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How To Measure Your Lawn For Fertilizer

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To Determine How Much Fertilizer To Apply To Your Lawn

Measuring Your Yard For Fertilizer Application Using A Tape Measure
  • Measure the area of your lawn in square feet. Measure your lawn with a tape measure or use an online tool such as the .
  • Determine the recommended rate of Nitrogen. Nitrogen recommendations are usually given in lbs/1000 sq. ft. and made for the grass type being grown. There are some general recommendations in the ‘grass types‘ section of this website. I also recommend checking with your state’s extension service for nitrogen fertilizer rates. Please contact me if you need help determining an appropriate nitrogen fertilizer rate. Phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients recommendations are based on soil tests.
  • Choose the fertilizer product that you would like to use and look for the fertilizer analysis on the label. The Fertilizer Analysis is the three numbers on the label and it indicates the percent by weight of nitrogen, phosphate , and potash in the fertilizer. This information is required to be on every fertilizer label.
  • Read more about choosing the best lawn fertilizer.

    How To Measure Your Circle Lawn

    Its back to school for this one, folks. For circular shaped lawns we have an easy formula to follow to get the area of your lawn you might remember it from your maths class days its called Pi! . You can calculate Pi by finding either the radius or diameter or your circular lawn. For a quick classroom recap, the diameter is the width of the circle, and the radius is half the width of the circle.

    How Often Should You Fertilize Your Yard

    How often you want to fertilize is up to you. Your grass type is also a factor, but twice per year is standard for most grass types.

    If you want to fertilize twice per year:

    Cool Season Grass: perennial ryegrass, fescue, Kentucky bluegrass Warm Season Grass: St. Augustine, centipede, bahia, bermuda
    Apply a heavier application in the fall Late spring, about two weeks after it starts to green
    Apply a lighter application in early spring Late summer, once temperatures begin to decline

    If you want to fertilize throughout the season, a general recommendation is to start in the spring and continue every four to eight weeks for a total of four to six fertilizer applications.

    If you want local advice, check with your county Extension agent or go to your stateâs Extension Office website to find lawn fertilizer schedules such as these lawn calendars for Georgia. Lawn calendars advise when to put down the first application in the spring and how long to continue based on your climate and grass.

    Lawn calendars give fertilizer recommendations as well, which is helpful if you havenât done a soil test.

    Most lawn calendars recommend waiting until the soil temperature reaches a certain level before you start applying fertilizer in the spring. Use a soil thermometer or plug in your address to a soil temperature map to determine how hot or cold your soil is.

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    Choose Your Strategy For Measuring

  • You can do this the old fashioned way, which is to break out a long tape, a measuring wheel, or, even in the case that Im doing here, a twenty-five foot tape measure, and literally measure each area out in the lawn, record it here on your map, and come back in and do your calculations.
  • Or, the easier way and probably the more modern way, is to use online tools, like you see here, that are going to allow you to do something very similar by outlining areas of the lawn and then theyll give you the area automatically calculated. In the end, what you should have is a nice, sectioned map that tells you how big each area of your lawn is, and then a total square footage at the end. Keep in mind that rounding up or down to the nearest one-hundred is just fine. And now that you have a proper map with measurements of each area of your lawn and a total, you should feel more confident in applying lawn applications knowing that your better following the labelled rates.
  • Additionally, knowing your lawn size can help you choose the right lawn mower for your situation. Do you need a smaller deck? Or a wider one thats going to cut more area a lot quicker? For me, of course, the more I get to mow, the better.

    For Toro, Im Allyn Hane, The Lawn Care Nut. As always, thanks for watching and Ill see you in the lawn.

    How To Measure Your Irregularly Shaped Lawn

    FS839: How to Calculate the Amount of Fertilizer Needed ...

    So, your garden is a bit of a tricky shape. It can be difficult to find the exact area of an irregularly shaped garden but it can also be done! As a guide we recommend you firstly divide your irregularly shaped lawn into sections of regular shapes, for example, circle, square and triangle. These will be more manageable sections which are easier to measure. See the below image for an example of how to measure an irregularly shaped lawn by using the circle and rectangle formulas.

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    How To Find Your Soils Ph Level

    Even if proper nutrients are present within the soil, some ingredients cant be absorbed by plants if the pH level is too high or too low. Most plants should have a soil level between 6.0 and 7.0. As previously mentioned, a soil test will measure the condition of your lawn, including the pH level.

    You can send your soil to a lab to be professionally tested or quickly implement DIY tests at home. Keep in mind that if your pH level is especially low or high, you should slowly work on adjusting it over the course of a year or two. Dramatic, quick adjustments can result in the opposite extreme, creating more problems than it solves.

    Test The Calculation To Get The Actual Measurement:

    You should not apply the above-measured fertilizer directly on your lawn. You have to calculate how many passes it may require to feed your lawn properly, especially for the rotary spreader since it spreads instead of dropping on a location. You need to test some of the measurements to get a clear idea of how much you need to apply.

    To perform the test,

  • Move on a paved large area and select a strip of 10 feet long and 20 feet wide.
  • Set the starting point and endpoint.
  • Close the flow lever and adjust the gauge to adjust the hole size. Pour 0.2lbs of the above fertilizer in the hopper .
  • Move the spreader forward at your average walking speed from the starting point and stop at the endpoint.
  • Close the lever before you make the stop.
  • Now measure how far from the center point the fertilizer granules have been dispersed.
  • Accumulate the fertilizer granules and measure the weight.
  • Suppose you have got approximately 2 feet wide spray and the weight is 0.1 lbs. Suppose your lawn is 50 feet long and 40 feet wide. Then, if you want to cover along the length, you need to make 24 full paces maintaining 1 feet distance from the 2 borders.

    The measurement is to give you a clear idea about the application by rotary spreader. The amount may vary if you want to increase the spread which will decrease the passing number and the speed you are maintaining.

    A slower speed means lower spread in a small area but higher speed means higher spread in a large area.

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    How Much Fertilizer Should I Use

    In order to determine the right amount of fertilizer to apply, you first have to measure the area of ??the soil to fertilize. Fertilizer recommendations will vary depending on the amount of nitrogen a lawn needs per year, the type of turf and the area. Different types of herbs need different amounts of nitrogen to stay vigorous and healthy.

    In Quebec, as a general rule, it is recommended applying about 1.25 kg of nitrogen and 1.25 kg of potassium per 100 m2. Therefore, you just have to calculate the area of ??your land to determine the amount of fertilizer to apply. It is very important to pay attention to the over-fertilization because it can damage your lawn and make it more vulnerable to pests .

    If you have any doubts about the amount of fertilizer to use, do not hesitate to contact us and we will be pleased to give you an estimate.

    Granular Fertilizer For Gardens

    Measuring Your Lawn

    Granular fertilizer is a type of fertilizer that comes in a dry, pellet-like form. Gardeners can blend it with soil to provide nutrients. Granular grass fertilizer is best for preparing the soil before planting or nourishing existing plants.

    The significant advantage to using a granular fertilizer is that it allows vital ingredients to flow out over time, rather than over-flooding plants with too much at once. However, youre more likely to lose out on nutrients due to heavy rainfall or poor drainage conditions. It can also be more challenging to manage in a garden or large lawn because it needs to be applied to plants with care to avoid damage.

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    Select The Type Of Spreader

    Two types of spreaders are available in the market. One is rotary or broadcasting and the other is a drop spreader. Drop spreader drops fertilizers in a row at an even width . The type is handy for smaller lawns and makes several passes to complete even a small region than a rotary one.

    The broadcasting spreader spreads fertilizers in a radius depending on the movement speed and size of the hopper holes. Best for larger lawns and reduces the passes to cover a lawn. Calibrating a drop spreader is much easier than a rotary spreader.

    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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    When Should I Fertilize My Lawn

    The best time to apply fertilizer depends partly on your climate, but especially on the type of turf you have. It is recommended fertilizing during the season when your grass grows the most.

    In Quebec, the best growing seasons are fall and spring, since it is at these times that grasses are in full growth.

    The soil must be fertilized when actively growing since it is during this period of time that it will be best able to absorb the nutrients it needs.

    How Often Should I Fertilize My Lawn

    The 10 Best Fertilizer Spreaders for Lawns 2021

    There is no doubt that lawns need fertilizer, but mistakes are easy to make, such as applying the wrong nutrients or fertilizing at the wrong time. If you fertilize your lawn when it is not needed, you are wasting money and you could risk overfertilizing. It is better to use the services of an expert, such as Verture.

    The lawn can only absorb a certain amount of nutrients at a time. Depending on the growth cycle of the turf, fertilizers are applied several times during the year, but in small doses. In this way, the plant receives, at the right time and in sufficient quantity, the nutrients it needs without causing damage to the environment.

    If fertilization is required, the amount of annual fertilizer should be divided into three or more applications, twice in the spring and once in the fall.

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    How To Calculate The Amount Of Fertilizer Needed For Your Lawn

    • Joseph Heckman, Extension Specialist in Soil Fertility

    Fertilizer recommendations for lawns are usually given in pounds of nitrogen to be applied per 1,000 square feet. Home gardeners sometimes have difficulty converting these recommendations to the amounts needed for their selected grade of nitrogen fertilizer and their lawn size. This fact sheet provides conversion tables and examples showing you how to calculate the amount of fertilizer needed for your lawn.

    How To Measure Your Lawn For Sod

    Here’s how to measure your yard for sod. Grab a piece of paper and draw the areas to be sodded. Break up the areas into the shapes listed below. Measure the areas and write down your measurements. Now, enter your measurements into our Sod Area Calculator. Or, figure out the sq.ft. of your areas based on the equations listed below and total.

    Square or Rectangle

    To figure the area of a square or rectangle, measure the Length & Width and multiply.Length x Width = Area12 x 24 = 288 sq.ft.

    Right Triangle

    A Right Triangle has one 90º corner. To figure the area of a right triangle, multiply the two sides that contact the right angle and divide by 2Length x Width / 2 = Area12 x 24 = 288 ÷ 2 = 144 sq.ft.

    Circle, 1/2 Circle, 1/4 Circle

    To figure the area of a circle, take the radius times the radius, then multiply by 3.14. Radius is a straight line from the center of a circle to the outside of the circle. x 3.14 = Area6 x 6 = 36 x 3.14 = 113 sq.ft.Half Circle divide by 26 x 6 = 36 x 3.14 = 113 / 2 = 56.5 sq.ft.Quarter Circle divide by 46 x 6 = 36 x 3.14 = 113 / 4 = 28.25 sq.ft.

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    Best Fertilizer To Thicken Grass

    Most people want to have a beautiful lawn. It is a sign that you are taking care of your property and doing the right thing! But, how did you manage to achieve it? The secret clue to getting green lawn is to find out what lawn fertilizer to thicken grass is best for your lawn and when to apply it.

    Do you want your home or garden plants to grow healthier? How about a smooth harvest without a hitch? Use the best types of foliar fertilizers below!

    As the name suggests, foliar fertilizer is a type of fertilizer that is applied to the leaves where the mouth or stomata are located.

    Cool Season Vs Warm Season Grass

    How To Measure Your Lawn

    Warm season grasses thrive in warm-weather regions, such as the southern United States. It’s best to feed warm season grasses in warm weather as they grow most actively during the heat of summer.

    Popular warm season grasses include:

    • St. Augustine: Broad dark green blades with a rounded tip
    • Zoysia: Prickly, stiff and narrow blades form a carpet-like lawn
    • Centipede: Pointed blades with a notch that grows to be dense and soft

    Cool season grasses do best where there are extreme temperature fluctuations, such as those in the North, Northeast and Pacific Northwest.

    In the North, where cool-season grass types are popular, lawns need to be fed four times a year with each feeding six to eight weeks apart. If your lawn is still green and actively growing in the summer, you can continue to feed it throughout the summer months at the same rate. However, if your grass turns brown during summer heat and drought, temporarily stop feeding until it starts to grow and turn green again in the early fall.

    Popular cool seaon grasses include:

    • Kentucky Bluegrass: V-shaped with pointed blades, dark green and soft
    • Perennial Ryegrass: Pointed blades with visible veins
    • Tall Fescue: Dark green, coarse, wide pointed blades with visible veins

    Make your lawn fertilizer project easier, with the right products and tools. Find what you need. Use The Home Depot Mobile App to locate products and check inventory. We’ll take you to the exact aisle and bay.

    Tools

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    What Are Those Numbers At The Bottom Of The Fertilizer Bag

    If you see something like â10-10-10,â these are the NPK values, or Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium values, in the mix. So, this bag has 10% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus, and 10% potassium, along with other nutrients.

    If youâre considering fertilizing your lawn, know that granular and liquid fertilizers work equally well, but most experts recommend a granular type with quick- and slow-release fertilizers. This allows for a fast green-up and then a steady, continual release over several weeks.

    Liquid fertilizers are more often used to supplement granular varieties throughout the growing season. Most liquid fertilizers come with a hose attachment for ease of application. These foliar applications give a short-term boost and are not recommended as a standalone fertilizer.

    When Should You Fertilize Your Lawn

    When it comes to fertilizing your lawn, timing is everything. The answer to the âwhenâ question depends on where you live, but there is one general rule: Donât feed the lawn during periods of dormancy.

    If you live in the northern part of the country, you have cool season grass. If you live in the southern part of the country, you have warm season grass. If you live in the mid-Atlantic region, you may have either type of grass.

    Whatâs the difference between these grasses? Warm season grasses have one growth period, which peaks in summer. Cool season grasses have a growth period in the spring and another, smaller growth phase in the fall.

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    Calculating Pounds Per 1000 Square Feet

    To calculate how many pounds of fertilizer to put down, you first need to read on the fertilizer bag how many square feet the fertilizer will cover.

    For example: you have purchased a bag of fertilizer that states it will cover 15,000 square feet and weighs 46.56 pounds. To figure coverage simply divide the bag weight by the suggested coverage to get how many pounds per square feet. This example would be 46.56 / 15,000 = .003104 pounds per square feet. To convert up to 1,000 square feet simply multiply .003104 by 1,000 to equal 3.104 pounds.

    CAUTION: These settings are intended for reference only. As there are many variables involved with setting any spreader including the physical composition of the material being applied, walking speed, and terrain settings may have to be adjusted.

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