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LawnYear
3 states with a calendar

Centipedegrass lawn care by state.

Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama all give centipedegrass 1 to 2 in; Alabama has the lightest feeding of the five grasses in its table.

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

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

Where the two states agree

Georgia and South Carolina both give 1 to 2 in for mowing and both place seeding in May: Georgia calls May to July best (August possible) at 0.25 to 1 lb per 1,000 sq ft, and South Carolina replants large bare areas in May with sod, seed (1/4 to 1/2 lb per 1,000 sq ft) or plugs.

Light feeding, with a late-summer limit

Georgia gives 1 to 2 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft a year and feeds in May and July as best months. South Carolina gives 1/2 to 1 lb in early May after full green-up, and allows a late-summer application before August 15 in the Upstate and before September 1 on the coast.

Ryegrass overseeding

Georgia says overseeding centipedegrass with ryegrass is not recommended.

Alabama's lightest schedule

Alabama's standard centipedegrass schedule is 1/2 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft in May and August, 1 lb a year, the lowest of the five grasses in its table; the maximum is 2 lb a year with 1/2 lb each month from May to August. Its mowing height is 1 to 2 in, as in Georgia and South Carolina.

Centipedegrass windows by state

For dates by ZIP code, use the lawn schedule by ZIP tool.

  • Georgia

    • Seed: May 1 – Jul 31Best months for seeding a new centipedegrass lawn are May to July (August possible): 0.25 to 1 lb per 1,000 sq ft. Overseeding with ryegrass is not recommended.
    • Fertilize: May 1 – Aug 31Feed in May and July (best months), June and August are possible; 1 to 2 lb N per 1,000 sq ft a year. Do not apply nitrogen in spring until soil at 4 in is constantly 65 F and rising.
    • Weed control: Feb 1 – Mar 31Spring preemergent is best in February and March; April is possible.
    • Mow: May 1 – Sep 301 to 2 in; raise 1/2 in in hot weather. The calendar marks May to September.
    • Water: Apr 1 – Sep 301 inch per week if there is no rainfall (April to September on the calendar).
    [1]University of Georgia Cooperative Extension (2023)(opens in a new tab)

  • South Carolina

    • Seed: May 1 – May 31Replant large bare areas in May using sod, seed (1/4 to 1/2 lb per 1,000 sq ft) or plugs.
    • Fertilize: May 1 – May 311/2 to 1 lb N per 1,000 sq ft in early May after the lawn fully greens up (whole month shown); a late-summer application is possible before August 15 in the Upstate and before September 1 on the coast. Do not apply nitrogen from January to April or from September to December. Dates are for South Carolina as a whole; coastal and central areas run earlier than the piedmont and mountains.
    • Weed control: Feb 15 – Mar 31Preemergent herbicide: mid-February in coastal and central areas, mid-March in piedmont and mountain areas. End date is interpreted.
    • Weed control: Sep 1 – Sep 30Preemergent herbicide in September, with a second application 8 to 10 weeks later.
    • Mow: May 1 – Aug 31The ideal mowing height is 1 to 2 in.
    • Water: May 1 – Aug 31When the whole lawn looks dry, apply 3/4 to 1 inch of water the next morning.
    [2]Clemson Cooperative Extension (Home & Garden Information Center), 2024(opens in a new tab)

  • Alabama

    • Fertilize: May 1 – Aug 31Standard schedule: 1/2 lb N per 1,000 sq ft in May and August, 1 lb a year. The maximum schedule is 2 lb a year, with 1/2 lb each month from May to August.
    [3]Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Auburn University), 2023(opens in a new tab)

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

Sources

The dates and figures on this page come from these publications.

  1. [1]
    University of Georgia Cooperative Extension ↗ (opens in a new tab)Centipedegrass Lawn Calendar (September 2023); months rated B best, P possible, M marginal.Publication year 2023 · Read 2026-10-29
  2. [2]
    Clemson Cooperative Extension (Home & Garden Information Center) ↗ (opens in a new tab)HGIC 1215, Centipedegrass Yearly Maintenance Program (revised 2024).Publication year 2024 · Read 2026-10-29
  3. [3]
    Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Auburn University) ↗ (opens in a new tab)ANR-0239, Home Lawn Maintenance (2023); Table 2 monthly nitrogen schedule by grass and Table 1 mowing heights.Publication year 2023 · Read 2026-10-30