Lawn care calendar for Ohio.
The Ohio calendar here is written for northeastern Ohio, and two Ohio State sources give different mowing heights.
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 Ohio
In Ohio, for Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fine fescue, seed Sep 1 to Sep 15 and Mar 1 to Apr 30; fertilize Apr 1 to May 31 and Oct 1 to Nov 30; weed control Apr 1 to Apr 25; mow Apr 1 to Nov 30 at 2 to 2.5 in, per Ohio State University Extension, Lake County (2007) and Ohio State University (Buckeye Turf), 2025.
For tall fescue, seed Sep 1 to Sep 15 and Mar 1 to Apr 30; fertilize Apr 1 to May 31 and Oct 1 to Nov 30; weed control Apr 1 to Apr 25; mow Apr 1 to Nov 30 at 2.5 to 3 in, per Ohio State University Extension, Lake County (2007) and Ohio State University (Buckeye Turf), 2025.
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 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky bluegrass | Sep 1 to Sep 15Mar 1 to Apr 30 | Apr 1 to May 31Oct 1 to Nov 30 | Apr 1 to Apr 25 | Apr 1 to Nov 30 at 2 to 2.5 in | Ohio State University Extension, Lake County, 2007Ohio State University (Buckeye Turf), 2025 |
| Perennial ryegrass | Sep 1 to Sep 15Mar 1 to Apr 30 | Apr 1 to May 31Oct 1 to Nov 30 | Apr 1 to Apr 25 | Apr 1 to Nov 30 at 2 to 2.5 in | Ohio State University Extension, Lake County, 2007Ohio State University (Buckeye Turf), 2025 |
| Fine fescue | Sep 1 to Sep 15Mar 1 to Apr 30 | Apr 1 to May 31Oct 1 to Nov 30 | Apr 1 to Apr 25 | Apr 1 to Nov 30 at 2 to 2.5 in | Ohio State University Extension, Lake County, 2007Ohio State University (Buckeye Turf), 2025 |
| Tall fescue | Sep 1 to Sep 15Mar 1 to Apr 30 | Apr 1 to May 31Oct 1 to Nov 30 | Apr 1 to Apr 25 | Apr 1 to Nov 30 at 2.5 to 3 in | Ohio State University Extension, Lake County, 2007Ohio State University (Buckeye Turf), 2025 |
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.
Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fine fescue
6 tasks
Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fine fescue in Ohio
Seed
Sep 1 – Sep 15
Seeding, overseeding or renovation is best done by September 15 for fall establishment; if it cannot be done by October 15 in northern Ohio, wait until spring. Calendar is written for northeastern Ohio and covers all of Ohio only approximately.
Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fine fescue in Ohio
Seed
Mar 1 – Apr 30
Spring seeding: sow as soon as the soil is workable, carried into early April if necessary (end of April is this site's reading of 'early April'). Fall is the better season. Calendar is written for northeastern Ohio and covers all of Ohio only approximately.
Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fine fescue in Ohio
Fertilize
Apr 1 – May 31
Without a late-fall application: 1/2 lb actual N per 1,000 sq ft about April 1 and again about May 25. After a late-fall application: one spring application, in late April or early May, of no more than 3/4 lb N. Calendar is written for northeastern Ohio and covers all of Ohio only approximately.
Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fine fescue in Ohio
Fertilize
Oct 1 – Nov 30
Late October or early November, after the first hard frost while the grass is still green: 1 lb N per 1,000 sq ft; the calendar calls it the most important feeding of the year. Months are shown; wait for the frost. Calendar is written for northeastern Ohio and covers all of Ohio only approximately.
Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fine fescue in Ohio
Weed control
Apr 1 – Apr 25
Preemergent herbicide for crabgrass and other annual grassy weeds in the first weeks of April; the deadline for northeastern Ohio is April 25.
Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fine fescue in Ohio
Mow
Apr 1 – Nov 30
Mow at 2–2.5 in.
Bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fine fescues are mowed at 2 to 2.5 in; never remove more than 1/3 of the blade. A 2025 Ohio State article advises 3 to 4 in. Months run April to November as the calendar lists mowing in those sections.
Kentucky bluegrass in other statesPerennial ryegrass in other statesFine fescue in other states
Tall fescue
6 tasks
Tall fescue in Ohio
Seed
Sep 1 – Sep 15
Seeding, overseeding or renovation is best done by September 15 for fall establishment; if it cannot be done by October 15 in northern Ohio, wait until spring. Calendar is written for northeastern Ohio and covers all of Ohio only approximately.
Tall fescue in Ohio
Seed
Mar 1 – Apr 30
Spring seeding: sow as soon as the soil is workable, carried into early April if necessary (end of April is this site's reading of 'early April'). Fall is the better season. Calendar is written for northeastern Ohio and covers all of Ohio only approximately.
Tall fescue in Ohio
Fertilize
Apr 1 – May 31
Without a late-fall application: 1/2 lb actual N per 1,000 sq ft about April 1 and again about May 25. After a late-fall application: one spring application, in late April or early May, of no more than 3/4 lb N. Calendar is written for northeastern Ohio and covers all of Ohio only approximately.
Tall fescue in Ohio
Fertilize
Oct 1 – Nov 30
Late October or early November, after the first hard frost while the grass is still green: 1 lb N per 1,000 sq ft; the calendar calls it the most important feeding of the year. Months are shown; wait for the frost. Calendar is written for northeastern Ohio and covers all of Ohio only approximately.
Tall fescue in Ohio
Weed control
Apr 1 – Apr 25
Preemergent herbicide for crabgrass and other annual grassy weeds in the first weeks of April; the deadline for northeastern Ohio is April 25.
Tall fescue in Ohio
Mow
Apr 1 – Nov 30
Mow at 2.5–3 in.
Tall fescue is mowed at 2.5 to 3 in; never remove more than 1/3 of the blade. A 2025 Ohio State article advises 3 to 4 in. Months run April to November as the calendar lists mowing in those sections.
A northeastern Ohio calendar, revised in 2007
F.S. 101 is the Ohio State University Extension Lake County lawn care calendar for northeastern Ohio, revised in 2007. It is geared to northern Ohio, so it fits the rest of the state only approximately. The calendars below apply it to Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine fescue and tall fescue.
Fall seeding has a deadline
The calendar says to seed, overseed or renovate by September 15 for fall establishment, and that if it cannot be done by October 15 in northern Ohio you should wait until spring. Spring seeding means sowing as soon as the soil is workable, into early April if necessary, and the calendar names fall as the better season.
The big feeding is in late fall
Without a late-fall feeding, F.S. 101 gives 1/2 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft around April 1 and again around May 25. With a late-fall feeding it asks for a single spring application in late April or early May of no more than 3/4 lb. The late-fall feeding itself is 1 lb, in late October or early November after the first hard frost while the grass is still green, and the calendar calls it the most important feeding of the year.
Where the sources disagree on mowing height
F.S. 101 says to mow bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fine fescues at 2 to 2.5 in and tall fescue at 2.5 to 3 in, never removing more than a third of the blade. A 2025 Ohio State Buckeye Turf article on early spring lawn care recommends a 3 to 4 in lawn height. This site does not pick one; the 2007 calendar is the older of the two, so confirm with your county extension office. The crabgrass preemergent deadline in the calendar is April 25.
Sources
The dates and figures on this page come from these publications.
- [1]Ohio State University Extension, Lake County ↗ (opens in a new tab)F.S. 101, Lawn Care Calendar for Northeastern Ohio (revised 2007); month-by-month, geared to northern Ohio.Publication year 2007 · Read 2026-10-29
- [2]Ohio State University (Buckeye Turf) ↗ (opens in a new tab)Early Spring Lawn Care (March 2025); recommends a 3 to 4 inch lawn height.Publication year 2025 · Read 2026-10-29