time to plant fescue is from early March – April 15.
5. When should I plant my bermudagrass or buffalograss?
The best time to plant bermudagrass or buffalograss is May 15 – June 15.
6. How do I get rid of dandelions?
Dandelions are perennial broadleaf weeds. The best time to control dandelions is in the fall by applying an herbicide that contains 2,4-D, MCPP, and Dicamba. These are some examples of common products that contain the right chemicals:
2,4-D + MCPP Ortho Weed-B-Gon Weed Killer
2,4-D + MCPP + Dicamba Ace Lawn Weed Killer
Acme Trimec Lawn Weed Killer
Fertilome Weed Out Lawn Weed Killer
Super K-Gro Broadleaf Weed Killer
Spectracide Lawn Weed Killer
Trimec
You can make spot treatments of dandelions in the spring after the first flush of blooms is over. 2,4-D is the most effective chemical at that time. If you only have a few dandelions, you can choose to dig them out instead of spraying.
7. I have white grubs in my lawn. How can I kill them?
The best time to control white grubs in a lawn is in late July to early August. If you are using a product such as carbaryl or trichlorfon that have short residual activity, you should only apply the chemical in late July to early August. If you want to us a product with a longer residual activity, such as halofenozide or imidacloprid, you should apply the product between June and August.
Active Ingredient Common Trade Name * Residual Activity
carbaryl Sevin short
halofenozide MACH 2, Kill-A-Bug Granules long
imidacloprid Merit, GRUBEX, Long-Season Grub Control long
permethrin Ant, Flea and Tick Killer Granules short
trichlorfon Dylox, 24-Hour Grub Control short
*Many companies purchase active ingredients and formulatetheir own product lines. Check individual product labels to determine the active ingredient being purchased and used.
8. There are brown areas dying in my lawn. What can I do?
Browning, dying patches of turf can be caused by any number of things depending on the season and the conditions. If you want to do some research on your own, you can use the KSU
Turf Lawn Problem Solver.
To get a definite diagnosis and recommendation, you should either call the Master Gardener Hotline at 316-722-7721 or bring a sample of the grass from the edge of the affected area to the Sedgwick County Extension office at 21st and Ridge Rd, Wichita, KS. Before calling or coming in, observe your lawn closely to determine any distinguishing characteristics about the problems you are seeing. Things to look for include: size and shape of brown areas, spots or lesions on the individual grass blades, or other visual abnormalities.
9. I have lots of weeds with pink flowers in my lawn every spring. What are they? How can I kill them?
It sounds like you have henbit in your lawn. The best way to get rid of them is to spray a pre-emergent herbicide in the fall.
10. Sedgwick County has been discussing banning grass clippings in the landfill at different times. What can I do with my grass clippings other than bag them?
Unless you have a zoysia lawn, you can just let the clippings drop when you mow. If you buy a mulching lawnmower, that will chop the clippings up better than a regular mower. If you do not want to let the clippings drop when you mow, you could start a
compost pile or donate the clippings to a neighbor who does compost.
11. I want to start over with my lawn and seed fescue this fall. What do I need to do? If you want to seed fescue in the fall, you need to start preparing in July. Here is a calendar:
Planting Schedule for Fescue
- July
- Eradicate old grass and weeds
- Take soil samples for Soil Test
- August
- Grade and till soil
- Incorporate amendments specified by soil test
- September
- Sow seed
- Apply starter fertilizer or fertilizer specified by soil test
- Keep soil moist until grass appears
- October
- Mow at 2 inches as soon as grass gets 3 inches tall
- Water less frequently, but soak soil more deeply
- Fertilize at half normal rate
- November
- Mow 2–21⁄2 inches tall
- Water, one deep soaking if rainfall not adequate
- Fertilize at normal rate
- March and April
- Second choice for seeding time
12. I want to start over with my lawn and plant buffalograss/bermudagrass. What do I need to do?
If you want to plant buffalo or Bermuda, you need to start preparing in the early spring. Here is a calendar:
Planting Schedule for Bermudagrass, Buffalograss, Zoysia
- March
- Take soil samples for soil testing
- April
- Grade and till soil
- Incorporate lime or sulfur if specified by soil test
- May
- Early planting begins in mid-May
- June
- Best month for planting warm-season grasses
- Apply starter fertilizer or fertilizer specified by soil test
- July
- Mow 1–2 inches tall, water as needed
- Fertilize according to soil test
- August
- Mow 1–2 inches tall, water as needed
- Water according to weather
- Fertilize according to soil test
- September
- Mow slightly taller than normal 11⁄2–21⁄2 inches
- Deep spaced watering during dry weather
13. Why do I need a soil test? Won’t grass grow anywhere?
Soil tests are important because they tell you the pH of your soil. If the soil pH is too high or low, the grass may grow poorly or not at all. Other plants are even more sensitive to pH. Based on the pH of the soil test, we will recommend soil amendments to improve your pH.
Soil tests also show how much of the three essential nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) are present. We will recommend a fertilizer program based on the presence or absence of these nutrients in your soil. You may not need as much fertilizer as you think!
