Connecticut Lawn Care: Fertilize Right, Lime Only If Needed, Skip 4-Step Programs

Cool-season lawns in CT need fall-focused feeding, soil-tested liming, and separated weed control.

Fertilization

• Late May, early Sept, late Oct (after mowing stops).
• No summer, no early spring.
• Apply dry, water in. Brands interchangeable (Agway, GreenLawn = Scott's quality).

Lime

• Test via UConn Extension ($10–15).
• Lime only if pH < 6.0. Target 6.0–7.0.
• Annual/biennial testing—CT soils acidify naturally.

Weed Control

• Spot-spray Weed-B-Gon > weed-and-feed.
• Weed-and-feed requires wet lawn, 48-hr no-water—conflicts with fertilizer needs.

Overseeding

Skip crabgrass preventer (Step 1) if overseeding—it blocks grass seed too.

Why Skip Scott's 4-Step

Too much pesticide, wrong fertilizer timing for cool-season grass.