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How Often To Put Fertilizer On Lawn

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Why Fertilise Your Lawn

How Often Should I Fertilize The Lawn – Quick Tips

Grass in the countryside seems to get along quite well without the need for chemical assistance. In the wild, grass blades find their own height and hold onto the sugars produced through photosynthesis. These sugars nourish the plant, making it strong and resistant to disease.

But we mow a domestic lawn. And this leads to a loss of the sugars the grass plant needs to thrive.

Think about it:

  • The grass plant extracts minerals from the soil to thrive
  • The glass blades produce sugars with the help of light, carbon dioxide, and water
  • The grass grows, storing the sugars in the leaves
  • We cut it, depleting the plant of its nutrients
  • The plant extracts more minerals from the soil

Basically, by mowing our grass, were stripping the plant of its sugars, meaning it needs to extract more nutrients from the soil to reproduce the sugars it needs. However, in the wild, theres a balance between the blades longevity and the soil nutrients. In gardens, we force the plant to strip the soil.

This process impoverishes your soil. By fertilising, you replenish those essential nutrients.

Picking The Right Fertilizer

Picking the right fertilizer depends on your lawn type and your end goal is. If you want to make your lawn greener and healthier, a product like The Andersons 16-0-8 Fertilizer with Humic DG is great for you. It contains methylene-urea that will give your lawn an even feed over eight to 10 weeks. Its also safe for pets.

Understanding Whats In Your Lawn Fertilizer

When choosing a fertilizer, youll need a basic understanding of the fertilizers NPK rating.

NPK rating is the fertilizers levels of:

  • Phosphorous, and

For a standard lawn, a good choice for your first application of the season is around a 20-5-10 NPK rating.

That means the fertilizer is comprised of 20% nitrogen, 5% phosphorous, and 10% potassium. Those three are the primary nutrients for grass, similar to how people need a proper balance of macro nutrients to thrive.

  • Nitrogen makes your lawn grow and green quickly, and its essential throughout the season.
  • Phosphorous promotes healthy root development. Thats why its recommended to apply high phosphorous fertilizers early in the season to help your grass develop strong roots early. If you water regularly and well, your lawns roots will be able to withstand drought and dryness in the hottest part of summer. However, Phosphorous in high concentrations is bad for the environment, so more places are regulating the allowed amounts or banning it altogether.
  • Potassium promotes overall grass growth for a healthy, balanced lawn.

Synthetic fertilizers are more potent and have higher NPK ratings, while organic fertilizers have lower ratings.

The higher potency of synthetic fertilizers is why they have more immediate results in making your grass green. However, thats also why they are unsustainable.

Synthetic fertilizers inhibit your lawns ability to fend for itself, since the fertilizer replaces its natural processes.

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How Often Should I Fertilize A New Lawn

Dont fertilize a new lawn until the grass is actively growing and you have mowed the lawn at least three times. Then use a fertilizer that will promote strong roots without a surge in grass growth while keeping the lawn weeds at bay.

For U.S. based gardeners, fertilize your lawn with Scotts Turf Builder Starter Food for New Grass Plus Weed Preventer .

U.K. gardeners should use a lawn fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro EverGreen Premium Plus Weed Control Lawn .

These fertilizers will slowly release nutrients into the lawn. You will only need to apply these once every 12 weeks while the lawn becomes established.

Its also worth mentioning that if you apply a crabgrass preemergent fertilizer or a regular weed and feed, ensure that you have waited four weeks before sowing your new grass seed.

Organic Fertiliser Versus Artificial/mineral Fertiliser

How to Use Fertilizer in Your Garden

Organic fertilisers are made from decomposed materials that were once alive thats plant life before you call the Vegan Police on us.

Compost is decomposed fallen matter thats fallen leaves, branches, and food waste that you pile into your compost heap. Compost contains similar nutrients that you find in manufactured fertiliser, but it has been stored within the fallen organic matter.

Organic fertilisers contain beneficial microbes which help improve the soil, making it easier to work. However, organic fertilisers are often more expensive if you buy them in packs theyre less concentrated, meaning they contain fewer nutrients by volume than inorganic feeds.

Inorganic fertilisers are incredibly effective because theyre manufactured to precise levels of mineral composition. Manufactured fertilisers tend to work more quickly, with longer-lasting results.

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Synthetic Fertilisers For Your Lawn

Synthetic fertilisers were first used in the 19th century and have resulted in some fairly wide-reaching environmental consequences, including contributing to global warming. However, were talking on an industrial scale here the impact of fertilising your lawn will have minimal impact.

Of course, theres always organic fertilisers such as homemade compost and leafmould. But for your lawn, theres a range of low-impact fertilisers that produce outstanding results for greener, lusher grass.

The Best Time To Fertilize Your Lawn In Winter

The best time to fertilize your lawn in winter is before the first frost. This gives the fertilizer ample time to seep into the roots of the grass, providing much-needed nutrients that will help the grass survive the colder months.

During the winter, grass goes into a dormant state, so choosing a low-phosphorus fertilizer is essential.

Phosphorus helps to build strong roots, which are essential for a healthy lawn, but during the dormant state, you dont want to activate the growth process, so low phosphorus is critical.

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The Best Time Of Year To Fertilise Your Lawn

Early spring Spring Boost fertiliser gives your lawn everything it needs as it awakens after winter hibernation. A high nitrogen level helps kickstart growth and return a deep green colour the added bonus of Magnesium Oxide boosts photosynthesis, restoring your grass after the winter months.

Avoid applying spring fertiliser too early it stresses the grass plants. Wait until your daffodils have emerged thats a good indicator that your lawn is ready for its first feed of the year!

Spring You shouldnt over-fertilise, so if you already fed your lawn in February, then you dont need this second feeding. But if you didnt fertilise in Feb, then feed between March and April.

Mid-Summer Your lawn experiences its most intensive use during the summer, so an optional additional feed in July could help improve resilience and deepen the green colour while the weather is at its hottest. Leave it 10-12 weeks after your spring feed. A slow-release fertiliser is good at this time of year try MOOWYs Long Lasting Lawn Fertiliser. This feed will protect your lawn from heat and minimise growth, so you wont need to mow as often.

Autumn What for the weather to turn autumnal. It felt like autumn was quite late in 2021, so go with October if its still unseasonably warm. Your autumn feeding helps your lawn recover from the heavy use and drier summer weather, preparing it for the harsher winter. While mid-summer is an optional feed, dont miss the autumnal fertilisation.

How Often Should You Fertilize Your Lawn And When To Do It

How Often Should I Fertilize My Lawn?

How often should you fertilize your lawn for the best results? Here’s the answer

If youve ever asked yourself how often should you fertilize your lawn, youre not alone. In fact, many keen gardeners and landscapers alike ponder this how much is too much and is it possible to over-fertilize your lawn? While fertilizer contains many beneficial nutrients for your grass, applying too much can actually do more harm than good. Not to mention this habit can get expensive. But, apply too little and your grass wont have the best chance of growth, so striking a balance between the two is important.

Here, we will look into how often you should apply fertilizer as well as when to do it to get the best results. We will consider the consequences of using too much, as well as the best method of application. That means you can rest assured that your grass is getting exactly what it needs to thrive. So, how often should you fertilize your lawn? Heres the answer.

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What Types Of Fertiliser Should You Use

There are many different types of fertiliser on offer. Most lawn fertilisers will contain nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus as base ingredients but can contain other trace element nutrients that can be beneficial for lawns. You need to be careful not to buy cheap fertilisers that contain too much nitrogen. Having too much nitrogen in a fertiliser will very quickly improve the quality of your lawn but will not hold up in the long term. Generally you can buy fertilisers in granular or liquid forms and options are available for different soil types . Wiltshire based lawn care provider, Lawntech, recommends their own mix of granular fertiliser that includes a blend of nutrients including iron, magnesium and pure hydrated manure. A professional lawn care technician will be able to identify the right proportion of active ingredients needed for the time of year and type of lawn.

What Happens If You Over

Whatever you do, dont throw caution to wind and fertilize your lawn just because you can. When using synthetic fertilizers, over-fertilization can actually do more damage than if you didnt fertilize at all. Greensphere explains that too much fertilizer will cause a growth spurt which the root system of your lawn just cant keep up with that means your grass will struggle to take in the water and nutrients it requires.

Over-fertilization will also increase the nitrogen and salt levels in the soil to the point where it can kill the grass. The result is yellowing patches of dead grass across your lawn, aka fertilizer burn. If youre guilty of over-fertilizing and the damage is already done, you will need to give your lawn time for the soil levels to recover. But, there are steps you can take to help things along.

According to The Spruce , you should first remove any excess fertilizer as soon as possible and distribute what remains across your lawn. Then saturate your yard with water to dilute it apply about an inch a day for a week, or until you see your grass is recovering. Any areas of dead grass will also need reseeding once the soil has regained its levels you can use a soil test kit to keep an eye on its progress during this time. Check our guide on how to plant grass seed for more details on this.

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Determining The Type And Amount Of Fertilizer For Your New Grass

Since the fertilizer you choose should be based on soil makeup and growth area, start by learning those two things.

Measure the square footage of the new grass youre trying to grow in order to determine how much fertilizer you need to purchase. Then get a soil test done to learn which nutrients are present in your soil and which ones youre lacking.

Having a soil test done may sound complicated, scary, expensive or all three, but its actually really easy. In most areas, there are a number of options available to you. Texas A& M even allows you to send in soil samples and get results back!

Once you know the makeup of your soil, you can determine which fertilizer ratio is best for your lawn. Many homeowners discover that their lawns already contain enough phosphorous and potassium and opt for nitrogen-only fertilizer.

If you do use phosphorous, be careful. Phosphorous levels can easily build up too much in soil, resulting in runoff that ends up in surface waters. This is bad for the environment because it can harm fish habitats and increase algal blooms.

Some homeowners are also looking for advice on choosing an eco-friendly fertilizer for your lawn. As more options become available, organic fertilizers have grown in popularity as individuals are working to find a balance between growing and maintaining a healthy lawn and minimizing the use of chemical products on their property.

When To Apply Winter Fertilizer

When Should I Fertilize My Lawn?

Learn the best time to fertilize your lawn in winter

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Although you may not give much thought to your lawn during the winter months, fertilizer is one of the most important things you can do to ensure a green, healthy lawn come spring.

But with many products available, it can be tricky knowing when and how to fertilize your lawn during winter.

Winter fertilizer is a fertilizer applied in late fall after the grass has gone dormant for the winter. The primary purpose of winter fertilizer is to give the grass a boost of nutrients that will help it survive the winter and green up quickly in the spring.

Heres a quick guide to help you out on when to apply winter fertilizer and the other factors you need to think about to keep your lawn looking lush.

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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.

When Is The Best Time To Fertilize A Lawn

The best time to fertilize a lawn for the first time is usually in March or April. If you live in a warmer climate, applying your preferred product in February could be appropriate. ]

Its usually better to water your lawn a few days before applying the fertilizer. It can be from natural rainfall or your sprinkler system.

When you apply the correct fertilizer, the lawn receives the extra nutrients it needs to prevent crabgrass and other weeds from growing. Youll receive a thick, lush carpet that feels soft to the feet with this work.

Although fertilizer provides several benefits, you can overdo it with too much. Extra nitrogen can even burn the grass, creating yellow spots and dead areas. ]

A complete feeding with fertilizer is typically recommended about five or six times per year. The best time to add your preferred product is when it is in a rapid growth cycle.

Warm-season grasses typically need to have fertilizer applied about every six to eight weeks. If you have a cool-season variety, you can have the first application occur in the late spring, but only if necessary.

If your grass looks thick and green, it might not need any extra fertilizer. When it starts looking brown, itll be the right time to give your lawn some extra love.

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Fertilising Your Lawn To Overcome The Vicious Circle

We mow our lawns because it looks neater, but it also helps our grass plants absorb more light. When the grass is long, only the blade tips have direct access to light, which means that the sun is exposed to a relatively small surface area in comparison to the overall length of the blade.

However, by mowing, more of the grass plant is exposed to the light and thats good.

But, of course, theres a pay-off: the vicious circle of growing and mowing.

Remember:

Grass is a plant. It needs to recover from the damage of intensive use and regular mowing.

Does It Matter What Time Of Day You Fertilize Your Grass

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Time of day doesnt matter. But what does matter is the temperature. If its above 90 degrees, then avoid fertilizing. This is because you could burn your lawn the hotter it is outside, the faster things will move through the soil.

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How Regularly Should You Fertilize Your Lawn

Related Articles

There’s no doubt that lawns need fertilizer, but it’s easy to make mistakes, like applying the wrong nutrients or fertilizing at the wrong time. If you fertilize your lawn when it doesn’t need it, you’re essentially throwing money away, so it’s essential to apply fertilizers at the right time, and use no more than necessary.

Getting The Great Lawn Youve Been Wishing For

The decisions that you make for your lawn are important. As we mentioned early on, the timing of those decisions is also critical to your success. Proper fertilization and proper watering are two services that can play a huge role in your overall results, assuming that theyre performed properly.If youre currently performing DIY lawn care or using a lawn care professional but not seeing the results that you desire, then you might be looking to choose a different lawn care company in Memphis, TN or Northern Mississippi. After all, if you are investing in professional lawn care, you deserve to get the results youre wishing for.At Master Lawn, we believe that a healthy lawn is a team effort. While we will be performing professional fertilization services, were here to support you with your watering needs. That includes any watering questions that you might have. We can also connect you with our sister company if you prefer to take that work off of your plate and have a professional irrigation system installed. At the end of the day, we want to help you see your lawn succeed. You can count on us to be here for whatever you may need in making your healthy lawn wishes come true.If youre ready to work with a lawn care company in Memphis, TN and Northern Mississippi that will be there to provide you with guidance on any lawn care issues that arise, talk to a lawn care expert, choose from 3 program options, and become the master of your lawn.

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