Spring Lawn Care: Fescue Maintenance Tips

Dear friend,

I trust this letter finds you well—maybe with the windows cracked open to let a little fresh air in as the world outside softens. There’s a certain thrill in watching the grass start to green up this time of year. If you’re like me, you’ll step outside barefoot for just a moment (even if it’s still a tad chilly!) just to feel that hint of new growth between your toes. The lawn might not be our top priority compared to a vegetable garden or a pollinator patch, but it’s often the first impression of a home and a place where folks gather for picnics, kids’ play, or simply to soak up some sunshine.

In these Blue Ridge Mountains, one of the most common lawn grasses we see is tall fescue. It’s adapted to cooler weather and can handle the dips in temperature that springtime here is known for. But it needs a bit of TLC to look and perform its best. So, let’s spend some time chatting about spring lawn care, focusing on fescue maintenance. Even if you’re not chasing the perfect “country club lawn,” a bit of attention now can lead to a healthier, lusher patch of green all year long.

1. Spring Inspection and Cleanup
Before you dive into any major tasks, take a stroll around your yard and see what winter left behind. Are there bare spots? Areas where leaves or debris have piled up? Any signs of snow mold or damage from foot traffic? Clear away sticks, rake up any matting of dead grass, and let those fescue roots breathe. Fescue can be susceptible to fungal issues if it stays damp and matted, so a light raking can do wonders for airflow. Just be gentle; you don’t want to scalp the grass.

2. Soil Testing and pH
Just as I’ve mentioned before in my letters, the health of your lawn starts with the soil underneath. Fescue generally prefers a pH range of about 6.0 to 7.0. If you haven’t tested your soil in a while, spring is a great time to do it. Your local extension office can help. If you find your pH is too low (acidic), lime might be recommended. If it’s too high, sulfur can help. But don’t guess—test. And if you’ve added lime or sulfur in the past, remember it takes time for these amendments to work their magic, so be patient.

3. Fertilizing Fescue
Spring is a bit of a tricky season for fertilizing cool-season grasses like fescue. Too much nitrogen early in spring can push excessive top growth at the expense of root development. That might give you a quick green-up, but it can also lead to disease problems and a lawn that wilts quickly in summer heat. Most experts will say to go easy on the fertilizer in early spring—if you fertilized last fall (which is the best time for cool-season grasses), you may not need much at all now. If your soil test shows a genuine need, or your lawn is looking pale and weak, apply a balanced fertilizer at a modest rate—maybe half the recommended amount on the bag. Then, plan for a more substantial feeding in the fall, which is prime time for fescue root growth.

4. Overseeding Bare or Thin Spots
If you notice patches that didn’t rebound from winter, you might consider overseeding. Tall fescue germinates best when soil temperatures are around 50–65°F. Early spring can work, but fall is generally preferred. Still, if you missed fall overseeding or those spots need urgent attention now, go for it. Lightly roughen the soil surface, sow fresh fescue seed, and keep it consistently moist until it germinates. Just remember that spring-seeded fescue will face summer stress sooner, so baby it with water and possibly some light fertilizer to help it establish before the heat sets in.

5. Proper Mowing Habits
One of the biggest favors you can do for a fescue lawn is to mow it at the right height. Fescue likes a taller cut—about 3–4 inches. That might feel high if you’re used to a low-cut look, but trust me, taller grass shades the soil, conserving moisture and crowding out weeds. It also encourages deeper roots. Set your mower blades sharp (a clean cut heals better than a ragged tear) and avoid scalping the lawn on hills or uneven ground. In spring, you might need to mow more frequently as growth picks up. But never cut off more than one-third of the grass blade at a time, or you risk stressing the turf.

6. Water Wisely
Fescue doesn’t love soggy feet, so be mindful of not overwatering, especially if we get ample rain in spring. If we hit a dry spell, it’s okay to irrigate lightly, but save the heavier, deeper watering for the summer months when the grass actually needs it. A good rule of thumb is to aim for about an inch of water per week (rain plus irrigation) once the weather warms. Early morning watering is best—less evaporation, and leaves have time to dry before nightfall, reducing disease risk.

7. Weeds and Pest Management
Spring is prime time for weeds like chickweed or henbit to pop up in a fescue lawn. Hand-pulling small patches can be effective if you catch them early. If you have a larger outbreak, a selective herbicide labeled for fescue might help. But be cautious—some herbicides can harm newly seeded grass, so if you overseeded in spring, read the labels carefully. As for pests, keep an eye out for signs of grubs or other insects. Healthy fescue can fend off minor pest issues, so good cultural practices (like proper mowing and moderate fertilizing) often reduce the need for chemical interventions.

8. Embrace a More Natural Lawn
I also want to put in a small plug for a relaxed approach to lawn care. Fescue is a hardy grass, but it doesn’t have to look like a manicured golf course. Consider letting some clover or other low-growing plants coexist with your fescue. Clover actually fixes nitrogen in the soil, benefiting the lawn. And a mixed lawn can be better for pollinators, too. Sometimes, aiming for “perfect” turf leads to overuse of fertilizers, pesticides, and water. Letting go of that perfection can yield a greener (in the ecological sense) and more resilient lawn.

A Lawn to Enjoy

Let me share a memory: a few years back, I spent an entire weekend fussing over my front yard—raking out thatch, pulling weeds, spreading seed, carefully watering, adjusting the pH. By Sunday evening, I was exhausted but pleased with my efforts. Come summer, the lawn thickened up nicely, a deep green that felt like walking on a plush carpet. One afternoon, I found my nieces somersaulting on the grass, giggling with delight. In that moment, I realized all that hard work wasn’t just about appearances. It was about creating a space for laughter, for picnics, for tossing a ball around, or for simply lying down and watching the clouds float by. A lawn, at its best, is a gathering place—a stage for life’s simple joys.

That’s why I encourage you to see spring lawn care as more than a chore. It’s a way of nurturing a space that brings people together. Whether you love fescue for its cool-season resilience or you’re experimenting with other grasses, a bit of mindful maintenance now will set the stage for a summer of barefoot strolls and maybe even a backyard barbecue or two.

If you ever have questions about which fescue variety suits your microclimate, or how to time fertilization in these fickle mountains, feel free to reach out. We’re all learning as we go—this land has a way of teaching us that no two seasons are ever quite the same. And that’s part of the adventure, isn’t it?

Wishing you a gentle breeze, a soft lawn underfoot, and the contentment that comes from knowing you’re giving your patch of earth a little extra kindness this spring. Here’s to a season of new growth in more ways than one.

Warmly,
Logan