What Kind Of Fertilizer For My Lawn

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.

How Often Should You Put Epsom Salt On Your Lawn

Some homeowners like to use Epsom salt as a natural lawn fertilizer in the spring to facilitate lush green growth. Epsom salt contains magnesium, which is key to seed germination, chlorophyll production, and improving the uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur.

To try this method, add 2 tablespoons to each gallon of water used on the lawn. If you have a sprinkler system, lightly sprinkle the salt directly atop the grass and then allow the system to water it into the sod.

How Often Should I Fertilize My Lawn

Lawn fertilization has its benefits, but your lawn can have too much of a good thing. You dont want to overdo it.

Generally, lawns should receive a full feeding five or six times per year. A grass fertilizer with nitrogen is most effective when your lawn is already growing.

There are no silver bullets for fertilization. Keep a watchful eye on how the grass is growing. Thick, green grass likely already has all the nutrients required. Its possible to skip a feeding, in this case.

If the grass is starting to look brown or black, it can still be saved, but youll need to offer some extra TLC.

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Best Fertilizer To Feed Your New Grass Seed And Protect It From Weeds

Planting grass seed in the spring can be a challenge for several reasons. Your biggest headache will be battling all those weeds that are trying to germinate at the same time as your grass seed. Weed growth is severe in the spring and it will choke out those tiny seedlings as they try to grow.

The perfect way to combat this is to use Scotts Turf Builder Starter Food For New Grass + Weed Preventer, a starter fertilizer containing mesotrione. Its one of the few pre-emergent herbicides that will prevent weed growth, including crabgrass, but still allow the new seedlings to grow unharmed.

If you need to seed your lawn in the spring, dont use a conventional fertilizer with pre-emergent herbicide. It will kill your new grass. Fertilizers containing mesotrione are the only way to go.

What Happens If I Over

Along with fertilize burn, over-fertilizing can cause damage to your turfs root structure, as well. Some fertilizers contain high levels of nitrogen, which if absorbed in large amounts can become harmful. What mainly causes the dreaded burn, however, is an abundant accumulation of soluble salts.

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The Best Times To Apply Fertilizer

Whether youre a seasoned turfgrass fanatic or a first-time lawn owner, fertilizer schedules arent always the easiest to track throughout the year. Have no fear! Were here to help you keep up with when to fertilize your lawn, what type of fertilizer to use, and even how to organically care for your lawn if conventional fertilizers arent your thing.

Know What Type Of Grass Is On Your Lawn

To fertilize your lawn properly, you need to know if you have warm or cool-season grass growing on your lawn. Which category a species of grass belongs to depends on its growing cycle. Some grasses are dormant during the fall, spring, and winter months.

These are cool-season grasses, which include:

• Tall fescue
• Perennial ryegrass
• Kentucky bluegrass

These species are most common in regions that experience large fluctuations in temperature. In the US, that means roughly the upper two-thirds of the country. In the middle, theres a transition zone where both types are common. Warm-season grasses, which grow actively during the summer and early fall, are most common in the southern half.

• Centipede grass
• Zoysia grass

Whatever overall type you have growing on your lawn, your grass is likely a blend of two or more species chosen based on whats right for your area, whether thats excessive shade, sun, or foot traffic.

So, assuming you have the right grass for your situation, you can plan your fertilizing schedule around what type of grass you have.

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When To Fertilize A Lawn

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When your lawn is looking a little shabby, you may be tempted to throw some fertilizer on it. But when, how, and at what time you fertilize your lawn requires some careful consideration.

The best time of day to fertilize a lawn is morning because that’s when the temperature is cooler and the grass is moist with dew. Heat and dryness are your enemies when fertilizing your lawn. Even without hot temperatures, applying chemical fertilizers to grass exposes it to the danger of burning. Plus fertilizer should be watered immediately into the soil, and this task is easier to perform on a lawn already moist. The exception is with “weed and feed” products, which you don’t want to water in immediately: You want the herbicidal component to maintain contact with the weeds for a period of time.

How Many Times Per Year Should I Fertilize

Short answer: about four times.

Longer answer: it depends on the fertilizer you select. Generally speaking, youll want to stick to a regimen that may differ from brand to brand. If you want to get real fancy, you can even test your soil and select the proper fertilizer for it. But there is a such thing as overfertilizing, often called nitrogen burn, where your grass turns an ugly yellow color. So dont overfertilize.

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What Is Lawn Fertilizer

Here I am talking about products that only contain nutrients or soil amendments. Those being N-P-K and/or micronutrients and carbon or bio-stimulants. We are not talking about weed and feeds which contain fertilizer + weed control, or other dual use products. Its important to understand that fertilizer is just nutrients and amendments for the lawn. If you need to kill weeds, bugs or fungus, I recommend applying those as separate treatments in summer.

Confused already? Please review this blog post I wrote earlier this season that talks about the basics of lawn fertilizer. If you are a beginner, it will arm you with the knowledge needed when heading to the store.

What Kind Of Fertilizer Should I Use For My Lawn

The Top 5 Best Lawn Fertilizers

. Also asked, what is the best lawn fertilizer for early spring?

Miracle Gro All Purpose Lawn Food Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food Safer Brand 9333 Ringer Lawn Fertilizer Milorganite 0636 Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer

Likewise, when should you fertilize lawn? The best time to fertilize your lawn is in the spring, when the soil temperature reaches 55 degrees Fahrenheit. You‘ll know when the soil warms up to 55 because the lilacs begin to blossom and the grass starts growing. For most parts of the country, that means the first feeding should take place by about mid-April.

Thereof, what is the best fertilizer for southern lawns?

Bag vs.Mulch and Compost

• Southern States 10-10-10 Granular Fertilizer 50 lb.
• Milorganite Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer 36 lb.
• Espoma Bio-tone Starter Plus Starter Plant Food 4 lb.
• Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food 1 lb.
• Scotts Patchmaster Sun & Shade 4.75 lb.
• Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food 4 lb.

What do you put on your lawn in early spring?

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Application Liquids Or Granular

When you are choosing the best fall fertilizer for lawns, understanding your nutrition needs is just the beginning. The real work is in the labor of application. This application is primarily affected by what kind of fertilizer do you go for-liquid-based or granular.

Liquid-based fertilizers are either available in a ready liquid mix or available in water-soluble form. These are mostly high intensity, used for multiple applications, and quicker results. You may run behind on your fertilizing schedule. In case you have some catching up to do, this could be the right choice.

But there is a flip side. These liquids from fertilizers can contaminate the environment around them. Especially if there are children and pets around. Or if any edible vegetables are growing around. They also run the risk of being washed away and have to be used in large quantities.

The granular fertilizers provide nutrition for your lawns for an extended period. The slow-release system provides a steady stream of food for the grass. The process is much more spread out and is more akin to the natural way. That makes it the best fall lawn fertilizer in many peoples opinion.

How Much Should I Water My Lawn After Fertilizing

How much fertilizer you need is directly impacted by your watering schedule. The more you water your lawn, the more fertilizer it will need. As the grass grows, it uses more nutrients. If you have an automatic sprinkler system, you should fertilize your lawn about every six weeks. You dont want the watering to outpace the fertilizing as that could negatively impact the lawns growth cycle. If you dont have a sprinkler system, you can wait an additional two weeks between applications. Also, be sure to carefully read the fertilizer label to learn whether you should water the lawn before or after applying the product. Granulated fertilizers need moisture to break down after application, while other fertilizers require you to soak the lawn beforehand.

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Best Fall Lawn Fertilizer

A fertilizer with a formula of 20-8-8 will get it growing again. Always follow the manufacturer’s recommended rate of application. Some people treat weeds and insects at this time, but I think that unless there are signs of trouble or a history of problems, don’t apply anything but fertilizer.

While this fall lawn fertilizer dose is important, an application at the end of October or early November is essential. At that time, apply a fertilizer with a formula of 13-25-12. The push of phosphorus will stimulate root growth through November and even into early December. By helping roots grow before winter sets in, you are insuring that the lawn will green-up quicker in the spring and become more resistant to disease and draught.

What Do You Do If You Burn Your Lawn With Fertilizer

If youve overdone it with the fertilizer, you may still be able to save your lawn. Burned lawns will need a generous amount of water to get back to green. Its vital that you water the lawn as soon as you spot any brown or yellow patches to prevent further damage. Slowly soak the affected areas every day for about a week to fully flush out the extra salt. To avoid causing sun damage while the lawn is in crisis, be sure to water early in the morning. Within a few weeks, the affected areas should be turning back to green. If not, those areas of your lawn may need to be dug up and overseeded to inspire new growth.

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What Temperature Is Finest For Fertilize Garden

Ideally, the bottom ought to be round 55 levels Fahrenheit. Relying on the place you reside, March to April is the most effective time to fertilize your garden. Its additionally finest in case your yard is watered a number of days earlier than you wish to apply the fertilizer, whether or not thats from rain or a sprinkler.

Best Fertilizer For Crabgrass Prevention

What I like about Greenview Fairway Formula Spring Fertilizer + Crabgrass Preventer is the quality of the fertilizer in the bag and the active ingredient of the crabgrass herbicide. It boasts a high-quality, professional grade slow-release nitrogen source called methylene-urea. This is a popular choice among professionals.

The fertilizer releases evenly over an eight- to 10-week period without that flush of growth that can have you mowing more than you want. The crabgrass killer is Dimension. And its extra strength dose means it will keep your lawn crabgrass-free longer than other pre-emergents. Dimension kills crabgrass for a short period of time even after it sprouts. Other pre-emergent herbicides wont do that.

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Natural Alternative Fall Lawn Fertilizer

The next name, on our list, is indicative of the new age approach towards lawn care. And the strategy is Natural Alternative. The best fall fertilizer for lawns can only be the best if it is the best for the environment as well.

The NPK ratio boasts of a substantial percentage of Nitrogen and the ample presence of potassium. Natural Alternative boasts of the absence of phosphorus, which all people widely recognized as a contaminant.

3 lbs of Natural Alternative fertilizer can fertilize for 1000 sq. ft. lawn. The package covers 6,000 sq. ft. -a perfect amount for most mid-sized lawns.

Other than the very essential Nitrogen and potassium, the formula also has the right amount of iron. It helps in giving the grass the deep saturated green that stands out in the neighborhood. Nutrients are not enough for a perfect spring lawn.

After the dry summer months, the soil has to come back to life. The organic-based ingredient and microbes give a new experience into the ecosystem. It all belongs to the earth.

The microbes make it easier for the soil to absorb the nutrients that, in turn, feed the grass itself. If the soil is not fertile, a lot of the water and nutrients will percolate down out of the reach of the green.

The presence of healthy microbes also creates a layer of protection against pathogens, bacteria, and bug infestations.

Best Fall Fertilizer For Lawn Final Words

Every garden is its ecosystem. And every ecosystem has its requirements. All the things that you need to know to educate yourself are available here. Now that you have all this knowledge, you should walk out to the lawn, look at it, and then ask the pertinent question.

Start with the basics. What are the dimensions of your lawn? Do you have summer grass or winter grass? We strongly recommend getting a soil test. Learn what the soil needs and what is there in abundance. Both over and undernutrition is harmful to the grass.

Get to know your local weather patterns. It is as simple as downloading one of the many weather apps available on smartphones. Be sure to fertilize on a dry day. If there is rain or a thunderstorm on the day you feed, most of it will get washed away and wasted.

Once you have answered all these essential questions, you will indeed be ready to make that purchase. Once you prepare adequately, come right back here and check out our picks for the best fall fertilizer for lawns. And we are sure that one of the fertilizers that are featured above will meet your needs perfectly.

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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.

Best Fertilizer Spreader Reviews

Here are my ten favorite fertilizer spreaders, starting with the three I most often use and recommend to others.

• Easier to hold than most competing products
• Holds a good amount of fertilizer to over 1500 sq.ft.

Cons:

• Limited coverage settings
• Fewer control settings than most Scotts products

If youre going to buy a handheld spreader, this is a great place to start. Scotts handheld spreader is compatible with most of their products, but the real reason I like it so much is the adjustable arm support. Its a rare feature on handheld spreaders, but it makes the container significantly easier to hold.

Its easy to forget about weight, but spreaders can get heavy when theyre full of fertilizer. An extra brace goes a long way toward making this product easier to use, and Ive felt the difference when trying it out over larger yards.

The Whirl is also a good choice if you want to use products besides fertilizer. Its compatible with grass seed and weed treatment products, as well as Scotts ice melt. If you live in a cold area like me, spreading ice melt is a great secondary function.

While this product does have limited control compared to broadcast or walk-behind spreaders, it works exceptionally well for smaller areas.

• Great option for larger yards
• Spreads fertilizer wider than most competing products

Cons:

• Pneumatic tires rather than solid ones
• May be hard to push when full

Cons:

• Deflector kit sold separately
• Limited control settings

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