Source:  NCSU COOPERATIVE EXTENSION

This calendar of suggested management practices is designed to assist you in the seasonal care of your athletic field. Location, terrain, soil type and condition, age of field, previous management practices, and other factors affect turfgrass performance. For these reasons, the following management practices and dates should be adjusted to suit your particular athletic field conditions.

April through June

Mowing
Set mower to 1-inch cutting height and remove debris before the grass turns green in the spring. The best mowing height during the growing season is one inch for common bermudagrass and 3⁄4 to 1 inch for hybrid bermudagrass. Do not allow bermudagrass to grow above 11⁄2 inches between mowings. Two or three weekly mowings may be necessary. Remove only those clippings that windrow.

If the grass gets excessively high during a wet period, raise the mower and cut off one-quarter to one-half of the present growth; then lower the mower to its proper height in a day or two. Reel mowers are preferred for a clean cut. Rotary mowers are a second choice provided the blades are sharp and can be lowered to the appropriate height, although scalping frequently occurs using rotary mowers at lower cutting heights.

Fertilization
Apply 1 pound of nitrogen per thousand square feet two or three weeks after the grass turns green. A complete (3-1-2 or 4-1-2 ratio) fertilizer may be necessary only once or twice annually, with remaining applications composed of nitrogen sources such as urea (45-0-0) and ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) (see Table 1). If growth appears to be slow and the grass is yellowish green, apply a nitrogen source every four to six weeks at 1 pound per thousand square feet as needed.

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