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I had a soil test done 2.5 years ago and received a soil test report with recommendations. The report suggested a fertilizer program with a Fall appl...
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Dear Extension Staff #925397
Asked March 04, 2026, 8:49 AM EST
I had a soil test done 2.5 years ago and received a soil test report with recommendations. The report suggested a fertilizer program with a Fall application only. I followed the program for two years, got great results but missed the 2024 fall application. Now the lawn looks remarkably anemic. What can I do to feed it during the Spring of this year? Can I do the missed application now? Or, is there some type of fertilizer that can be applied in the interim while I'm waiting for the Fall 2026? Finally, I would like to reseed parts of the lawn. When is the earliest that I can begin ? The ground is nice and moist now and I'd like to take advantage of that, if possible. Thanks for your help.
Baltimore County Maryland
Expert Response
What actions to take and when depend on lawn type, so we'll assume you're growing a cool-season lawn like tall fescue (as opposed to warm-season zoysia). You can find the recommended fertilization timing for tall fescue on our Lawn Fertilizer Schedule page, which indicates that closer to May is the best time in spring to apply fertilizer. (April into mid-May is the general timeframe, as we're updating that calendar slightly.)
Although Maryland law permits lawn fertilizer to be applied as early as March 1, if applied too premature, an early spring fertilization will not support good growth because too many of the nutrients will either leach away or be used by spring-growing weeds before the grass resumes active growth. The primary season for tall fescue fertilization is autumn, when two separate applications can be made as the primary source of nutrients for the year. Lawns look pretty bad right now due to the winter weather (and maybe also due to the ongoing drought, though at least recent rains will help a little with that).
Overseeding/reseeding for tall fescue is best done in autumn, around September. Spring seeding is possible, but harder to achieve success with since the grass seedlings may be competing with weed seeds (and many herbicides that suppress those weeds cannot be applied within weeks of seeding) and the grass is closer to the stressful season of summer (when it goes dormant) than the lead time it would have to establish in autumn, when the soil is warmer as the air temps cool off and ease the grass's root growth for better resiliency long-term. If you need to put down some seed this spring, about mid-April (in central Maryland) is a good time so soil temps. are warm enough to promote good germination rates. Even though the soil surface may be moist now, germinating grass seed cannot dry out and often needs to be manually irrigated a few times a day (or at least once a day unless the weather stays rainy for two solid weeks), so you'll need to make sure sown seed can be watered as needed based on how fast the soil surface dries out. If we dip back into freezing temperatures overnight, either the seedlings could be damaged, stalled in growth, or a hose used to water them may need to thaw before it can be used.
We're working on updating our lawn content with brand-new pages and updated details, so if you notice any page changes with the link above (or any of its related page connections) in the coming weeks, that's why. The gist of the information is not changing, but we're striving to streamline the content and provide enough information for gardeners to have more of a holistic guide to lawn care.
Miri
Although Maryland law permits lawn fertilizer to be applied as early as March 1, if applied too premature, an early spring fertilization will not support good growth because too many of the nutrients will either leach away or be used by spring-growing weeds before the grass resumes active growth. The primary season for tall fescue fertilization is autumn, when two separate applications can be made as the primary source of nutrients for the year. Lawns look pretty bad right now due to the winter weather (and maybe also due to the ongoing drought, though at least recent rains will help a little with that).
Overseeding/reseeding for tall fescue is best done in autumn, around September. Spring seeding is possible, but harder to achieve success with since the grass seedlings may be competing with weed seeds (and many herbicides that suppress those weeds cannot be applied within weeks of seeding) and the grass is closer to the stressful season of summer (when it goes dormant) than the lead time it would have to establish in autumn, when the soil is warmer as the air temps cool off and ease the grass's root growth for better resiliency long-term. If you need to put down some seed this spring, about mid-April (in central Maryland) is a good time so soil temps. are warm enough to promote good germination rates. Even though the soil surface may be moist now, germinating grass seed cannot dry out and often needs to be manually irrigated a few times a day (or at least once a day unless the weather stays rainy for two solid weeks), so you'll need to make sure sown seed can be watered as needed based on how fast the soil surface dries out. If we dip back into freezing temperatures overnight, either the seedlings could be damaged, stalled in growth, or a hose used to water them may need to thaw before it can be used.
We're working on updating our lawn content with brand-new pages and updated details, so if you notice any page changes with the link above (or any of its related page connections) in the coming weeks, that's why. The gist of the information is not changing, but we're striving to streamline the content and provide enough information for gardeners to have more of a holistic guide to lawn care.
Miri
