Bermudagrass Lawn Care Schedule for Georgia

Nitrogen Budget

For bermudagrass in Georgia, aim for about 3 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet across the growing season, and treat 4 lb per 1,000 square feet as the ceiling rather than a target to reach. Split that budget across the season's fertilizer windows rather than applying it all at once, and always check the product label for the actual rate — the label is the law here, not this guide.

Mowing Height by Season

Bermudagrass holds density best in the 1" to 2" band, and in spring, summer, and fall the target sits at about 1½". Never remove more than one-third of the blade in a single mow — if the lawn has gotten away from you, step the height down gradually over two or three cuts instead of scalping it back in one pass.

The one exception is a single reset cut in early spring, down to about 1", timed to clear last year's dormant thatch and speed green-up. Bag the clippings for that one cut, then return to the normal height for the rest of the season.

Seasonal Schedule

A pre-emergent herbicide window opens Feb 19 to Mar 19, centered around Mar 5, once soil warms toward 55°F on a rising trend — this is aimed at stopping summer annual weeds before they germinate, ahead of the grass filling in.

Spring green-up fertilizer follows from Mar 27 to Apr 24, centered Apr 10, once soil holds consistently above 65°F and the lawn shows around half green-up. Core aeration fits late spring too, Apr 19 to May 31, once the lawn is actively growing.

The early-summer seeding window — for renovation or filling bare patches — runs Apr 24 to Jun 19, centered May 22, once soil is reliably in the 65–70°F range and nights stay warm. That timing matters: bermudagrass seeded now gets a full growing season to establish before dormancy, and warm-season grass should not be seeded in fall.

Summer fertilizer applications land in two windows — May 20 to Jul 1 for peak-growth feeding, and Jul 15 to Aug 26 as the last heavy nitrogen push before the fall transition. A broadleaf weed control window runs Apr 26 to Jun 13 for actively growing weeds once the lawn has fully greened up, and an early-summer grub preventive window, May 6 to Jun 17, is worth watching only if grub damage has been a known issue in your area — most lawns can skip it and simply scout instead.

As the season turns, a fall pre-emergent window opens Aug 28 to Oct 3 as soil cools through about 70°F, aimed at winter annual weeds like annual bluegrass, henbit, and chickweed. A high-potassium, low-nitrogen application in early fall, Sep 10 to Oct 22, helps cold hardiness before dormancy, and an annual soil test window, Jul 27 to Oct 25, is a good time to check nutrient and lime needs while the grass is still active.

Watering

Aim for about ¾" of water a week, split into two deep soakings of about ½" each, early in the morning. Watering deep and infrequent encourages roots to grow down, and morning timing lets the lawn dry out before night, since wet turf overnight invites disease.

In sustained heat, that weekly target rises — by about a quarter inch when highs sit near the mid-80s, up to about a half inch when three or more days push near 90°F — capped so the soil can absorb it without runoff. A wetting agent, applied before the heat peaks and reapplied through summer as needed, can help water soak in rather than bead up on dry patches.

Timing Conflicts to Watch

If you've recently applied a broadleaf herbicide, wait about 6 weeks (42 days) before seeding — the herbicide can interfere with germination if seed goes down too soon after.

If you've recently applied a crabgrass pre-emergent, wait about 12 weeks (84 days) before seeding, since the same mechanism that blocks crabgrass will also block grass seed from establishing. And in fall, a pre-emergent aimed at winter weeds will do the same to any overseed — treat that window as one or the other, not both. Always confirm on the label that the product is suited to your grass type and situation before applying.

Gear this schedule assumes

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Rain gauge

Any $10 gauge works. You need it to hit the 0.75 in/week target above without guessing.

Soil thermometer

The seed and pre-emergent windows above are soil-temperature windows — a $15 probe beats calendar guessing.

Broadcast spreader

Needed for even fertilizer and seed rates. A basic rotary spreader covers most lawns.

Oscillating sprinkler + hose timer

Enough to water deeply and consistently if you have no in-ground system.

Smart irrigation controller

Only if you have an in-ground system — a Rachio-style controller automates the watering schedule.

None of this replaces the label on whatever product ends up in the spreader or sprayer — confirm rate, timing, and grass-type suitability there. Used as a general rhythm, though, this schedule keeps bermudagrass fed, mowed, and watered in step with how it actually grows through a Georgia season.

More guides

Bermudagrass in other states

Alabama · Arkansas · California · North Carolina · Oklahoma · South Carolina · Tennessee · Texas · Virginia

Other grasses in Georgia

Centipedegrass · St. Augustinegrass · Tall Fescue · Zoysiagrass