# Lawn care calendar for South Carolina: when to fertilize and seed

> South Carolina lawn calendar: feed warm-season grass after green-up in May, stop nitrogen by August 15, seed fescue in fall. NOAA frost dates included.

Canonical: https://lucernel.com/guides/lawn-care-calendar/south-carolina
Last updated: 2026-10-26

South Carolina is warm-season lawn country: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, zoysiagrass and St. Augustinegrass, with tall fescue as the cool-season option in the Upstate. Clemson Extension runs one calendar for the whole state, starts feeding only after the grass has fully greened, and stops nitrogen by mid-August.

**Feed South Carolina warm-season lawns in May after full green-up, again in summer, and finish by August 15.** Clemson Extension puts the first nitrogen on bermudagrass, centipedegrass, zoysiagrass and St. Augustinegrass in early May once the lawn is fully green, at 1/2 to 1 pound per 1,000 square feet, with a late-summer feeding before August 15 in the Upstate and before September 1 on the coast for centipede. Nitrogen stops after that. Tall fescue is fed in September and optionally November, and not after March 15. (Clemson University Cooperative Extension)

| Month | Bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, St. Augustinegrass, centipedegrass | Tall fescue |
| --- | --- | --- |
| January | Dormant; water if there is no measurable rain for three or four weeks; no nitrogen | Mow at 3 inches; broadleaf weed spray if needed |
| February | Pre-emergent mid-February on the coast and in the Midlands | Feed 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet |
| March | Pre-emergent mid-March in the Piedmont and mountains; no nitrogen yet | Last feeding by March 15; mow at 3 inches |
| April | Lower the mower to about 1 inch before green-up (bermudagrass and centipede); aerate once frost danger is past | Crabgrass preventer when forsythia or dogwoods bloom; about 1 inch of water a week |
| May | Feed 1/2 to 1 pound after the lawn is fully green; second pre-emergent lands 8 to 10 weeks after the first; replant bare spots | Mow at 3 inches |
| June | Bermudagrass only: 1/2 to 1 pound in June or July with a potassium-rich fertilizer | Raise the mower to 3.5 inches; no feeding or herbicide |
| July | Water 3/4 to 1 inch when the whole lawn looks dry | Water as needed or let it go dormant |
| August | Last nitrogen, 1/2 to 1 pound, before August 15 (centipede on the coast until September 1) | Check for grubs |
| September | No nitrogen on warm-season grass; pre-emergent for winter weeds | Overseed thin spots and feed 1 pound |
| October | Lime or potash only if a soil test says so; ryegrass overseeding on bermudagrass about 30 days before first frost | Aerate clay or high-traffic lawns; seeding window closes early in the month |
| November | Nothing to feed; water if dry | Optional second feeding of 1 pound |
| December | Dormant; water in a dry spell | Mow at 3 inches and keep leaves off |

Clemson publishes the same calendar for the whole state and tells you to adjust for the year and the region; green-up is mid-April on the coast and as late as mid-May inland.

## Which grasses grow where in South Carolina

Clemson publishes yearly programs for bermudagrass, centipedegrass, zoysiagrass, St. Augustinegrass and tall fescue. Bermudagrass wants full sun and a mowing height of 1 to 2 inches. Centipedegrass is the low-input choice at 1 to 2 inches, or 2 inches in partial shade, and gets half the nitrogen of the others. Zoysiagrass is cut at 1 to 2.5 inches, with 1.5 inches typical, and St. Augustinegrass at 2.5 to 4 inches, with 3 to 4 inches in shade.

St. Augustinegrass is the least cold tolerant of the group, which is why it dominates the coast. Tall fescue, the one cool-season grass on the list, runs on a different calendar, with feeding in September, November and February.

## Frost dates from NOAA

Dates are the NOAA 1991-2020 normals for the last spring and first fall 32 F freeze at 50% probability. At Columbia the last spring frost averages March 25 and the first fall frost November 7. At Charleston International Airport the dates are March 7 and November 27. At Greer, which serves Greenville-Spartanburg, they are March 28 and November 7.

Counting the days between them, Charleston has about 265 frost-free days against 227 at Columbia and 224 at Greer (our arithmetic). Clemson puts green-up in April on the coast and as late as mid-May inland, and warns that bermudagrass and centipede can green up and get burned back by frost more than once before settling.

## Spring

Weed control starts first. Clemson says to apply pre-emergent herbicide in mid-February in coastal and central areas and mid-March in the Piedmont and mountains, with a second application 8 to 10 weeks later. Do not spray post-emergent weed killer during green-up; wait until the grass is fully green.

Lower the mower to about 1 inch for bermudagrass and centipede just before green-up, then wait for full color before feeding. Early May is when Clemson starts nitrogen at 1/2 to 1 pound per 1,000 square feet, with the rate depending on soil. Core aeration comes after the threat of frost has passed. If a pre-emergent is already down, Clemson says to hold off until just before the next application, because disturbing the soil breaks the barrier. May is also the month Clemson picks for replanting bare areas with sod, plugs or sprigs, and for seeding centipede at 1/4 to 1/2 pound per 1,000 square feet.

## Summer

Bermudagrass, zoysiagrass and St. Augustinegrass lawns total 2 to 4 pounds of nitrogen a season, the higher figure on sand and the lower on clay. Centipedegrass takes 1 to 2 pounds. Bermudagrass gets a mid-summer feeding in June or July with a potassium-rich fertilizer such as 15-0-15. Clemson sets the last warm-season feeding before August 15, and for centipede the cutoff is August 15 in the Upstate and September 1 on the coast.

Clemson says to water when the whole lawn looks dry, with 3/4 to 1 inch the next morning, and to wait for stress before watering again. Tall fescue gets no feeding and no herbicide from June through August, and its mower is raised to 3.5 inches.

## Fall and winter

No nitrogen goes on warm-season lawns from September on, and the mower stays at its normal height until nights drop below 70 F, when Clemson tells you to raise it slightly. September is the month for a pre-emergent against winter annual weeds, with a second pass 8 to 10 weeks later. Overseeding is for bermudagrass only; Clemson says the extra water, feed and shade will damage centipede, zoysia and St. Augustine.

Ryegrass overseeding is timed about 30 days before the first frost, when daytime highs are near 70 F and nights stay above 50 F. Clemson gives 5 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet over an established lawn and 10 pounds on bare ground, and mows ryegrass at 1.5 to 2 inches. Tall fescue is the other fall seeding: a blend at 6 pounds per 1,000 square feet in September and early October with a high-phosphorus starter fertilizer.

## Fertilizer rules and soil tests

South Carolina fertilizer law is Title 46, Chapter 25 of the state code, which covers registration, labeling and the grade of fertilizer, and defines specialty fertilizer as the kind sold for home lawns and gardens. The chapter I opened contains no limit on phosphorus in lawn fertilizer. Clemson sets the rule in practice: established centipede lawns should get phosphorus only if a soil test shows a deficiency, and the other warm-season calendars leave phosphorus to the soil test as well.

Clemson says to base lime, sulfur and fertilizer on a soil test, and county Extension offices take the samples. Bermudagrass wants a pH of 6 to 6.5 and centipede 5.5 to 6.

## The bag math

Clemson gives a shortcut: divide 100 by the first number on the bag to get pounds of product for 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet, or 50 for half a pound. The lawn fertilizer calculator on this site does the same for your lawn size and any bag, including split slow-release blends.

## Frequently asked questions

### When should I fertilize bermudagrass in South Carolina?

Clemson says early May after the lawn is fully green, then June or July and again before August 15, at 1/2 to 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet each time. Total 2 to 4 pounds a season. No nitrogen from September.

### When do I put down pre-emergent in South Carolina?

Mid-February on the coast and in the Midlands, mid-March in the Piedmont and mountains, with a second application 8 to 10 weeks later. For winter weeds, Clemson says to apply it in September.

### How much nitrogen does centipedegrass need?

1 to 2 pounds per 1,000 square feet a year, in early May and again before August 15 in the Upstate or September 1 on the coast. It also prefers a pH of 5.5 to 6 and no phosphorus unless a soil test asks for it.

### When should I seed tall fescue in South Carolina?

September and early October, as the grass begins to respond to cooler temperatures. Clemson suggests a blend of cultivars at 6 pounds per 1,000 square feet, with a high-phosphorus starter fertilizer.

### Can Lawnzo help me manage a warm-season lawn in South Carolina?

Lawnzo for iPhone builds a plan around the grass you tell it you have and its sun and irrigation, with mowing height and the one-third rule included. It checks each job against the forecast and gives the reason when it delays one.

## Sources (checked 2026-10-02)

- [Clemson HGIC, Bermudagrass Yearly Maintenance Program](https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/bermudagrass-maintenance-calendar/)
- [Clemson HGIC, Centipedegrass Yearly Maintenance Program](https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/centipedegrass-maintenance-calendar/)
- [Clemson HGIC, Zoysiagrass Yearly Maintenance Program](https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/zoysiagrass-maintenance-calendar/)
- [Clemson HGIC, St. Augustinegrass Yearly Maintenance Program](https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/st-augustinegrass-maintenance-calendar/)
- [Clemson HGIC, Tall Fescue Maintenance Calendar](https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/tall-fescue-maintenance-calendar/)
- [Clemson HGIC, Overseeding With Ryegrass](https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/overseeding-with-ryegrass/)
- [Clemson HGIC, Fertilizing Lawns](https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/fertilizing-lawns/)
- [South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 46, Chapter 25 (Fertilizers)](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t46c025.php)
- [NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals: frost dates for Columbia, Charleston and Greer (API query)](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-annualseasonal-1991-2020&stations=USW00013883,USW00013880,USW00003870&dataTypes=ANN-TMIN-PRBLST-T32FP50,ANN-TMIN-PRBFST-T32FP50&format=json)
- [NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (product page)](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/us-climate-normals)