Greene County Lawn Care

When to treat for grubs in Greene County, Ohio: August

Young grubs are feeding near the surface, and the best seeding season of the year opens late in the month.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

the sun marks this month

Do this in August

  • Mowing

    Mow at 3 to 4 inches.

    Keep the one-third rule as growth picks up again. [1][2]

  • Seeding

    Seed or overseed starting late August.

    OSU says Kentucky bluegrass seeds best in late August or early September in Ohio, while tall fescue and perennial ryegrass can go later into September. Seed germinates best with soil at 50 to 65°F, 2 inches down. A starter fertilizer (higher in phosphorus) makes sense at seeding. [3][4][5]

    This depends on soil temperature, not the date.

    This is the nearest Ohio State weather station with live soil temperatures, just north of Greene County. It reports soil temperature at 5 cm (about 2 inches), the depth OSU uses for crabgrass timing.

    Check today's reading at the OSU CFAES Weather System, Western Agricultural Research Station (South Charleston, Clark County)

  • Fertilizer

    Early fall feeding can begin late in the month.

    OSU's turf scientists say early fall applications (late August to September) often target 0.5 to 2 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. [6]

  • Crabgrass and pre-emergents

    Pre-emergent for winter weeds, but not where you're seeding.

    OSU suggests a pre-emergent in late August for winter annual weeds. It will also stop grass seed, so skip it anywhere you plan to seed this fall. [7][8]

  • Grubs and weeds

    Check for grubs; treat only if you find a lot.

    Look where the turf is thin or pulls up easily. OSU says a few grubs per square foot aren't a problem for a healthy lawn, while ten or more can cause turf loss. Rescue treatments (dinotefuran, trichlorfon or clothianidin) work best on young grubs, from August through the first week of September. Water in with 3/8 to ½ inch afterward. [9][10]

  • Watering

    Water when it wilts; keep new seed moist.

    Follow the same rule as July: water the next morning when you see wilting. [11]

Nothing to do yet

  • Leaves and winter care

    Nothing to do.

    No leaf or winter work this month.

Sources

Recommendations on this page follow Ohio State University Extension. Each source was checked on 2026-10-26. For the deeper national guide, see Really Great Lawn.

  1. Turfgrass Establishment Series: Mowing Buckeye Turf, Ohio State University Checked 2026-10-26
  2. Lawn Mowing (HYG-5816) Ohio State University Extension Checked 2026-10-26
  3. Turfgrass Establishment Series: Planting and Mulching Buckeye Turf, Ohio State University Checked 2026-10-26
  4. Seed Establishment in Fall (November 2024) Buckeye Turf, Ohio State University Checked 2026-10-26
  5. Efficient Lawn Care Practices to Help Protect Ohio's Waterways (HYG-5812) Ohio State University Extension, Ohioline Checked 2026-10-26 Ohioline fact-sheet pages returned an error on 2026-10-26, so this was read from the Internet Archive copy saved 2026-04-20.
  6. Should We Rethink Fall Fertilization? (November 2024) Buckeye Turf, Ohio State University Checked 2026-10-26
  7. Mid-Spring Weed Control Reminders (May 2025) Buckeye Turf, Ohio State University Checked 2026-10-26
  8. Early Spring Lawn Care (March 2025) Buckeye Turf, Ohio State University Checked 2026-10-26
  9. Natural Organic Lawn Care (HYG-4031), including its lawn care calendar for Ohio Ohio State University Extension Checked 2026-10-26
  10. Japanese Beetle (ENT-46) Ohio State University Extension, Ohioline Checked 2026-10-26 Ohioline fact-sheet pages returned an error on 2026-10-26, so this was read from the Internet Archive copy saved 2026-08-09.
  11. Buckeye Turf Newsletter, Summer 2026 Buckeye Turf, Ohio State University Checked 2026-10-26