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Short answer · 1 source

When to fertilize tall fescue in Kentucky?

By LawnYear editorial team · Published · Updated Windows are read from the extension publications listed under Sources; the dates are approximate.

The answer

The fertilizing window for tall fescue in Kentucky is Oct 1 to Nov 30, per University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (2014). Fall is the best time to fertilize cool-season lawns. Nitrogen at 1 lb per 1,000 sq ft per application goes on in October for low maintenance, October and November for medium, October to December for high, and September to December for very high. The general guideline is 1 lb of actual nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft at any one application. If color is not a concern, UK says to skip spring feeding because crabgrass and other weeds respond more than cool-season grasses do. Tall fescue is 2 to 4 lb of nitrogen a year, in autumn.

Full calendar: Kentucky lawn care calendar · Tall fescue in other states · Lawn schedule by ZIP

Approximate dates for your state. Check with your local cooperative extension office before you act.

All Kentucky windows for tall fescue

The Kentucky calendar on this site lists seeding Aug 15 to Sep 30 and Feb 15 to Mar 15, fertilizing Oct 1 to Nov 30 and weed control Apr 1 to Apr 30 for tall fescue.

Where the dates come from

University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service: AGR-212, Fertilizing Your Lawn (2014); nitrogen timing and rates by grass and maintenance level, and the April preemergent timing for crabgrass. Read on 2026-10-30.

What to check for Kentucky

The fertilizing dates for tall fescue above (Oct 1 to Nov 30) apply to Kentucky as a whole, so the north and south of the state are not told apart.

Other grasses in Kentucky

For Kentucky bluegrass, the Kentucky calendar gives Oct 1 to Nov 30 for fertilizing. For bermudagrass and zoysiagrass, the Kentucky calendar gives May 20 to Aug 31 for fertilizing.

Fertilizing tall fescue in other states

  • Virginia: Aug 15 to Oct 31 and Mar 1 to May 31, per Virginia Cooperative Extension (Virginia Tech), 2025.
  • North Carolina: Sep 15 to Nov 30 and Feb 1 to Feb 28, per NC State Extension (2021).
  • Georgia: Feb 1 to Mar 31 and Oct 1 to Nov 30, per University of Georgia Cooperative Extension (2023).
  • Pennsylvania: Apr 15 to May 31 and Aug 15 to Oct 15, per Penn State Extension.
  • Ohio: Apr 1 to May 31 and Oct 1 to Nov 30, per Ohio State University Extension, Lake County (2007).
  • Missouri: Apr 1 to Apr 30 and Sep 1 to Oct 31, per University of Missouri (Integrated Pest Management), 2015.
  • Indiana: May 1 to May 31, Sep 1 to Sep 30 and Nov 1 to Nov 30, per Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service (1998).
  • Maryland: Aug 15 to Oct 31, Nov 1 to Nov 15 and Apr 1 to May 15, per University of Maryland Extension (2026).
  • Tennessee: Mar 15 to Apr 15 and Sep 1 to Nov 15, per University of Tennessee Extension (2010).
  • Alabama: Feb 1 to Apr 30 and Sep 1 to Sep 30, per Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Auburn University), 2023.
  • Wisconsin: Sep 1 to Sep 15 and May 20 to Jun 10, per University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension (2022 and 2025).
  • New Jersey: Aug 15 to Sep 30 and Nov 1 to Nov 30, per Rutgers Cooperative Extension (NJAES), 2023.