Applying Fertilizer When Grass Is Growing
The best moment for fertilizing your lawn is when your turf is in an active growing phase. This is why its key to identify what type of grass you have.
Fertilizing your lawn when its growing will make the most out of the growth and supply nutrients to ensure strong roots and to keep your lawn healthy and the grass green.
Best Fertilizers To Use
The best fertilizers to use are slow release. When you use slow release fertilizers, the grass will get green without growing too quickly. In the spring, mixtures of 20-5-10 are suitable to use. You can also perform a soil pH test before you start the process. Then, you can base the mixture off of your results. For example, if your pH tests come back with high potassium results, you can look for a combination that is lower in that category.
Call 215.799.2016 or fill out the contact form on the bottom of this page. We can answer any of your questions or set up a fertilization plan to keep your lawn healthy and looking great.
Clean The Spreader And Water The Lawn
- After youve covered the lawn, check for any fertilizer that may have scattered onto your driveway, sidewalk or walkway. Use a broom and dust pan to clean these areas. Fertilizers contain minerals that can stain concrete. You can sprinkle any small amounts of leftover fertilizer back onto the lawn after you have scooped it up.
- Put the lawn spreader on the lawn and rinse it off with a garden hose. This allows you to make use of fertilizer thats stuck in and around the spreader. Clean the hopper plate and wheels thoroughly. Allow the lawn spreader to dry before storing it.
- Water the lawn thoroughly with a lawn sprinkler. This will mix the nutrients from the fertilizer into the soil.
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Best Times To Fertilize A Lawn
The right time to fertilize your lawn is influenced by the type of grass you have. Much of the country has either cool-season or warm-season grass, with some areas combining the two types for a more versatile lawn. Its important to identify your grass type and plan your lawn care schedule around its needs. Below is a quick overview of which seasons are best for fertilization based on your lawn type.
Lawn Fertilizer Schedule For Warm
Early spring: When the grass greens up after winter, usually late March or early April depending on the year and where you live
Early summer: When grass growth speeds up, but before the onset of intense midsummer heat, usually early June
Early fall: At least 6 8 weeks before the first expected frost, usually sometime in September
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When To Fertilize Warm
When to fertilize depends on what kind of grass you have. You want to time fertilizing so it occurs just before grass enters its peak growing phase. If you live in southern areas where lawns feature warm-season grasses, fertilize turf in late spring or early summer, just before grass kicks into high gear. Make a second application in late summer. If your warm-season lawn goes dormant in winter, dont fertilize after the first of September.
Warm season grass types include bahia, Bermuda, St. Augustine, centipede and zoysia. Warm season grasses typically thrive in frost-free areas and grow best at temps of 75 degrees to 90 degrees.
How Many Times A Year Do I Need To Fertilize My Lawn
If youre unsure of exactly when to lay down your first feeding, you can base it off of the temperature.Now that you know that spring is the best time to fertilize your lawn, here are some other helpful tips that will keep your grass thriving.How often you should apply fertilizer to your lawn.You want to feed your lawn when its growing most rapidly.How soon you can fertilize after seeding your lawn.Its not always after seeding that you should apply fertilizerthe best time to fertilize is right before or during the seeding process.Best fertilizers to use. .
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How To Fertilize Your Lawn In The Fall
Approach your fall fertilizer application just as you would any other. Follow the coverage recommendation for the chosen product. Its always a good idea to split the application in half and then make two passes in different directions. For example: if your fall fertilizer bag says it will cover 5,000 square feet, find the setting on your spreader for 10,000 square feet . This will close the spreader gate allowing only one-half the recommended rate to flow through. Then make two consecutive passes at this spreader setting. This will apply the total recommended amount using two passes instead of one. This ensures even, uniform coverage, reducing the risk of missing parts of your lawn.
After youve finished your fall fertilizer application, make sure you thoroughly wash your spreader. This removes any remaining fertilizer residue that can corrode spreader components over the winter. Refer to your owners manual for additional recommended maintenance before winter storage.
Making Sure Your Lawn Has What It Needs To Thrive
As you come to understand what lawn care services are important throughout the year, youre probably also realizing that questions about how many visits are less important than questions about what your lawn is receiving during visits .
Of course, you dont want to feel as though you need an agronomics degree just to make sure your lawn is getting what it needsnor do you want to feel as though you have to babysit your lawn care company and check in on what theyre doing.
What you really want is a company thats going to perform the proper lawn treatments when theyre needed so that you dont have to worry.
At Master Lawn, thats the peace of mind we can deliver.
Instead of having to spend any time worrying about whether treatments are getting done on the timeline theyre supposed to, you can put your trust in us knowing that weve got you covered. After all, when it comes to the healthy and thriving lawn that you desire, your wish is our command.
Ready to gain the peace of mind that your lawn is getting everything that it needs to thrive at your Memphis, TN or Northern Mississippi home? Talk to a lawn care expert, choose from 3 program options, and become the master of your lawn.
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Don’t Bother Fertilizing Your Lawn Twice A Year
Fertilizing your yard too oftenor at the wrong timecan do more harm than good
A lush lawn can make your homes landscaping shine . But how do you maintain a beautiful and healthy yard year-round?
The answer is fertilizer.
Fertilizing provides the nitrogen that grass needs to better withstand pests and extreme heat and cold. But how frequently you fertilize your lawn can make the difference between a well-kept yard and one that looks worse for wear.
Overfertilizing can damage roots and cause scorching, leaving grass brown and patchy. Underfertilizing, though, can make grass less pest- and disease-resistant. And rules of thumbsuch as fertilizing twice a yeardont apply to every lawn, since weather conditions and grass cycles can vary depending on where you live.
The right time to apply fertilizer is when the grass is growing more roots than blades. In the Northeast and Northwest, thats usually in the fall. In the South and Southwest, its in the late spring. So in cooler climes, dont even think about it until Labor Day. And if you only fertilize once a year, do it in September using fall fertilizer.
How often you mow is also a factor in whether you have a lush lawn. Generally, you should let grass grow to 4½ inches and then cut it to 3 or 3½. Tall grass helps promote deep roots, making your lawn hardier and more resilient.
Bottom line: Listen to your lawn and apply fertilizer only when the grass calls for it.
Best Time To Fertilize Lawn
Fertilizing in the morning allows the soil to take in the most nutrients, soak in the morning dew and take advantage of cooler temperatures. Thats the best time. Do not apply fertilizer on an abnormally hot day, not even in the morning. Wait until the weather cools back down to a normal temperature.
You can mow anytime after fertilizing with a granular treatment. With a liquid treatment, wait a day or two.
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Dont Fertilize During A Drought
Although your lawn may be suffering, be sure not to apply fertilizer during drought periods. Your lawn needs to be watered regularly for fertilizer to work correctly, and arid conditions can lead to grass surface burns and slower growth. Additionally, in many states where droughts are a huge concern, there are often regulations on how often you can water your lawn.
How To Fertilize Your Lawn
How to Fertilize Your Lawn
Make sure there is no vegetation or excessive root mass in the soil sample.When Im asked to help bring a homeowners lawn back to life, the first thing I do is to make sure they have their soil professionally tested.The results will provide important information that will help determine what type of grass fertilizer you should use and how often you should apply it.Most often, a soil test will focus on measuring major nutrients like phosphorus and potassium .If your lawns soil pH is too low or too high, the fertilizer you use may not work very well.Your county extension office, reputable garden center or local university can help you test your soil accurately, interpret the results and then offer solid recommendations for fixing any soil problems. .
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Fertilizing Damaged Lawns To Restore Them
If you’re trying to repair a damaged lawn, you can apply fertilizer more frequently.
Perhaps it’s early summer and you’ve noticed a compacted area where the grass is patchy and yellow, for instance. In this case, John Negus, a gardening expert from Amateur Gardening, suggests scarifying it before feeding with a high-nitrogen lawn fertilizer. Repeat this monthly until autumn, he advises, before switching to a high-potash lawn feed ‘to keep the grass healthy in winter.’ Remember to follow application instructions.
If you’re repairing lawn patches with seed, there is also a product which can be applied to the soil beforehand to give it all the vital nutrients needed to support seedlings called TotalLawn Pre-Seed Formula . ‘Its fantastic stuff its fast and slow release so it lasts up to 90 days, which is going to give us an initial boost to get the lawn going,’ says garden expert Sam at JayRock Lawncare and Gardening .
Frequent feeding can help to restore a damaged lawn
How Often Should You Fertilize Your Grass
Typically, you should only need to fertilize your grass an average of two times a year .
However, this all depends on the type of fertilizer you use . So the key here is to decide how often youre able to fertilize and then pick a product based on that. But if youre like the average homeowner, then youll probably want to fertilize as little as possible, which means youll need to choose a long-lasting, slow-release fertilizer.
Pro Tip: A longer lasting fertilizer is typically healthier for your lawn since it requires fewer applications.
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Want To Feed And Weed At Same Time
Main manufacturers of weed and feed products claim they kill as many as 175 weeds, including dandelions, clover, chickweed, knotweed, thistle and many broadleaf weeds. These products also encourage grass greening and can extend nitrogen feeding.
Some combination products target crabgrass. To avoid fertilizing done too early but still manage crabgrass, purchase a product only meant for crabgrass control. Pre-emergent herbicides must go on before crabgrass seeds germinate. Not everyone needs crabgrass control, however. Thick lawns reduce light penetration to the soil surface, shading crabgrass seeds and preventing their germination.
To be effective, granules of weed-and-feed products must stick to the leaves of the weeds. That step requires moisture. The perfect time to apply, therefore, is an early morning when theres a heavy dew on the lawn. Whether using a granular weed-and-feed or spraying a liquid broadleaf weed killer, the weeds must be well watered and actively growing for the chemical to work.
After Your First Lawn Fertilizer Application
So now you know about the first treatment, but are wondering how often to fertilize lawn areas throughout the rest of the year?
After your first application, you want to apply another round of fertilizer 6 to 8 weeks later and repeat that two more times with 6 to 8 weeks in between.
Try to schedule your applications so you apply ahead of the hottest part of summer to give your lawn the necessary boost.
For an established lawn, youll fertilize 4 times each season, though that is based on some important assumptions. If your grass is damaged and youre growing it fresh, your lawn will require more treatments until its established.
This is also true if your lawn has a species of grass that isnt native to your climate, like in areas that are more hostile to grasses. Alternatively, the opposite is also true. Fertilizing regularly is most necessary when trying to keep alive grasses that arent native to your area.
Its very likely you can get away with only fertilizing 1 to 2 times per year if the grass in your lawn is native. A healthy lawn can get by with fertilizing in the spring, and maybe again In the fall to keep it strong through the off-season.
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Begin The Fertilizing Cycle Again
When you buy fertilizer, take note of how long the feed lasts. There are slow- and quick-release fertilizers and these differ in how long they take effect for. Slow-release fertilizers tend to be effective for three to four months quick-release ones last for a month or so. So, make a note in your diary of when to begin the process again.
Fertilizing At The Wrong Time
“Many homeowners don’t follow a lawn fertilizer schedule. They fertilize when they think their lawn needs it, when they have time or when the stuff is on sale.
Here’s when to fertilize lawn: If your lawn fertilizer schedule is once per year, apply it around Labor Day. Thats when your lawn is the hungriest and when it will respond best to the nutrients it receives. Fertilizing at this time will help replenish food reserves after a long, stressful year of growing and before the harshness of winter sets in.
If your lawn fertilizer schedule is twice per year, apply the second application about the middle of October. This acts like a second helping of much-needed food going into winter. A third application can be added in mid to late spring and can be combined with your crabgrass preventer. A fourth application, if you feel the need, can be added mid-summer. Watch the weather when applying midsummer fertilizers. Fertilizing during hot, humid weather can harm your lawn. An exception would be using an organic fertilizer. They are much more lawn friendly during the dog days of summer.
In the spring, apply just enough fertilizer to help green up your lawn. About half the normal amount will do. Even without fertilizer, your lawn naturally grows quickly as soon as temperatures become consistently higher. Have you ever noticed that grass grows fastest in the late spring and early summer? Why promote even more growth at this time by fertilizing?
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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.
When Should You Fertilize Your Lawn
Apr 8, 2021 |
Fertilizing the lawn is a great way to improve its quality and is one component of turfgrass maintenance required to have a thick, lush stand of turf. How much fertilizer to use depends on the turf species. Bermudagrass has a high nitrogen requirement, and if it doesnt receive enough nitrogen, it can become thin and weedy. Centipedegrass has a low nitrogen requirement, and too much fertilizer will lead to turf decline and possibly disease.
Knowing when to apply fertilizer is just as important as using the proper amount. Warm-season grasses are just beginning to green up in South Carolina. It usually only takes a few days in the mid-seventies to see green blades popping up in warm-season lawns. The grass is coming out of winter dormancy, but fertilizing too early can be harmful.
Zoysia lawn in green-up stage on April 1, 2021 in Columbia, SC. Jackie Jordan ©2021, Clemson Extension
Warm-season grasses, like centipedegrass, bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass, and zoysiagrass actively grow and thrive when air temperatures are between 75 and 95 ºF. New shoots will begin to emerge once soil temperatures reach 65 ºF at a 4-inch depth. The energy for this new growth comes from carbohydrates that are stored in the crowns, rhizomes, and stolons of the grass. Warm-season turfgrass roots die back in late winter and also need to regrow during spring green-up.
If this document didnt answer your questions, please contact HGIC at or 1-888-656-9988.
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