How to Care For An Established Kentucky Bluegrass Lawn

I’ve hinted that Kentucky bluegrass can be a bit of a diva in terms of maintenance. Now, you’ll see what that’s all about. These tips will help you keep your KBG lawn as healthy and vibrant as possible.

Keep Your Kentucky Bluegrass Well-Watered
Without a doubt, Kentucky bluegrass guzzles more water than most other grasses. During the cooler spring and fall, expect to give your grass at least 1 inch of water per week.

When temperatures skyrocket in July and August, you can either let your lawn go dormant and turn a nice shade of brown from drought stress or give it 2” of water weekly to keep it green.

No matter the temps and time of year, water your lawn in the early morning hours. Before 10 a.m. is ideal. It’s also best to water it 2-3 times a week, giving it a “long” drink each time instead of watering it every day with less water.

You’ve likely seen this recommendation before. It’s known as deep but infrequent watering. It helps to encourage the grass roots to grow deeper in search of water. The roots will grow stronger and be better at handling periods of drought.

Fertilize Regularly to Keep it Looking Good
How much you fertilize your lawn is another choice only you can make, similar to whether you water it all summer or let it go dormant. There’s no denying that Kentucky bluegrass will look better with more fertilizer, but you can dial back the applications if looks aren’t your main goal.

Applying between 1 and 5 pounds of nitrogen (N) fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of lawn yearly is recommended. The higher values will give you the magazine quality KBG, and the lower amount of nitrogen will hit the minimum the grass needs to grow.

Remember, run a soil test every couple of years to get the best fertilizer recommendations.

Aim to apply most of this from late summer through fall to help your lawn recover from heat stress, boost its color, and strengthen the grass for winter dormancy. Break the total nitrogen into two to four applications depending on how much you’re applying.

You can fertilize in spring if you want, but you must do so carefully. Wait until the grass is completely green, then give it a dose of slow-release fertilizer. If you fertilize too early, meaning too soon after it comes out of dormancy, you’ll make it grow too fast and deplete all the stored carbohydrates. Your grass will weaken and become more susceptible to stressors like drought and insects.