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What Should I Apply To My Lawn Now

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How To Read Fertilizer Numbers

Weed Free GREEN lawn 8 days later // 2 Application you should do NOW

The three numbers found on fertilizer packaging represent NPK ratios. NPK stands for nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. The numbers represent the percentages of each nutrient in the fertilizer. An NPK value of 10-5-5 means that the fertilizer contains 10% nitrogen, 5% phosphorus and 5% potassium.

NPK ratios will be different for every lawn depending on the climate. Nitrogen makes your lawn green and helps it grow, potassium makes your grass hardier and more drought resistant and phosphorous is responsible for stimulating root growth while helping your seeds sprout.

How To Fertilize Your Lawn In The Spring

  • Start from the floor. A healthy green lawn always starts with what’s underneath.
  • Learn the NPK alphabet. Every garden needs 16 basic requirements for healthy growth.
  • Treat. The levels of these three natural elements often vary depending on where you live.
  • pack it
  • Now that you have the knowledge, apply it.

Adding Lime During Fall

Some people prefer to add lime to their lawn during fall just before the first frost starts.

This is because many people see fall as a time you actually start preparing your lawn for the next year.

Whichever time of year you add lime to your lawn it is important you have tested the pH levels and dont just rush in and add lime. There are some advantages to adding lime to your lawn during fall:

  • The wet conditions of fall into winter means that the moisture on your lawn will be ideal for lime to work its way down into the soil where it does its important work.
  • When you add lime it can take 2 or 3 months for it to change the pH level of your soil, applying it during fall should mean your pH is sorted for the start of the next growing season.
  • The freezing and thawing conditions and any snow over winter are the ideal conditions for breaking down the lime so it gets properly absorbed by the soil.

Once you have applied lime and given it several months to do its work you should retest the pH of your soil to check it is now at the ideal condition for grass which is a pH of around 6 or 7.

If the lime hasnt worked as well as expected you might end up adding lime during spring and fall until you get the conditions you are looking to achieve.

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Apply Iron Only As Needed

Grass usually doesnt need a large amount of iron. In fact, its usually only beneficial to apply extra iron if you have a soil test indicating iron deficiency.

Dont automatically assume an iron deficiency is the cause of your lawn yellowing or being light in color.

First, ensure that its sufficiently watered and has all other major nutrients. If those dont work, you can consider using iron supplements, but your best way to know for sure what your lawn is lacking and how to improve performance is to perform a soil test. This is the one I use. I order it from Amazon every spring and let those results guide me in applying the right products each year.

Determining The Best Times To Fertilize

Did I use enough grass seed on my new lawn?

Homeowners who prefer organic fertilizing methods might do a single “turf-builder” application in the early fall to build root systems. In the spring and summer, most may omit all fertilizers and rely on the nitrogen from mulched grass clippings to feed their lawn.

Homeowners using traditional fertilizer might want to apply two or three light applications per growing yearone in the spring, one at midsummer in regions where it is necessary, and one “turf-builder” application in the early fall.

The actual timing depends on your region and the type of turf grasses you have. For information on the best recommendations for your area, contact an expert at a local garden center or reach out to the nearest cooperative extension office.

Once you have figured out the best time, try to plan the fertilizer application with a short period of rainfall. If not, when you apply the fertilizer, you will need to supply your lawn with at least a quarter-inch of water. However, do not apply fertilizer before a massive storm. A rainstorm increases the risk of fertilizer nutrients flowing into storm drains and streams.

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Avoid Summer Application To Stretch Your Dollar

Iron may be useful in making your lawn a deeper green color so it really pops in your neighborhood.

And while its tempting to throw down Iron supplements early and often, you should apply it when air temperatures are below 80 degrees Fahrenheit to get the best results. Apply in the heat of summer and your supplement will be less effective since your grass wont be able to absorb it quite as effectively.

Whenever you choose to apply Iron, its important to read and follow the manufacturers recommendation about coverage and application rate. Use one of these online tools to measure your lawn size to get your application just right.

And Now For Something Completely Different

As you know we have never deviated from our theme of lawn care. It keeps it simple that way and you know exactly what you’re getting!However, occasionally we come across something that is extra special and because of the circumstances caused by Covid we wanted to share this one with you. It’s a great way to escape the lock-down routine and a wonderful opportunity to get a breath of fresh air and a new perspective on life. Do take a look, it’s hard to beat… The Little Seed Field

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Lawn Fungus Types: What To Look For

What is brown patch? How serious is root rot? The following are two of the most common diseases that are likely to develop on warm-weather lawns. Do keep in mind that there is a wide variety of fungal diseases that can affect your lawn. If you arent quite sure whats wrong with your lawn, call a lawn care company to help diagnose the problem.

Fall & Winter Applications

How and when do I fertilize my lawn?

Labor Day until late October is the time to apply the final applications of our four step lawn care program. IFA Step 4 Fall & Winter Lawn Food is the final step of the growing season. This is the most important lawn feeding of the year. Fertilizing in the fall produces extra greening and little top growth. Most of the lawns energy, supplied by the fertilizer, is stored in the roots to be utilized over the winter and provide next years early spring green-up power. Your lawns root system will remain active until the ground freezes, giving it time to recover from the summer heat in the now cooler soil.

This is also a good time to apply the second application of IFA Bountiful Earth Humate. Humate will help fortify the lawn for the winter months and aid in vigorous growth next spring. Applying in both the spring and fall will continuously improve soil quality for lush, healthy lawns every year.

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When And Why To Use Lawn Fertilizer

The best time to fertilize your lawn is during the fall and spring. In the fall, your grass is growing and storing nutrients, making it an ideal time to feed it. In the spring, your grass has just awoken from the winter and is hungry for nutrients to help it grow. Before you fertilize, make sure to check your local forecast, if theres rain in the next day or so, it will save you water and really feed your lawn well. Avoid fertilizing a lawn that is already wet, but rather fertilize a dry lawn and then water it for maximum effectiveness.

Kicking Off Your Lawn Maintenance Plan

First things first, youre going to want to test your soil pH levels in the early spring. You can purchase a soil test kit and easily do it yourself in your yard. The pH of your soil has a major effect on grass growth, because most lawn grasses do best in slightly acidic soil with a pH around 6.5 or 7. However, before you amend your soil pH, check the type of grass you plan to grow. Some grasses, like St. Augustine or carpetgrass, prefer a pH of 6.0-8.0, while others, like Centipede, grow well in a pH of 4.3-5.8. Its important to match the soil pH to the type of grass, so that it can soak up the nutrients it needs to produce a lush, green lawn.. If the test reveals your lawns soil is at the optimal pH level perfect! You can skip the lime application stage.

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Do You Fertilize Your Lawn Before Or After Rain

This is not a yes or no situation, but an it depends.

If you fertilize before rain,you will be spared the task of having to water your lawn to help fertilizer soak in. However, if the rain is heavy enough,you risk your fertilizer being washed away and possibly polluting local waterways. While it is fine to fertilize before a light rain, if you are expecting heavy thunderstorms, it might be best to aim to fertilize your lawn after the rain has passed.

The More You Know The More Your Grass Will Grow Here Are The Best Ways To Maximize Your Lawn Fertilization Schedule

Did I use enough grass seed on my new lawn?

Understanding when and how to fertilize your lawn is a major component to maintaining a healthy, lush yard. Fertilizers give your lawn a healthier root system while eating up unhealthy nutrients. With some simple steps, youll be on your way to having a lawn that is the envy of the neighborhood.

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Spring & Summer Applications

Around the middle of June to the end of July is the best time to apply the third step in our lawn care program. This is one of the most important applications for your lawn. Applying IFA Step 3 Spring & Summer Lawn Food slow-release fertilizer with our proprietary Omnicote during the hot weather will help your lawn maintain a darker green color even under the stress of the summer months.

Because your lawn is working hard in the heat, it needs a slow, long-feeding fertilizer that is formulated locally for our unique soils and conditions.

We recommend using this fertilizer as step 3 in your IFA 4Plus lawn care program alongside a soil treatment like Revive or Aqua-Drive. These treatments improve the quality of your soil, allowing water and grass roots to penetrate deeper into the earth. This results in greener, healthier grass which not only survives, but thrives during our hot, dry months.

What Is The Best Fertilizer For Lawn

  • Scotts Turf Builder Winterguard Fall Lawn Food. First on his list is one of the most trusted brands, Scotts.
  • Espoma natural food for the whole season. This is the food of the autumn lawn.
  • Alternative natural lawn fertilizer for the fall.
  • Sustane 804 Organic winter fertilizer.
  • Espoma Organic Fall Winterizer lawn food.

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List Of Fungicides And Uses In The Us

What are some of the more common types of fungicides used here in the United States? The graphic below lists some of the most common treatments, along with the fungicide type, the mode of action and an example of a product you could pick up from the store with that kind of fungus fighter in it.

Many of these items can be purchased at home improvement stores or online.

When To Use Scotts Fertilizer

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  • Performance. The grass needs a lot of time to absorb Menard’s manure. This causes the grass to grow more slowly than normal.
  • Special features. Menards fertilizers have unique properties that can be controlled when released.
  • coverage area. Organic fertilizer should be applied at a rate of 10 pounds per 1,000 square feet of area.

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Welcome To This Years First Lawn Diary

We’ve lots of help for your forthcoming gardening pleasure and some restoration procedures for those people who have found that the winter has caused die back, thinning or moss infestations in their lawns. If you are one of the unlucky ones go to Spring Lawn Repairs for the full story. We have no reports of disease at present but if you notice a few curious patches or blotches in the lawn see Pest & Diseases below for more advice.

Adding Lime During Spring

So spring has arrived and it is time for you to start working on your lawn to make it lush and green for the summer ahead. When youre planning on adding lime to your lawn during the springtime you should resist doing it too early as you do want the lawn to have started growing again, you should never lime a lawn that is dormant.

Most people do prefer to lime their lawn during the springtime as there are some advantages to doing it during this time period, some advantages are:

  • You will see the advantages of correcting the pH balance of the soil in your lawn almost immediately during the summer growing period.
  • Having a healthy lawn during the hot summer months will mean it is more resistant to harmful long drought periods when it can become stressed.
  • Lime will make your grass absorb more nutrients when you fertilize it. Dont add lime and fertilizer together but lime will prepare your lawn for summer fertilizer use.

Its all down to preference really, that is some of the advantages you will see, and the reasons why many people choose to add lime during the spring.

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When To Fertilize Lawn

Knowing when to fertilize your lawn depends on how often you plan to apply it. If you fertilize once a year, do it around Labor Day thats when lawns absorb the most nutrients. For biannual fertilizing, add a second application the middle of October.

There are exceptions to this timeline depending on climate and soil types, so adjust if your lawn is not retaining enough nutrients. In the spring, if you feel the need, spread a little fertilizer to help the greening process.

After Applying Grub Killer

How Often Should I Fertilize My Lawn

Once the grub control is applied, it is essential to care properly for your lawn afterward and ensure the solution gets where it needs to be. Get a fertilizer to treat your lawn after the grub treatment is done. Because grubs thrive among the roots of the grass in the soil, the grub killer needs to be watered in.

This makes sure that the grub killer granules reach the roots instead of just sitting on top of the grass. It is recommended to water about half an inch over the treated area right away.

It is also important to monitor your lawn for grubs or other activities during the next week or so. If the grubs dont appear to have died off, then you may need to reapply. Make sure always to read and follow the label, but it may be the case that you need a stronger dosage.

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What If My Lawn Already Looks Great

First of all congratulations! Its a lot of work to get a great looking lawn. However, even if your lawn looks spectacular you should still apply a fall fertilizer to keep it looking great. Youve put a lot of time and money into your lawn, keep it looking great by feeding it the food that it needs.

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Be Wary Of Fertilizer Application Rates

Across the board, most fertilizer manufacturers are overzealous about their recommended dose and feeding schedule. Start light with half the recommended amount and rate of fertilizer. You can reapply if you don’t like the results. Over a season or two, you’ll get a clear sense of how much it takes to get a healthy lawn.

A healthy lawn will be a relatively light shade of bright green. A lawn that is a deep, almost blackish green, has been very heavily fertilized. The dark green color comes from a lot of nitrogen-based fertilizer used on the lawn. It is highly likely that some of that fertilizer has run off into the streets, storm sewers, and has made its way into local streams and rivers.

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Spring Tasks To Foster A Great Lawn

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The Spruce / David Karoki

When spring is in the air, you’ll see the first crocuses or daffodils return, marking the coming of the season. These signs should also signal to you that it’s time to get your lawn ready for the growing season. The exact timing of these lawn care tasks depends upon the climate of your region. If you get snow in your area, then start when you are pretty confident the snow season is over. Or time the start of your yard work with the point when the local forsythia plants stop blooming and the local lilac bushes begin to flower.

For homeowners in most regions, there are eight tasks you should complete in the spring to foster a healthy lawn.

Best Time Of Year To Lime Your Lawn

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So have tested the pH of your soil and you now want to add lime to your soil as you believe this will improve your lawn and turn it into the lush green grass that you have always wanted.

If you get it right then your dream of a lush green Lawn could be just around the corner, if you get it wrong you might not see much if any improvement or in a worst case scenario it could be a disaster and make your lawn worse than its ever been.

So with that in mind, you want to apply the lime at a time of year that is ideal for it to be absorbed deep into the soil and this time would either be spring or fall

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