Fertilizer for Centipede Grass in October

Fertilizing Time

• Centipedegrass lawns have minimal fertilizer requirements as compared to other warm season grasses. It is sufficient to fertilize the grass only once during the year in June. This is adequate for most centipedegrass lawns. Some homeowners prefer to divide the recommended fertilizer amount in two applications. In this case, the second application is recommended during August or September, as suggested by the Alabama Cooperative Extension.

Fertilizer Type

• Fertilize centipedegrass lawn with 1 to 2 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer throughout the year per 1,000 square feet of lawn. The grass has much lower requirement for nitrogen as compared to bermudagrass or St. Augustinegrass. Make sure that the potassium amount is higher or equal to nitrogen. Recommended formulations include 15-0-15 or 18-0-18. The preferred soil pH is any where between 5.0 to 5.5. Add lime if needed to improve pH levels.

Excessive Fertilizer Problems

• Nitrogen is often added excessively to centipedegrass in order to darken its natural lighter crabapple green color to a color matching bermudagrass or zoysia. Although applying more than the recommended amount of fertilizer does darken the color and produce lush growth, it reduces the overall quality of the grass and creates maintenance problems. Over-fertilized lawns are also more prone to winter damage.

Phosphorus Recommendations

• It is best to conduct a soil test every couple of years as this helps to determine phosphorus and potassium levels in the soil. Do not use phosphorus unless the soil test reveals a deficiency. Phosphorus easily builds up in the soil and starts to bind with iron and makes it unavailable to the grass. This leads to a condition called chlorosis where lawns turn a mottled yellow color. Chlorosis is a frequent problem associated with low iron levels in centipedegrass lawns.