Lawn and Turfgrass Resources for Iowa

Managing a lawn looks different than managing the plants in other parts of the landscape.  Below are all the resources you need to grow a beautiful lawn.


General Care  |  Mowing  |  Watering  |  Fertilizing  |  Soil Health  |  Aeration  |  Seeding & Sodding  |  Types & Species  |  Lawn Alternatives  |  Problems  |  Weeds  |  Diseases  |  Insect & Animal Pests



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General Carelawn By sv_production AdobeStock

Spring Lawn Care    Summer Lawn Care    Late Summer/Fall Lawn Care    Fall Tips for the Lawn (PDF)    Turfgrass Management Calendar: Kentucky Bluegrass Lawns (PDF)  


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MowingMowing by encierro AdobeStock

Mowing Your Lawn (PDF)    Height    Summer Height    Frequency    New Lawns    Grass Clippings    When to Stop in the Fall    Shady Areas


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WateringWatering by ronstik AdobeStock

.Complete Guide to Watering Lawns    How    Frequency    Time of Day    New Seed    New Sod    During Hot, Dry Weather    During Drought     During Prolonged Drought


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FertilizingFertilizing by the Toidi AdobeStock

Lawn Fertilization (PDF)    Responsible Phosphorus Management (PDF)    Natural & Organic (PDF)    When    Frequency    Storing Open Bags    In Summer?    


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Soil Healthraking soil By Ajax9 AdobeStock

Soil Testing    Soil Health (PDF)    Apply Lime?


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AerationAeration by Lost in the Midwest AdobeStock

Complete Guide to Core Aeration    Benefits    When    How    Frequency


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Seeding & SoddingSeeding by tab62 AdobeStock

Complete Guide to Seeding    Seeding (PDF)    Renovation (PDF)    Overseeding    Thin/Sparse    Seeding After Preemergent Herbicide    Sodding (PDF)


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Types & Speciestypes of turfgrasses by Aaron Steil

Selecting a Grass Species (PDF)    Grasses for Special Uses (PDF)    Factors to Consider    Shady Areas    Tall Fescue    Zoysiagrass    Native    


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Lawn Alternativesnative prairie planting turf alternative by Aaron Steily

Lawn Alternatives    Pollinator Lawns    Low-Maintenance    No Mow May


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Problemsthin grass in shade of maple tree by Aaron Steil

Shady Areas    Fallen Leaves    Bumpy & Rough    Thatch    Brown & Dead Patches    Tree Surface Roots    Seed heads    Flooding


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Weedsweeds by maykal AdobeStock

Weed Control (PDF)    Perennial Grasses    Broadleaf    Annuals    How to Apply    After Seeding    Drift    Herbicide Treated Clippings in Compost?


Crabgrass    Creeping Charlie    Dandelion    Violet    White Clover    Nimblewill    Water Grass    Yellow Nutsedge    Moss    Algae    Mushrooms


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Diseasespowdery mildew on turfgrass by Iowa State University Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic

Prevention    Rust    Summer Patch (PDF)    Powdery Mildew    Leaf Spot & Melting Out    Anthracnose    Brown Patch    Dollar Spot    Red Thread    Snow Mold    Fairy Rings    Ascochyta Leaf Blight    Slime Molds    


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Insect & Animal Pestswhite grub in lawn By JJ Gouin AdobeStock

White Grubs    Ant Mounds    Bluegrass Billbugs    Earthworms    Moles    Voles    Skunks & Raccoons


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Authors:
Last reviewed:
August 2024