How Long After Reseeding Or Overseeding My Lawn Should I Wait Before Fertilizing
Your best bet is to fertilize your newly seeded or overseeded lawn with Scotts® Turf Builder® Starter® Food for New Grass directly after seeding. Then, you need to wait 6 to 8 weeks before fertilizing again. If you get over-eager and think If a little fertilizer is good, then a lot of fertilizer is better, let us save you from yourself. Over-fertilizing at any time, especially with newly seeded lawns, can actually damage your grass and that is no way to win the Yard of the Month award.
What Does Lawn Fertilizer Do
Lawn fertilizer is the food that your lawn needs that is not always found naturally in the soil. Fertilizing your lawn will help with weed control and growth for thick and healthy grass. Feeding your lawn the correct fertilizer is important for the healthiest grass possible.
When you buy fertilizer, it will tell you how much nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium there is in the fertilizer. The levels of the nutrients are different in some bags of fertilizer because not all soils are the same nutrients wise. The nutrients that occur naturally in soil varies from lawn to lawn. You can figure out which nutrients are abundant in your soil and which fertilizer nutrient combination you need for your lawn by purchasing a do-it-yourself soil sample kit. The DIY soil sample kit will tell you the current nutrient levels in your soil and ensure you are feeding your lawn the food it needs.
How Do I Know Which Spreader Setting To Use
There are several easy ways to help you figure out the right spreader setting. Try one of these:
Visit the product information page for your particular fertilizer on Scotts.com and look for the guidelines in the Spreader Settings under the Learn tab
Or, read the spreader settings guidelines on the product package.
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Summer Fertilization Considerations For Warm Season Lawns
For these grass types, you could go a couple different ways. You would take up the nitrogen and push them hard during summer, or, you could just do more frequent light applications. It really depends how often you want to mow really. Just know, if you want your bermuda, St Augustine or Zoysia to thicken up, push it harder during the summer. I have for sure noticed this season that Bermuda and Zoysia are starting painfully slowly. Now that it looks like we have some heat on the way, now is the time to start pushing.
Should I Fertilize In The Morning Or Evening
Although fertilizing grass in the morning or evening has its respective benefits, it is generally recommended that such products be applied early in the day.
Heres why:
- Low-speed winds will not lead to uneven distribution of fertilizer
- Thirsty plants will greedily absorb fertilizer-laden water early in the morning
- Fertilizer application will not burn your lawn due to the presence of dew and cool temperatures
- Plants are more receptive to nutrients as they arent exhausted by the midday heat
Though it is widely believed that the best time to apply fertilizer to your lawns is in the day, sometimes, morning may not be the best time to do so.
Why Should You Not Apply fertilizer in the Morning?
If the weather forecast predicts a bright and hot sunny day or heavy rain, it is best to avoid applying fertilizer. If the day temperatures are expected to soar, then the grass may become too dry, and the chemicals in the fertilizer may cause your lawn to burn.
On the other hand, if there is a heavy downpour, then the rain will wash off all the nutrients and fertilizer from your soil. If you are keen on applying fertilizer in the morning, it is best to do so before 7 am.
If you choose to fertilize your lawns in the evening, the drip system of irrigation is highly recommended. Under the drip system, the fertilizer is injected into the water to help it reach plant roots without wetting the foliage. This process is known as fertigation.
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Best Fertilizers To Use
The best fertilizers to use are slow release. When you use slow release fertilizers, the grass will get green without growing too quickly. In the spring, mixtures of 20-5-10 are suitable to use. You can also perform a soil pH test before you start the process. Then, you can base the mixture off of your results. For example, if your pH tests come back with high potassium results, you can look for a combination that is lower in that category.
Call 215.799.2016 or fill out the contact form on the bottom of this page. We can answer any of your questions or set up a fertilization plan to keep your lawn healthy and looking great.
How Long After Fertilizing Should I Wait To Water My Lawn
It depends on the fertilizer. Some lawn foods perform better when you water them in right after applying, while otherssuch as some weed-and-feed productsneed to be watered a day or two after fertilizing. It all comes down to this: Check the product directions on the bagtheyll tell you when to water.
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Is Spring The Time To Fertilize
With cool season grass, we want to fertilize in the early spring, but not too early. Once the outside temperature reaches fifty-five degrees fahrenheit, the lawn should no longer be dormant and it will be ready for a spring feeding.
Keep in mind, if you fertilize in the fall , there will still be some fertilizer left working while the lawn is waking up. Since there may still be some slow release fertilizer left, treating the lawn with nutrients too early will be a waste of fertilizer and time.
Here in Ohio, the temperature could hit fifty-five degrees in March, or it may not reach fifty-five until late April, we just never know! With our crazy temperatures, it makes it a little bit harder to make a lawn fertilizing schedule with a specific timeline, but you have to be prepared just in case we have an early spring this year! If there is an early spring, you may need to fertilize twice, once in the early spring and once in late spring. Ideally we want to get in a few fertilizer treatments before it gets too hot outside.
How Do I Choose The Right Fertilizer For My Grass Type
First, determine whether you live in the northern or southern half of the country. Thats important because the cool-season grasses that grow in the North benefit from a different type of fertilizer than the warm-season grasses found in the South. Next, youll need to determine if you have other needs, like insect or weed control, because many Scotts® products address multiple issues at once. And finally, choosing the right fertilizer depends upon the time of year you are applying it, as grass has different needs during each season. Visit How to Choose Lawn Products and Spreaders for more info and specific lawn food recommendations.
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Do You Need To Fertilize The Grass In The Hot Summer Months
Related Articles
Proper watering and fertilizing of lawn grass can promote healthier turf, with deep roots and a lush feel. Generally, you should not be grass fertilizing in hot weather. Overfertilizing can lead to the need to mow more often, and fertilizing at the wrong time can irreversibly damage your lawn. A summer lawn care schedule should mostly focus on watering and mowing as needed.
Tip
In general, fertilizing in hot weather is not recommended.
How Often To Fertilize Your Lawn
Everyone wants to see their lawn green all over the year. By proper application of fertilizer, one can get that dream lawn. Fertilizer gives additional nutrients to the lawn and keeps it green and healthy. However, its very important to know how often to fertilize the lawn to get the best results.
Not only how many times but also need to know the exact time to apply fertilizer for the positive results. The use of improper fertilizer can be caused to your grass damage and loss of money.
The way to identify how often to fertilize lawns
There are some important factors that help to know how often to fertilize lawns. These include:
- Application times of lawn fertilizer
- Used fertilizer type
- How frequently you water your lawn
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Should You Fertilize Your Lawn
There are many things to consider before answering this question. Not everyone’s goals and circumstances are the same. So the answer will vary from individual to individual.
If you want a great-looking lawn, and if you have the time, energy, and money to achieve that objective, then the answer is unequivocally yes. Proper fertilization is one factor that can make one lawn in the neighborhood stand out above the rest. Which brings us to the question, How often should you fertilize your lawn? Because, if you truly care about showcasing your lawn, you will want to fertilize it more than someone who is content with a patchy lawn. For the ultimate manicured lawn, you should fertilize it two or three times per year.
But not everyone needs a lush lawn. There are homeowners who value low maintenance over having the showiest lawn on the block. There are some homeowners who are organic gardeners, who shy away from using chemical fertilizers. Homemade compost can be applied to a lawn, instead, but there is work involved in making compost. Gardeners may value what compost is available too highly to waste it on lawns rather than on vegetable gardens. And there are some who simply hold lawns in low esteem for them, grass-covered areas are utilitarian, functioning merely as spaces for walking from point A to point B in the landscape.
What Grass Is In Your Lawn
In Florida, you will find the following grasses in your lawn:
Bahia an all-purpose grass, with a lower risk of disease and insect problems. It is often used in pastures for beef consumption.
Bermuda also known as couch grass, is drought-resistant and makes a good turf. It is one of the most common lawn grass types.
Centipede a low-maintenance, heat tolerant grass with low nutrient requirements. Grows from the spring into the hot summer months.
St. Augustine Grows best in tropical climates, often seen on shorelines where there is ample moisture.
Zoysia hardy grass, stands high-heat and drought conditions. Low maintenance. Suitable for southern states.
Knowing what types of grass grow in your yard is essential to a healthy fertilization. As nutrient needs vary between types of different grasses, it pays to do your research.
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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.
Remember The Growth Cycles Of Your Lawn
A great rule to remember is that fertilization is most effective when applied during your grasss active growth phase. When that period occurs depends on what type of grass you have and your region and climate.
If you live in northern states, you probably have a cool-season grass. Meanwhile, warm-season grasses do best in southern regions.
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Scotts Summer Lawn Food
I found this Scotts product that is quite interesting because it just shows that the corporate technical managers at Scotts also agree with me on my slow play strategy.
The only nutrient value in this fertilizer is nitrogen. Its a 34-0-0. Now at first glance, 34% nitrogen is VERY high, but that can be deceiving. I have read deep into the label to reveal to you some little known facts about this product. The product may be 34% nitrogen, but 17% of that is made slow release by coating it with polymers. Urea itself will green up your lawn nicely but only lasts for about 28 days and fades quickly thereafter. The Scotts folks extend this time by formulating half of their Urea in this product coated in polymers that cause the Urea nitrogen to be released much more slowly. This gives you some quick release green and some slow release on the backend. Pretty smart.
Another reason that its a good slow play is the bag rate. The bag rate is the easy way to find out how much of the product to put down. Remember, I always recommend that the very first thing you do when taking on a lawn program is to measure your lawn and section it out by 1000 sq ft sections. Here is a recent video I did showing you how to measure your lawn.
Can I Fertilize My Lawn In July
Lawns are not at their best in early spring. Be careful not to apply to early as fertilizer can easily burn vulnerable grass. Keep in mind that there are other things you can do before its time to fertilize. In late May or early June, before the heat of the summer arrives, apply some slow release nitrogen.
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House Method Rating & Methodology
At House Method, transparency and trust are our most important values for the reader. Thats why we took the time to create an objective rating system and score each lawn company/service according to our methodology.
Our research team dug deep into the fine print of contracts, combed through more than one hundred customer reviews, and thoroughly investigated all of each lawn care services services, costs, and products. Weve done the homework for you by researching nearly all of the lawn care companies on the market so you can have the information you need to make the best choice for your home.
We developed a formula to objectively determine the best lawn care companies and give each a score out of 100 based on the following criteria:
How Often Is Too Often To Fertilizer Lawn
You dont want to get too carried away with the benefits ofFertilizer. A full feeding is recommended at least six times per year. When the soil is dry but not too dry, you want to feed your lawn. The amount of fertilizer you apply depends on the type of lawn you have.
If you are using a lawn mower, the recommended amount is 2-3 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Lawn mowers can also be used to mow lawns that are not mowed regularly. For more information on lawn care, see How to Mow Your Lawn.
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Should I Water My Lawn After I Fertilize It
Once you have applied fertilizer to your lawn, either water plants immediately or wait for 24 hours before sprinkling water on them. Watering your lawn immediately after application helps prevent a wide range of problems that can plague the plants or the soil. Remember the more you water your lawn, the more fertilizer it will require.
We have looked at the benefits of fertilizers and the best time to apply them. However, there are a few things you need to keep in mind before applying fertilizer to your lawns.
Fertilize Thirsty Grass For Best Results
Applying any kind of fertilizer to completely saturated soil is something you should never do. The fertilizer will end up either going down too deep for the roots to get their nutrition or running off entirely. This is bad for the environment, as it will end up in storm water draining systems. It is also a waste of money.
Have moderately moist or dry turf and your lawn will be ready to soak up every last bit of fertilizer you offer. Thats eco-friendly, and budget-friendly fertilization!
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Best Time To Fertilize Lawns
Fertilizer your lawn at the right time of the year
Fertilizing your lawn can keep it looking lush and green. Whether you have warm weather or cool weather grass, fertilization is almost always a must for maintaining a great lawn.
Fescue
Fescue lawn should never be fertilized in late spring or summer. For best results, fertilize your lawn before the end of April and then again in October.
Bermuda
Bermuda can be fertilized throughout the summer to keep in looking lush. Be sure to fertilize in June and August, and if needed, apply fertilizer in July as well.
Zoysia
Zoysia should be fertilized in the beginning of the summer and again in August for the best looking lawn.
St Augustine
St. Augustine should be fertilized in the summer. To keep you lawn green, fertilize in June and August, and if needed, apply fertilizer in July as well.
Centipede
Centipede lawns usually require only one summer application in July. If needed, the turf can be fertilized in May as well.
Best Time To Fertilize Lawn Grass
Common warm-season grasses in the US include Bermuda, St. Augustine, and Zoysia grasses. These grasses are adaptable to the lawns in USDA Hardiness zones 5 through 10. Whereas further categorization fits Zoysia spp in the hardiness zones 5 to 10, Bermuda or Cynodon spp best adaptable to zones 7 through 10, and St. Augustine to USDA hardiness zones 8 to 10, need fertilization starting from the mid to end of April, June, September, and late October. Every fertilizer application is grass condition dependent and needs to be given during the active growth period. The color of grass may be used as a strong base to determine the growth. Lush-green color is a clear indication that the lawn is growing at its full potential and could utilize the fertilizer dose fully to increase its biomass. If the color of the grass starts fading, it means the time of proper fertilizing is over.
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