Lawn care calendar for Missouri.
University of Missouri guidance favors fall for cool-season lawns, treats Kentucky bluegrass with a caveat, and gives zoysiagrass a late-spring window.
Get dates for my ZIP →By LawnYear editorial team · Published · Updated Windows are read from the extension publications listed under Sources; the dates are approximate.
Short answer for Missouri
In Missouri, for tall fescue, seed Sep 1 to Sep 30; fertilize Apr 1 to Apr 30 and Sep 1 to Oct 31, per University of Missouri (Integrated Pest Management), 2015.
For Kentucky bluegrass, seed Sep 1 to Sep 30; fertilize Apr 1 to Apr 30 and Sep 1 to Oct 31, per University of Missouri (Integrated Pest Management), 2015.
For zoysiagrass, seed May 15 to Jun 10; fertilize May 20 to Aug 15, per University of Missouri (Integrated Pest Management), 2015.
Approximate dates for your state. Check with your local cooperative extension office before you act.
Windows by grass and task
| Grass | Seed | Fertilize | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tall fescue | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Apr 1 to Apr 30Sep 1 to Oct 31 | University of Missouri (Integrated Pest Management), 2015 |
| Kentucky bluegrass | Sep 1 to Sep 30 | Apr 1 to Apr 30Sep 1 to Oct 31 | University of Missouri (Integrated Pest Management), 2015 |
| Zoysiagrass | May 15 to Jun 10 | May 20 to Aug 15 | University of Missouri (Integrated Pest Management), 2015 |
Calendar by grass
Grasses the source covers with one shared calendar are shown together. Open a group for each task, its note and its source. Want dates for your ZIP code? Use the lawn schedule by ZIP tool.
Tall fescue
3 tasks
Tall fescue in Missouri
Seed
Sep 1 – Sep 30
Fall seeding around mid-September; seeding in April or May is often a losing proposition because summer stress follows. Whole month shown.
Tall fescue in Missouri
Fertilize
Apr 1 – Apr 30
Early to mid April: 0.5 to 1 lb N per 1,000 sq ft, preferably slow release. Avoid late spring and early summer nitrogen on cool-season lawns. Whole month shown.
Tall fescue in Missouri
Fertilize
Sep 1 – Oct 31
1 lb N per 1,000 sq ft in mid-September and another 1 lb in mid-October. Whole months shown.
Kentucky bluegrass
3 tasks
Kentucky bluegrass in Missouri
Seed
Sep 1 – Sep 30
Fall seeding around mid-September; seeding in April or May is often a losing proposition because summer stress follows. Whole month shown. MU says Kentucky bluegrass alone may only suit northern Missouri; a mix with mostly tall fescue is recommended.
Kentucky bluegrass in Missouri
Fertilize
Apr 1 – Apr 30
Early to mid April: 0.5 to 1 lb N per 1,000 sq ft, preferably slow release. Avoid late spring and early summer nitrogen on cool-season lawns. Whole month shown.
Kentucky bluegrass in Missouri
Fertilize
Sep 1 – Oct 31
1 lb N per 1,000 sq ft in mid-September and another 1 lb in mid-October. Whole months shown.
Zoysiagrass
2 tasks
Zoysiagrass in Missouri
Seed
May 15 – Jun 10
Sprig, sod or seed warm-season grasses in mid-May to early June (interpreted as May 15 to June 10). The popular 'Meyer' zoysiagrass is not available as seed; it is sodded, plugged or sprigged.
Zoysiagrass in Missouri
Fertilize
May 20 – Aug 15
Start in late May to early June and apply 2 to 3 lb N per 1,000 sq ft in 2 to 3 equal feedings until mid-August (interpreted dates). Do not fertilize into September.
Cool-season lawns lean on fall
The MU article puts seeding around mid-September and says seeding in April or May is often a losing proposition because summer stress follows. It is titled 'One Size Does Not Fit All', and its seeding and feeding advice differs by grass type rather than applying one calendar to every Missouri lawn.
Spring feeding is light, fall feeding is heavier
For cool-season lawns MU gives 0.5 to 1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft in early to mid April, preferably slow release, and says to avoid late spring and early summer nitrogen. In fall it gives 1 lb in mid-September and another 1 lb in mid-October.
Kentucky bluegrass comes with a caveat
MU says Kentucky bluegrass alone may only suit northern Missouri, and recommends a mix that is mostly tall fescue. That is why the Kentucky bluegrass calendar below carries an extra note on the seeding window that the tall fescue calendar does not.
Zoysiagrass is the warm-season exception
Warm-season grasses are sprigged, sodded or seeded from mid-May to early June. The popular 'Meyer' zoysiagrass is not available as seed and is sodded, plugged or sprigged. Feeding is 2 to 3 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft in 2 to 3 equal feedings from late May or early June until mid-August, and MU says not to fertilize into September. The dates for zoysiagrass are this site's reading of the season words in the article.
Sources
The dates and figures on this page come from these publications.
- [1]University of Missouri (Integrated Pest Management) ↗ (opens in a new tab)Seeding and Fertilizing Missouri Lawns: One Size Does Not Fit All (2014, revised 2015).Publication year 2015 · Read 2026-10-29