How To Spread Lawn Fertilizer

Best Time Of Day To Fertilize Lawn With Liquid Fertilizer

If you want to be able to apply fertilizer to damp grass, you will need to go with a liquid fertilizer like those made by Simple Lawn Solutions . Make sure to read the product instructions before application, but you should be able to use it following light rain.

In some cases, the moisture in the grass will actually help the liquid fertilizer disperse more effectively through your lawn. You still shouldnt apply this fertilizer after heavy rains, however. This is especially true if you have a soil type, such as clay, that takes a long time to drain.

The fertilizer could end up staying on the surface of your lawn for too long. Damage can even result from this.

When I apply liquid fertilizer I like to apply it, allow it to sit on the leaves of the grass for a bit, then follow with a light watering to wash it off the leaves and down into the soil.

How To Aerate Your Lawn

Lawn aeration encourages deep roots, resulting in a healthy lawn. Learn how to give your grass a breath of fresh air with these aerating tips.

If you plan to aerate your lawn, follow up that task with fertilizing. Lawns benefit from soil aeration, which creates literal holes in soil and exposes the root zone of grass plants. These holes allow water, fertilizer and air direct access to grass roots. For the best aeration, use a core aerator that pulls actual plugs of soil from the lawn . If you rent this machine, know that it’s heavy and requires a strong pair of arms to handle it. Many riding mowers also have core aerator attachments. In small grassy areas, plunging a digging fork into soil accomplishes the task quickly and inexpensively. Aerate whenever the thatch layer is more than one-half-inch thick.

Water Your Lawn Thoroughly

After the trimming, allow your sprinklers to go crazy during this time. Allow the soil to soak up all the water it can, this is a crucial step to prepare for the incoming nutrients from the fertilizer. Water and fertilizer is the combination that will result in a healthy plant growth. If there are some edges which cant be reached by the sprinklers, then get a hose or a bucket filled with water and make sure to wet all of it.

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Best Time To Fertilize Your Lawn

Spring means more daylight and warmer temperatures. After a cold winter, this is the weather your grass is craving. If youre unsure of exactly when to lay down your first feeding, you can base it off of the temperature. Ideally, the ground should be around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending on where you live, March to April is the best time to fertilize your lawn. Its also best if your yard is watered a few days before you want to apply the fertilizer, whether thats from rain or a sprinkler.

Fertilizer provides your grass with extra nutrients that help to prevent crabgrass and allow it to grow green and thick. To ensure youre laying the feed correctly, start around the perimeter of your lawn. Then, you can start filling in the middle. Similar to mowing your yard, you should go back and forth in straight lines. And you should always use a lawn spreader instead of your hands to complete the job.

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.

Recap: Lawn Fertilizer Dos And Don’ts

• Use test results to choose the right fertilizer.
• Spend time accurately measuring the size of your lawn.
• Try an organic during the hot summer months.
• Buy a quality spreader that best fits your needs.
• Accurately calibrate your spreader to make sure you apply the right amount.
• Keep your spreader well maintained.
• Keep records of what and how much you apply and when you apply it.

Dont:

• Test your soil after you have fertilized.
• Guess on how much fertilizer you need and what setting you use.
• Apply fertilizer in hot, humid weather.
• Apply fertilizer near water features, on hard surfaces or on frozen ground.
• Use phosphorus unless your soil test indicates a deficiency.
• Apply more than four times a year.
• Use liquid fertilizers on your lawn.
• Use a drop spreader in big lawns.
• Bag your clippings.

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Debating The Use Of Fertilizer On The Lawn

Whether or not you should use fertilizer on a lawn depends on where you stand on organic or low impact-to-chemical gardening practices. Organic gardeners avoid the use of any chemical products as lawn fertilizers. The main concern is the fertilizer run-off can enter the local water supply. There is good evidence that shows phosphorus and nitrogen from lawn and agricultural fertilizers are contaminating streams, rivers, and groundwater supplies, creating a pressing environmental problem.

What Fertilizer To Use In The Fall

The answer here depends on local ordinances or state laws. Some states do not allow the use of lawn fertilizers that contain phosphorus . Even though phosphorus is critical for root growth during seed and sod establishment and in the fall to assist in root redevelopment, many soils naturally contain phosphorus so its not necessary to apply more.

If you live in a phosphorus-free community, use fertilizers containing readily available nitrogen sources and a fertilizer higher in potassium . This will properly feed your lawn going into winter. Good numbers would be 24-0-12 or 21-0-21.

If you live in a municipality or state where fertilizers containing phosphorus are allowed, this can add another layer of plant health protection to prepare your lawn for a harsh winter. A good example would be 24-5-10 or 20-5-20. A lawn starter fertilizer, such as a 14-14-14 or 12-24-12 would also work.

Liquid or soluble fertilizers containing similar NPK ratios can also be used. However, understand that recommended application rates of sprayable lawn fertilizers will deliver fewer nutrients per application compared to granular products. But, using a hose-end sprayer to apply a fall fertilizer is still an acceptable method of application. You may have to apply two applications a couple of weeks apart to realize its full benefit.

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How Many Times A Week Should You Water Your Lawn

You need to water at least once a week for at least an hour, this generally provides 1-1.5 of water to the roots .New Seeding Watering: Seed must be kept moist until established. This will be influenced by the amount of sun, wind and heat you are experiencing in your particular area. It is normal to require 3-4 short waterings per day to maintain a moist seedbed. Use a light stream of water to lessen disturbance of the seedbed.

The Saying Goes The Grass Is Always Greener On The Other Side

This is of course because the other side knows the best time to use fertilizer: before or after it rains?

It matters that your lawn is well-cared for and not just because it helps your grass look nice in healthy: grass generates oxygen to improve the quality of the surrounding air and it can help reduce ground heat up to 20 or even 30 degrees.

Knowing the frequency and conditions that fertilizer should be best used is important for good lawn care.

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How To Spread Overlap Fertilizer On A Lawn

• How to Fertilize a Hillside

Using the correct methods to spread fertilizer is the first step to building a vibrant, green lawn. Spreading overlapping applications of dry fertilizer by using a broadcast or drop spreader allows you to spread fertilizer over your lawn accurately and evenly. Using only the amount of fertilizer your lawn needs and properly applying it can prevent damage from fertilizer burn, reduces pollution and can save you money.

References

Tips

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Fertilize Your Lawn The Old

When spreading fertilizer by hand, you can do a few things to make the job easier. First, try to time your work for when the wind is calm. This will help reduce the amount of dust created during the application. You should also wear gloves and a mask to protect your hands and lungs from the fertilizer dust. Finally, be sure to take breaks often and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Fertilizing your lawn can be a dirty job, but following these tips will help make it a little bit easier.

Using a hand spreader is the most efficient way to fertilize your lawn.

• It will ensure even coverage and avoid any potential damage to your grass.
• When using a hand spreader, always start at the corner of your yard and work your way inward.
• Be sure to keep the fertilizer moving in a consistent motion to distribute it evenly.
• If you have a large yard, it may be helpful to break it up into smaller sections and complete each one separately.
• Finish by raking over the area to help settle the fertilizer and smooth out the ground.

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Using A Broadcast Or Rotary Spreader

A broadcast or rotary spreader works well when you’re fertilizing larger lawn areas. Before filling the hopper, make sure it’s closed. It’s a good idea to fill it on a tarp, so you can easily gather any spilled fertilizer. Apply fertilizer around the perimeter of the lawn first, and then start to move back and forth across turf in an orderly pattern. Overlap application strips slightly to ensure that you cover the whole lawn evenly with fertilizer.

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. Use a starter fertilizer with quick-release nitrogen since that will give the seeds a nutritional boost. When you make fertilizer a part of the seeding process, your grass will grow quicker and is more likely to end up healthy and lush.

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Using A Handheld Broadcast Spreader

A handheld broadcast spreader works well for fertilizing small lawn areas. Walk evenly and slowly, and be sure to overlap distribution patterns slightly with each pass. A small spreader like this also works really well when you have shady areas in your lawn that require a different fertilizer rate than the sunny sections. Some fertilizers combine an herbicide with the lawn food. These products are sold as weed-and-feed lawn care products and are applied using a lawn spreader.

Calculate How Much Fertilizer Would Be Needing

Take your lawn area and determine how many bags youll need to spread the fertilizer in two passes. If your soil test results have been released, check which minerals should you be adding to your soil and focus on those when buying fertilizer. Nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium are the usual nutrients youll be seeking.

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When To Fertilizer Your Lawn In The Fall

The best time to apply your last fertilizer application is between August 15 and October 1. Ideally, your last lawn feeding should take place six to eight weeks before the average first frost in your area. So, if this date is Oct 10, like it is in Minneapolis/St. Paul, you should target August 15 to September 1 as your last application. If you live in Des Moines where the average first hard frost is October 27, then youd want to target your last fertilizer application six to eight weeks earlier, or between September 1 and Sept 15.

Planning fall fertilizer applications around average frost dates gives your lawn plenty of time to absorb all of the nutrients before it enters its dormant stage. Theres no need or benefit to carry over nutrients through the winter.

If you apply fertilizer too late, youre making your lawn stay up past its bedtime when all it wants to do is go to sleep for the year. Late fertilizing of cool-season lawn grasses will keep it actively growing when frigid weather, snow and ice usher in winter, potentially causing winter kill and disease issues next spring.

Applying Fertilizer To Your Lawn

Choosing Your Spreader

There are two types of spreaders to choose from to apply your fertilizer, broadcast spreaders and drop spreaders. Broadcast spreaders are what I call no-brainers, they are easier to use, cover a wider area with each pass helping to complete the work faster and theres less of a chance of having skips in your yards caused by not overlapping your passes properly. They also cost less than drop spreaders.

A drop spreader can enable you to apply your fertilizer in windy conditions and apply products close to sensitive plants and areas without spreading the fertilizer where you dont want it to end up. You will need to be more precise when you make your applications and it will take you more time because you will need to make more passes and you should always apply in a criss cross pattern to reduce the chance of missing any spots.

If you prefer a certain brand of lawn fertilizer I highly recommend purchasing a spreader from that same brand. That way the settings the brand recommend on the bag will match the settings on the spreader. Just one way to take some of the guess work out of getting the right amount of fertilizer on your lawn.

Setting the Spreader

Cover the perimeter of the yard first, then fill in the middle.

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Feeding The Lawn In The Summer And Fall

Warm-season grasses thrive in the heat of the summer and can be fertilized throughout the growing season. However, cool-season grasses are in a survival mode during the heat of the summer. Refrain from applying fertilizer to a lawn in mid- or late-summer if you live in a climate where cool-season grasses are in your lawn seed mix. A cool-season lawn should need nothing other than water and pest management until September.

Most lawn experts recommend a mild dose of a “turf-builder” fertilizer formulation in the early- to mid-fall, while the turf still has several weeks of active growth before dormancy. This application will help build robust root systems going into winter and restart the growing cycle in the spring. You are not looking to return your lawn to the green of summer. Heading into winter, you can expect a natural slowdown of your lawn’s growth and the loss of its green luster.

Applying Lawn Fertilizer For The Best Results

Using the best lawn fertilizer is the key to keeping your lawn green, healthy and looking perfect all year round. So how do you get that bag on the ground?

Choose the best lawn fertilizer for your goals. Do you prefer an organic mix? If you have weeds and moss your best choice could be a weed-and-feed fertilizer. Some fertilizers act quickly, while others will feed your lawn over a longer period.

Lawn fertilizer comes in two basic types, liquid or granular.

Liquid fertilizers are normally used only for small areas of lawn, but they are very useful for a quick green-up of a damaged area. They are applied using a watering-can with a rose fitted. You will need to know how much water your can holds and then follow the directions to make the correct dilution. Mix the fertilizer in the can away from the lawn as the concentrated fertilizer will burn the grass if accidently spilled on it. Follow the directions to make sure you put the correct volume of diluted fertilizer on the area of grass you have. Try to get an even amount of the mixture over the whole area.

Most lawn fertilizer come in a granular form and needs to be applied as evenly as possible over the whole lawn.

For accurate application of lawn fertilizer a spreader is best. For small areas a hand-held spreader can be used. Use a setting that lets out just a small amount and keep going over the area until you have used up the full amount needed.

For larger areas a spreader on wheels is the best choice.

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Can You Fertilizer Grass In The Rain

As long as you have a good applicator that will not be affected by the rain and the rain is light, applying fertilizer in the rain is a possibility that should have no adverse effects. However, its often best to apply fertilizer before or after the rain as this allows you to inspect the grass and soil to make sure its not too damp. Applying the right amount of water to the fertilizer is key to making the most of it.