Lawn care calendar for North Carolina.
NC State Extension publishes separate calendars for tall fescue and bermudagrass, and the two point to opposite seasons.
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 North Carolina
In North Carolina, for tall fescue, seed Aug 15 to Oct 1; fertilize Sep 15 to Nov 30 and Feb 1 to Feb 28; weed control Mar 1 to Mar 31; mow Mar 1 to Nov 30 at 2.5 to 3.5 in, per NC State Extension (2021).
For bermudagrass, fertilize Apr 1 to Aug 31; weed control Feb 15 to Mar 15; mow Mar 1 to Nov 30 at 1 to 2.5 in, per NC State Extension (2021).
Approximate dates for your state. Check with your local cooperative extension office before you act.
Windows by grass and task
| Grass | Seed | Fertilize | Weed control | Mow | Water | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tall fescue | Aug 15 to Oct 1 | Sep 15 to Nov 30Feb 1 to Feb 28 | Mar 1 to Mar 31 | Mar 1 to Nov 30 at 2.5 to 3.5 in | Mar 1 to Nov 30 | NC State Extension, 2021 |
| Bermudagrass | not in the source | Apr 1 to Aug 31 | Feb 15 to Mar 15 | Mar 1 to Nov 30 at 1 to 2.5 in | Mar 1 to Aug 31 | NC State Extension, 2021 |
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
6 tasks
Tall fescue in North Carolina
Seed
Aug 15 – Oct 1
Overseed thin or bare areas as the weather cools: August 15 to September 1 in the western region, September 1 to October 1 in the Piedmont and coastal plain; 6 lb of turf-type tall fescue seed per 1,000 sq ft. Pick the window for your part of the state.
Tall fescue in North Carolina
Fertilize
Sep 15 – Nov 30
1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft in mid-September and again in November, when the grass is green but not actively growing. Test the soil first.
Tall fescue in North Carolina
Fertilize
Feb 1 – Feb 28
1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft in February.
Tall fescue in North Carolina
Weed control
Mar 1 – Mar 31
Preemergent herbicide for crabgrass, goosegrass and foxtail. The calendar says it is best applied in early March, sooner in the Piedmont and coastal regions; the whole month is shown.
Tall fescue in North Carolina
Mow
Mar 1 – Nov 30
Mow at 2.5–3.5 in.
Mowing height by season: 2.5 to 3.5 in (March to May), 3.5 in (June to August), 2.5 to 3 in (September to November); 3 in in winter. Shown here as the overall range, 2.5 to 3.5 in. Mow before the grass gets taller than 5 in in summer.
Tall fescue in North Carolina
Water
Mar 1 – Nov 30
About 1 inch of water a week, ideally not all at once, wetting the soil 4 to 6 in deep. In summer, water as needed to prevent drought stress or let the lawn go dormant.
Bermudagrass
4 tasks
Bermudagrass in North Carolina
Fertilize
Apr 1 – Aug 31
Without a soil test: 1/2 to 1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft several weeks after the lawn is fully green (typically early April to May), then 1 lb every four to six weeks in June to August. In September no more than 1/2 lb.
Bermudagrass in North Carolina
Weed control
Feb 15 – Mar 15
Preemergent herbicide from mid-February to early March (March 15 used as the end date, interpreted).
Bermudagrass in North Carolina
Mow
Mar 1 – Nov 30
Mow at 1–2.5 in.
Acceptable heights run 5/8 to 2.5 in; most lawns are kept between 1 and 2.5 in. Mowing below 1 in needs a reel mower and level ground. Raise the height 1/2 in before frost. Months are the March to November sections of the calendar.
Bermudagrass in North Carolina
Water
Mar 1 – Aug 31
About 1 inch of water a week while the grass is growing; supplement rainfall as needed. The calendar gives this for March to May and says to follow it in June to August.
Two calendars, two seasons
AG-367 covers tall fescue and centres on fall: overseeding from mid-August, nitrogen in mid-September and November, and a February feeding. AG-431 covers bermudagrass and centres on the warm months: 1/2 to 1 lb of nitrogen several weeks after the lawn is fully green (typically early April to May), then 1 lb every four to six weeks from June to August, and no more than 1/2 lb in September. The bermudagrass source used here gives no seeding window.
The tall fescue seeding window depends on the region
AG-367 gives two windows for overseeding thin or bare areas: August 15 to September 1 in the western region, and September 1 to October 1 in the Piedmont and coastal plain, at 6 lb of turf-type tall fescue seed per 1,000 sq ft. The single window on the calendar below, August 15 to October 1, is the union of both, so pick the one for your part of the state.
Crabgrass preventer in late winter
Both calendars time the spring preemergent herbicide to late winter. AG-367 says it is best applied in early March, sooner in the Piedmont and coastal regions; AG-431 gives mid-February to early March. The March 15 end date shown for bermudagrass is this site's reading of 'early March'.
Mowing height is where the two grasses differ most
Tall fescue is mowed at 2.5 to 3.5 in across the year (3.5 in from June to August), and the calendar says to mow before it gets taller than 5 in in summer. Bermudagrass tolerates 5/8 to 2.5 in, with most lawns kept at 1 to 2.5 in; below 1 in the calendar calls for a reel mower and level ground, and it says to raise the height 1/2 in before frost.
Sources
The dates and figures on this page come from these publications.
- [1]NC State Extension ↗ (opens in a new tab)AG-367, Tall Fescue Lawn Maintenance Calendar (July 2021).Publication year 2021 · Read 2026-10-29
- [2]NC State Extension ↗ (opens in a new tab)AG-431, Bermudagrass Lawn Maintenance Calendar (July 2021).Publication year 2021 · Read 2026-10-29