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Short answer · 1 source

When to fertilize tall fescue in New Jersey?

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

The answer

The fertilizing windows for tall fescue in New Jersey are Aug 15 to Sep 30 and Nov 1 to Nov 30, per Rutgers Cooperative Extension (NJAES), 2023. A lawn in full sun takes about 1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft in late summer to early fall (shown as August 15 to September 30, this site's reading). Avoid fertilizing in the hot summer months. A second application in late fall is possible if lawn conditions and a soil test support it (shown as November, this site's reading).

Full calendar: New Jersey 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 New Jersey windows for tall fescue

The New Jersey calendar on this site lists seeding Aug 15 to Oct 10, fertilizing Aug 15 to Sep 30 and Nov 1 to Nov 30 and weed control Apr 1 to Apr 30 and Jun 1 to Jun 15 for tall fescue.

Where the dates come from

Rutgers Cooperative Extension (NJAES): FS102, Your Lawn and Its Care (2023); fertilizing season and rates, mowing height. Read on 2026-10-30.

What to check for New Jersey

The fertilizing dates for tall fescue above (Aug 15 to Sep 30 and Nov 1 to Nov 30) apply to New Jersey as a whole, so the north and south of the state are not told apart.

Other grasses in New Jersey

For Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue and perennial ryegrass, the New Jersey calendar gives Aug 15 to Sep 30 and Nov 1 to Nov 30 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.
  • Kentucky: Oct 1 to Nov 30, per University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (2014).
  • 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).