Cool-Season Lawn Calendar Northern Zone

Lawns containing cool-season species, such as tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass, enhance the landscape, improve property values and decrease air temperature. Professionally maintaining lawns with good cultural practices, along with judicious use of pesticides, is imperative to maximize turf performance and reduce callbacks. Envu offers a variety of solutions to control problematic weeds, insects, and diseases, and help preserve the benefits turf provides to the places we live, work and play.

Preemergence Weed Control

• Preemergence herbicides (products containing prodiamine, dithiopyr and pendimethalin) must be in place prior to germination to be effective on targeted weed species. Sequential, split applications improve control over single applications, and applications must be watered-in to maximize control.
• Crabgrass, prostrate knotweed and spurge germinate in spring; make preemergence herbicide applications prior to when 4” soil temperatures reach approximately 55°F for five days. Split applications should be made 2-4 weeks after young crabgrass is first seen germinating in untreated hot spots along sidewalks and drives.
• Winter annuals like annual bluegrass, chickweed and henbit germinate in the fall and preemergence herbicides should be applied late summer/early fall when soil temperatures at 4” decrease to 70°F.

Postemergence Weed Control

• Postemergence herbicides are most effective when plants are small but actively growing.
• Summer broadleaf (BDLV) weeds can be targeted in the spring with Terradex™ Power Premix.
• Summer grassy weeds like crabgrass can be achieved with applications of Acclaim^® Extra & or Solitare^® starting mid-spring and throughout the summer.
• Perennial or winter annual BDLV weeds are best controlled in late fall with applications of Terradex Power Premix.
• Sedges, nutsedges and kyllingas emerge primarily in spring. Dismiss^® NXT is most effective when applied shortly after emergence, and multiple applications are required for optimal control of sedges and kyllingas.

Insect Control

• White grubs should be controlled with preventative applications made in spring to early summer. Durentis^® is a next generation chlorantraniliprole formulation which allows for flexible timing of applications well before white grub adults appear while still providing lasting control. Merit^® has been the industry standard for white grub preventative control but does not have the same flexibility in application timing or residual as Durentis. Use Dylox^® for curative applications, as it is the industry standard for quick knockdown of white grubs.
• Caterpillars can be controlled with preventative applications of Durentis and, typically, an application for white grubs will also provide season-long control of caterpillars. For curative control of caterpillars, consider applications of either Talstar^® or Triple Crown^® with Triple Crown providing some residual control.
• Billbugs emerge in the spring and Triple Crown should be applied at the first sight of adults. Follow shortly after with split applications of Tetrino^® or Durentis spaced approximately 60 days apart.

Disease Control

• Preventative fungicide applications are most effective when combined with proper cultural practices. Limiting leaf wetness by promoting sunlight and air movement, along with judicious use of irrigation to prevent over-watering, is crucial to minimizing incidence and severity of most diseases. Apply fungicides prior to disease development for optimal control.
• Fairy ring and summer patch (Kentucky bluegrass lawns) are soilborne diseases that are extremely difficult to control curatively. Preventative applications of Armada^® or Fame^® should be made when soil temperatures at a 2” depth reach 55-65°F. Include a wetting agent and water-in to maximize control.
• Brown patch can develop when night temperatures exceed 65°F during hot/humid weather and preventative fungicide applications of Armada or Fame should be initiated prior to these conditions.
• Gray leaf spot can rapidly spread through tall fescue and perennial ryegrass lawns in mid- to late-summer during periods of high humidity/excessive moisture and nighttime temperatures above 75°F. Make preventative fungicide applications using Armada prior to these conditions.

Mosquito Control

• Mosquito control can be accomplished in early spring with larvicides (methoprene, pyriproxyfen) applied to standing water or adulticides, like Scion^® with UVX Technology or Talstar, applied as barrier treatments late spring through the fall. Remove all standing water to minimize mosquitoes and improve treatment efficacy.

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Need more info?

• Read and follow all label directions. Contact your Envu Area Sales Manager if you need assistance for specific recommendations for your situation