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.
Perennial Ryegrass
cool seasonPerennial ryegrass is in peak spring growth and looks its best right now. The fast germination rate makes it ideal for any overseeding repairs this month.
Mow Height
2 – 3 inches
Mow Frequency
Every 5 – 7 days
Water / Week
1 in / week
April tasks for Perennial Ryegrass
Apply spring fertilizer
Do this weekRyegrass is a fast grower and responds quickly to nitrogen. Apply a balanced fertilizer at a moderate rate. Because ryegrass grows faster than fescue or KBG, a light hand with nitrogen prevents excessive clippings and potential scalping.
Mow frequently
Do this weekRyegrass grows quickly in April and may need mowing every 5 to 7 days or even more often. Mow at 2 to 3 inches. The fine texture shows scalping marks easily, so keep the one-third rule strict.
Overseed thin areas
This monthPerennial ryegrass germinates in 5 to 10 days, making April an excellent time to patch thin spots. Rake the bare area lightly, spread seed at 8 to 10 lb per 1,000 sq ft, and keep the soil moist until germination.
Apply preventive grub control
This monthGrubs feed on ryegrass roots just like any other turf. Apply a preventive product now and water in. Ryegrass is less forgiving of grub damage than KBG because it lacks rhizomes to self-repair.
Monitor for gray leaf spot
OngoingPerennial ryegrass is susceptible to gray leaf spot, especially in humid conditions. Watch for diamond-shaped gray lesions on leaf blades. If you see early signs, a preventive fungicide application can stop spread.
Pro tip for Perennial Ryegrass owners
Perennial ryegrass is the fastest cool-season grass to establish from seed. If you have bare spots, April is one of the best months to patch them. Just keep the seed moist for the first 10 days and you will see results fast.