What Your Lawn Needs This Month: April
Your personalized April lawn care guide. Pick your grass type below and every recommendation updates — mowing height, products, rates, and timing — all tailored to your lawn.
Bentgrass
cool seasonBentgrass is resuming active growth and disease season is starting. Daily mowing should resume now. This is a high-maintenance grass that requires golf-course-level attention.
Mow Height
0.5 – 0.75 inches
Mow Frequency
Daily or every other day
Water / Week
1 – 1.5 in / week
April tasks for Bentgrass
Resume daily or every-other-day mowing
Do this weekBentgrass must be mowed with a reel mower at 0.5 to 0.75 inches. During April growth, mow daily or every other day. Sharpen reel mower blades every 2 to 4 weeks — bentgrass at this height shows every imperfection. A rotary mower will destroy a bentgrass lawn.
Begin spoon-feeding nitrogen
Do this weekBentgrass needs frequent, light nitrogen applications — 0.15 to 0.25 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft per week. This "spoon-feeding" approach prevents surge growth and reduces disease pressure. Liquid fertilizer is easier to apply at these low rates.
Start preventive fungicide rotation
Do this weekDollar spot is the primary disease threat for bentgrass and prevention starts now. Begin a fungicide rotation program to prevent resistance. Alternate between contact and systemic fungicides on a 14 to 21 day schedule.
Core aerate if compacted
This monthBentgrass at low mowing heights compacts soil quickly. Core aeration in April improves drainage and air exchange in the root zone. Pull plugs during active growth so the grass recovers quickly.
Apply pre-emergent for crabgrass
This monthApply prodiamine when soil temperatures reach 55 F at 4-inch depth. Bentgrass is compatible with most pre-emergent products. Granular applications should be watered in immediately to avoid product sitting on the low-cut canopy.
Pro tip for Bentgrass owners
Bentgrass is not a set-it-and-forget-it grass. If daily mowing and weekly fungicide rotations sound like too much, that is an honest assessment — bentgrass demands golf-course commitment. Water early morning only. Evening irrigation is the fastest way to trigger disease.