Do You Have Brown Spots That Just Wont Go Away
When water, fertilizer and a helpful dose of Revive or Aqua-Drive fail to green up a troublesome brown spot, the culprit is not likely a lack of water or nutrient availability but grub worms.
Grub worms are a lawn owners nightmare. June beetles and, more commonly in the intermountain west, billbugs lay their eggs in growing lawns. As these eggs hatch the developing larvae, otherwise known as grub worms, feed on and destroy the root system of the grass. This not only kills your healthy turf but also leaves unsightly brown spots.
Fertilizing Schedule For Home Lawns
This lawn is damaged as a result of excessive spring fertilizer applications.
Two important factors to consider when fertilizing lawns are how much and when to apply. About three pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per growing season is suggested for most full-sun lawns in northern Illinois . Split into two or three applications, with each single application of nitrogen being about one pound per 1,000 sq. ft. About half as much nitrogen is suggested for shade lawns. Percent nitrogen in the bag and size of the lawn are calculation variables as shown below.
Late Summer To Late Fall
Between August and November, grass slows down and prepares for the winter months. At the same time, broadleaf weeds start active growth again. With Pennington UltraGreen Winterizer Plus Weed & Feed Fertilizer 22-0-14, you can feed your northern or southern lawn nutrients essential to its winter prep and spring green-up and kill broadleaf weeds. As a general rule, allow six to eight weeks between fertilizing and your first expected frost.
As with all fertilizer products, check the label and follow instructions for your specific grass type. If you’re overseeding, wait until next year for weed & feed. Instead, turn to Pennington UltraGreen Lawn Fertilizer 30-0-4 for the year’s final feeding.
Always sweep excess fertilizer off sidewalks and patios to avoid runoff.
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Mulch Your Grass Clippings
If youre tired of bagging grass while you mow, weve got good news. To help your lawn stay greener year-round, you can leave the grass clippings on your lawn. When grass clippings break down, they provide your lawn with beneficial nutrients. While you dont need to buy a new mower blade, it doesnt hurt to install a mulching blade so that the grass is cut into smaller pieces. Learn more about recycling grass clippings here.
The Perfect Plus For Summertime Lawn Care
Summer heat poses high levels of stress to your lawn, especially in the dry intermountain climate. Help your turf save water, make the most of each irrigation and/or recover from heat stress by adding a liquid or granular soil wetting product to your summer lawn care program along with IFA Spring & Summer Lawn Food.
Applying Revive or Aqua-Drive to your yard can help your grass make the most of each watering and promote a longer, stronger green through the heat of the summer.
Both Revive and Aqua-Drive are soil treatment products that make it easier for water to move through the soil. This is especially helpful for dense, compacted soil or lawns with heavy thatch since these products increase nutrient accessibility and absorption, as well as help your lawn retain moisture, especially during the dry summer months.
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Summer Lawn Care Guide
Summer is a maintenance season for lawns.
If spring lawn care is about getting your lawn healthy and green, summer lawn care is about KEEPING it healthy while temperatures soar and rainfall becomes a fleeting memory. Its also about maintaining a lawn that can withstand all the barbecues, games, parties, and running feet that summer has to offer. Here are some tips for keeping your lawn in shape over those long, hot days of summer.
Scotts Summer Lawn Food
I found this Scotts product that is quite interesting because it just shows that the corporate technical managers at Scotts also agree with me on my slow play strategy.
The only nutrient value in this fertilizer is nitrogen. Its a 34-0-0. Now at first glance, 34% nitrogen is VERY high, but that can be deceiving. I have read deep into the label to reveal to you some little known facts about this product. The product may be 34% nitrogen, but 17% of that is made slow release by coating it with polymers. Urea itself will green up your lawn nicely but only lasts for about 28 days and fades quickly thereafter. The Scotts folks extend this time by formulating half of their Urea in this product coated in polymers that cause the Urea nitrogen to be released much more slowly. This gives you some quick release green and some slow release on the backend. Pretty smart.
Another reason that its a good slow play is the bag rate. The bag rate is the easy way to find out how much of the product to put down. Remember, I always recommend that the very first thing you do when taking on a lawn program is to measure your lawn and section it out by 1000 sq ft sections. Here is a recent video I did showing you how to measure your lawn.
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Water Deeply And Infrequently
Dry, hot weather can deplete your soil moisture. Moisture stress can lead to wilted grass blades, reduced shoot and root growth, and greater susceptibility to pests and weeds.
To combat this, you should water thoroughly about once or twice a week, so long as your region isnt experiencing any drought conditions that call for water restrictions. The water should reach 46 inches deep. If youre unsure, push a screwdriver into your soil. If you meet a lot of resistance, you need to water more. If it slides in too easily, you need to water less.
Its best to water your lawn in the early morning, before sunrise if you can. Thatll keep the sun from drying out the moisture before your lawn is able to soak it up. Pay attention to weather forecastsyou dont want to water too much on weeks when it will rain.
When Should I Fertilize My Lawn In Northern California
Thefertilize your lawntheNorthern CaliforniaThethe lawn’s
. Then, when should I fertilize my lawn in North Texas?
For most warm-season grasses you could fertilize April 1, June 1, August 1 and October 1 in most of the state. In far North Texas you could probably get by with three feedings April 15, June 15 and September 15.
Likewise, is it OK to fertilize in the winter? Fertilizing in the WinterOnce the weather turns cold, the fertilizer will remain in the soil and feed your lawn’s roots all winter long. When spring comes your lawn will be full of healthy, lush, green grass that has been feeding on good fertilizer nutrients underneath the snow.
Beside above, can I fertilize my lawn once a month?
For most lawns, applying fertilizer once or twice a year is enough to keep your grass green and healthy. Precisely when you apply fertilizer depends partly on your climate, but mostly on the type of grass you have. The key is to fertilize during the season when your grass is doing the most growing.
When should I fertilize my lawn in Massachusetts?
Fertilize September is the optimal time to fertilize a lawn. Use a high nitrogen maintenance fertilizer . Wait until October to apply a high nitrogen fertilizer if you applied a Step 3 product earlier in the summer. Keep checking for grubs.
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Third Application: Early Summer
Next up on the lawn fertilizer schedule is a June application. In preparation for the seasonal shift, the addition of nutrients in this application helps prepare your lawn for the summer and set the stage for healthy growth throughout the season. Liquid weed control should be utilized here as well to treat any weeds that remain on your lawn.
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First Application: Early Spring
Your lawn fertilizer schedule should begin with an application in March or April. In Michigan, its important to get the first fertilizer application down after the first frost is gone from the ground, but also before the soil temperature gets too warm and weed seeds begin to germinate. Infusing soil and root systems with nutrients helps your lawn recover from its dormancy in the winter and bounce back to good health.
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Apply A Late Season Fertilizer Application
To ensure good winter survival and early-spring green-up, make this fertilizer application when the turf has stopped growing but is still green, usually in mid- to late October. Timing is critical. Fertilizer applied too early will promote succulent growth in the fall that will make the lawn more susceptible to winter injury. Fertilizer applied too late will be of no benefit to the turf. If you make a late-fall fertilizer application, spring fertilization can be delayed until late May to early June. The application rate for this time of the year is the same as for the early fall application .
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When And How To Fertilize New Grass
![How To Tell If Your Lawn Needs Lime [7 Ways]](https://www.lovemylawn.net/wp-content/uploads/how-to-tell-if-your-lawn-needs-lime-7-ways-yuzu-magazine.jpeg "How To Tell If Your Lawn Needs Lime [7 Ways]")
If you’re starting a new lawn from seed, sod or plugs or you’re doing bare lawn spot repair a starter fertilizer helps grass get the perfect start. Unlike established lawns, new grass benefits from extra phosphorus, an essential plant nutrient that supports strong, deep roots. Some states only allow phosphorus-containing lawn fertilizers on new grass, so check with your county extension office if you’re unsure.
On fertilizer products, phosphorus is the middle number in the N-P-K ratio usually “0” in normal lawn fertilizers. But with Pennington UltraGreen Starter Fertilizer 22-23-4, you get an ideal ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, plus other essential lawn nutrients, including iron for deep green color. This premium fertilizer blend starts feeding new grass immediately and keeps feeding it for up to three months.
Always follow guidelines for the best time to plant grass seed for your region and grass type, then fertilize accordingly. For seed or plugs, apply fertilizer with a regular lawn spreader before you plant. If you’re starting a lawn with sod, fertilize after your sod is in place.
With any new lawn area, avoid using crabgrass preventer fertilizers or weed & feed fertilizers within four weeks before planting time. After seeding, wait until your new grass gets established and you’ve mowed your lawn at least three times.
Weed & feed fertilizers kill tough weeds and feed your lawn.
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Keeping Up With Fertilizing Schedules
You may love your lawn so much that you print out this blog post and hang it on your fridge. You could even set up reminders in your digital calendar to notify you when its time to fertilize for the season. But if you prefer an easier alternative, sign up for our Monthly Lawn Tips emails. Well send you an email each month with tips on fertilizing, mowing and dealing with pest or disease problems in your lawn.
How Soon Can I Fertilize A Lawn After Already Fertilizing
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A well-kept lawn adds greatly to the charm and beauty of a garden. While being attractive on its own, a well-kept lawn is also the perfect setting for shrubs, ornamental plants, flowers and other garden features. Fertilizing the grass regularly helps to maintain dense, lush growth, and a monthly dose of a 10-5-10 fertilizer is ideal during active summer growth. However, the type of fertilizer you use and the season can determine how often you need to feed the lawn.
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Get Ready To Fertilize
Before applying you must prepare. start by determining the square footage of your yard then divide that number by 200 to get the number of pounds of Step 3 fertilizer you will need to cover your lawn.
yard width × yard length ÷ 200 = lb of Step 3
Keep in mind a 25 lb bag will feed up to 5,000 square feet while the 50 lb bag feeds up to 10,000 square feet. Its a good idea to add 10% to make sure you dont run out during the application.
As with previous fertilizer applications, you should use a broadcast spreader for a more even fertilizer application. You can use the same spreader to apply different types of fertilizer, just remember that the recommended fertilizer applications rates may differ between products.
If you dont already have a broadcast spreader, your local IFA Country Store has several spreader options for you to choose from when you pick up your step-three lawn fertilizer.
Fertilizing Lawns In Summer
Because growth of grass slows or stops during the summer heat, fertilization in the summer should be limited to times of water availability. A dormant lawn is not actively growing, so fertilization should wait until it comes out of dormancy. For lawns that are watered and remain green and continue to grow, summer fertilization can be beneficial. Usually summer fertilizers are applied at low rates to match the slow growth that naturally occurs. Fertilizers labeled for summer turf application reflect this reduced rate with lower spreader settings listed on the bag. This may amount to 25 percent to 50 percent less nitrogen used per application.
Late summer is a good time to fertilize the lawn as nights become cooler and rainfall usually occurs more frequently. Nutrients supplied at this time are available to the grass plants as they enter an active period of growth.
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Watering Lawns In Summer
Cool-season turfgrasses often require supplemental watering in the summer to remain green and actively growing. During hot and dry periods, the turf needs light, frequent waterings that add up to 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches of water per week. Grass roots are naturally shorter during hot, dry conditions of summer, and applying too much water at that time can waste water because it simply moves past the root zone of the plants.
The best time of the day for watering is morning to early afternoon. Avoid watering in the evening — this extends the time that lawns remain wet through the night, and that can encourage fungus diseases. If summer watering restrictions are in place that ban daytime watering, then apply water to turf between midnight and daybreak.
Summer Fertilization Considerations For Warm Season Lawns
For these grass types, you could go a couple different ways. You would take up the nitrogen and push them hard during summer, or, you could just do more frequent light applications. It really depends how often you want to mow really. Just know, if you want your bermuda, St Augustine or Zoysia to thicken up, push it harder during the summer. I have for sure noticed this season that Bermuda and Zoysia are starting painfully slowly. Now that it looks like we have some heat on the way, now is the time to start pushing.
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When And How To Fertilize Your Lawn
In some ways, lawns are a lot like people. Operating at the peak of beauty and performance requires a good diet and proper care. Lush, thick, green lawns depend on properly timed, properly balanced nutrition to look and grow their best. Understanding when and how to fertilize your lawn can help you and your grass stand out from the rest.
Ask A Master Gardener: Fall Is The Ideal Time To Help Your Lawn Look Better Next Year
Q: I read somewhere that you should not fertilize your lawn in spring or during the hot months, so I didnt. Is now the right time, or am I too late now? Should I use plain fertilizer or a weed-and-feed fertilizer?
A: Yes, you can fertilize your lawn up until mid-October. Youre correct that fall is the best time to do this, after the hottest part of summer has passed. Fertilizing in spring can cause a flush of early growth that ultimately weakens the lawn. Fertilizing in the heat of summer can damage your lawn and the environment. The grass is typically dormant during hot weather, especially with conditions like the drought we had this year. Fertilizing when grass is dormant can burn the lawn. It wastes time and money and sends those nutrients into groundwater, rivers and lakes where they harm water quality and threaten aquatic creatures.
During fall, with the cool temperatures weve been having recently, lawn grasses put out new shoots and store nutrients in their roots. That makes this is a good time to fertilize.
How much to fertilize depends upon a number of factors. If you leave the grass clippings on your lawn, rather than bagging them up and removing them, you can get away with using less fertilizer. Extension provides a table showing you how much fertilizing to do depending on your watering and mowing habits: extension.umn.edu/lawn-care/fertilizing-lawns#when-and-how-much-to-fertilize.
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When To Fertilize Your Lawn In Nc
It takes time and dedication to create and maintain the perfect lawn. If you live in North Carolina, you may have a warm or cool-season lawn as all grass varieties grow well. With the correct maintenance, your lawn can grow green and healthy.
Lawns need to be regularly fertilized, aerated, and overseeded to allow the grass to look its best. Regular maintenance at the correct time of year will allow you to create a lawn you can be proud of. You may even find that your lawn is the envy of your neighborhood. Lets look at when to fertilize your lawn in North Carolina to keep the grass looking its best.
