When To Apply Fertilizer To Your Lawn

Can You Overfeed A Lawn

Unfortunately it is possible to overfeed a lawn with fertilizer.

If you apply too much fertilizer, a significant amount could leach through the soil and make its way into precious groundwater, and cause environmental pollution through the phosphorus in the fertilizer.

Moreover, if you were to overfeed grass with fertilizer, the grass could start to take on a strange bluey green color, and the leaves of grass will grow only at the expense of the roots underneath. This is not good. It means that you will have to water your lawn more frequently.

Or you could get lawn burn, where brown or yellow patches of grass will appear on your lawn in the areas that have had too much nitrogen. The excess nitrogen effectively kills off the grass, and you will have to reseed.

If in any doubt about how often to feed your lawn to avoid under-or overfeeding, simply refer to our instructions earlier in the article.

Wait To Fertilize Your Lawn

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Dont let an unseasonably warm day fool you into fertilizing your lawn. The timing, nutrient ratio and amount of lawn fertilizer depends on the variety of grass youre working with but generally, fertilize when grass is actively growing. Although one type doesnt fit all situations, here in the eastern piedmont we have success with both warm and cool-season grass varieties that are adapted to our location. Getting the perfect lawn depends on what your needs are for use, looks, wear and tear as well as available resources of time and money. Proper fertilization is certainly a part of putting together a workable plan.

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Should I Fertilize Lawn In Fall Yes Here’s Why & How

Should I Fertilize Lawn in Fall? Yes! Here’s Why & How

Lawns also improve air quality, reduce heat by 20 to 30 degrees and generate oxygen.Falls cooler temperatures provide the perfect setting for lawn to regain strength.Supporting root growth in fall leads to a healthier, greener lawn in spring.While fall is naturally good for feeding our lawn, you can deliver an extra oomph by fertilizing as best as you can, too.That date is typically a good time to fertilize since the ground hasnt frozen yet.Never fertilize lawns before a heavy rain to avoid runoff, so be sure to check the forecast before you start. .

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When To Apply Winter Lawn Fertilizer

Figuring out the right time to fertilize your lawn can seem like a mystery art but it doesnt have to be. Winter lawn fertilizer keeps your lawn alive through the winter and jump-starts growth in spring. It is not suitable for all types of grasses and requires certain conditions. Here is the breakdown of how and when to apply winterizer fertilizer.

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.

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When To Put Fertilizer On Lawns

All lawns need fertilizer in early spring when the grass begins to green up. Your fertilization schedule for the rest of the season depends on the type of grass in your lawn, the type of fertilizer you use, and your climate. Most lawn seed is a mixture of several different types of grasses, and both spring and fall fertilization are appropriate.

The label on a bag of lawn fertilizer will recommend a schedule based on the type of fertilizer it contains. The label is your best guide to how often to apply the product and how much to use. As long as you dont overdo it and avoid fertilizing in the hottest part of summer, your lawn should thrive.

What Month Should I Fertilize My Lawn

Most lawn care companies recommend that you apply lawn fertilizer in the spring, between February and April. This is when your grass will start to green up as it begins to actively grow. Basically, if it looks like your grass is ready for its first mowing of the season, then it should also be ready for lawn fertilizer.

While most people know to fertilize their lawns in the spring, it is important to remember that fall feeding is critical, too. In the fall, grass roots are going down into the soil and need fertilizer to stay healthy. This is the most important application of fertilizer for the whole year since it will protect your lawn as it goes dormant over winter. However, if the fall you should use a specific fall fertilizer that is slightly higher in phosphorous and potassium, as it will promote better root growth. To ensure optimal lawn health, fertilize heavily in the fall and lightly in early spring.

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Which Is The Best Season To Apply Fertilizer

Spring is considered ideal for fertilizing lawns since the soil temperature is 55 degrees Fahrenheit, which is believed to be neither too warm nor too cold. At this temperature, a fertilizer boost will ensure that your grass blades will grow and flourish.

However, if your area experiences a late freeze, forced growth from fertilizing can harm your plants. If youre unsure, use a soil thermometer to check the temperature before applying fertilizer.

Best Conditions To Fertilize Your Lawn

1. Wait until your soil temps are warm enough in early spring before applying. Fertilizer works best once the soil temperature reaches 55 degrees. Dont waste your time or money by applying too early.

To find average soil temps based on your specific location check out Green Cast Online. It takes about 10 seconds to find when soil temps usually approach 55 degrees in your region. This is when you want to apply your first treatment.

2. Fertilize your lawn when there is a light rain expected. Since fertilizer needs to be watered in to be effective, wait until the forecast calls for a light rain. Just be sure to avoid heavy rains that will cause the fertilizer to run off.

3. Avoid applying fertilizer during the heat of the day, hot spells, or periods of drought. This could cause your lawn to burn. Instead, apply in the morning or late afternoon and when your arent experiencing extreme weather conditions.

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The Right Amount Of Fertilizer

Feeding with the right amount of fertilizer will increase your grass aesthetic by becoming softer and greener when the spring season rolls around a few months later.

Each grass variety has different nitrogen needs to stay vigorous and healthy. The amount of fertilizer youll consider should matter in the space of your lawn. And all recommendations are based on 1,000 square feet of space.

However, these fertilizer recommendations are often based on the actual nitrogen need of your lawn for the entire year.

Here are the lists of the following annual nitrogen needs and the corresponding percentage of the most common lawn grasses for every 1,000 square feet.

The list of recommended nitrogen ranges has to do with the actual length of the entire growing season.

The lower range of nitrogen in the list is suitable in a cold-winter climate. However, if you live in regions where summers are long with mild winter, you better consider the higher range in the table above.

The reason is that the longer the growing season, the more nitrogen your grass will require.

• Excessive Fertilizer Can Burn The Grass

Considering the right amount of nitrogen for your grass is critical. When you give more than necessary, you will likely burn the grass.

• Less Amount of Fertilizer Wont Achieve Desired Effect

On the other hand, when you give any less, you will probably not achieve your desired results.

• Dry Fertilizer

• Water-Soluble Fertilizer

When To Apply Winterizer Fertilizer In Northeast

Fertilizing turfgrasses in the Northeast with a specific cold-season nutrient such as potassium has received increasing attention due to research conducted over several decades by Dr. Larry Weber at Cornell University. This work showed that by applying potassium-containing fertilizers early in the fall, there is more time for the roots to absorb the fertilizer before freezing temperatures arrive. This results in increased hardiness of turfgrass through winter, which provides better protection against occasional thaws and spring rains that can lead to burn on susceptible species, such as Kentucky bluegrass or creeping bentgrass.

Fertilizing around Labor Day has greatly reduced burning problems of late August or September. Lawns established from sod have not burned since this practice was initiated many years ago. However, even with this practice inter-row weeds are still a problem if nonselective herbicides are used on the entire lawn. Potassium sulfate applied around Labor Day will improve cold weather hardiness of the lawn, but this is a nutrient with little weed control or immediate turfgrass response.

Applying nitrogen at this time will increase top growth in late spring and may cause summer patch disease problems next summer due to increased thatch development from excessive top growth during summer months. It also adds more work for the homeowner who must mow their lawn longer during the growing season each year to keep a well-manicured lawn.

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Best Lawn Fertilizer For Winter

Theres a lot of misunderstanding about winterizing fertilizer. What is the best lawn fertilizer for winter? What exactly is it, and do you truly require it? What makes winterize fertilizer different from other fertilizers, and when should you use it?

The word winterize is simply a marketing term coined by fertilizer firms to describe the final fertilizer application of the season.

It may take some investigation to find the ideal winter fertilizer for your lawn in order to obtain a soft, dense, and greener appearance.

Organic and inorganic fertilizers for your lawn, on the other hand, are both wonderful at producing beautiful outcomes.

Understanding how each product works and the outcomes you may expect can help you choose the best fertilizer for your grass variety.

The Best Fertilizer For Winterization

When it comes to selecting the best winterizer fertilizer, personal preference is key however, Espoma EOFW30 Fall Winterizer has always performed admirably for me.

I get regular results and my grass stays nice and healthy all year, regardless of the weather .

Warm-Season Grasses Best Winter Fertilizer Warm-season grasses are unique in that root growth continues while the blades are dormant. Much of this is due to the fact that in the winter, soil temperatures are warmer than air temperatures.

The active root systems, which require potassium, benefit from winter lawn fertilizer. Temperature, drought, and disease tolerance are all improved by fertilizing root systems properly.

Choose a winter lawn fertilizer with a high potassium content for warm-season lawns. The last number in the N-P-K fertilizer formula is this. Fertilizers with a lot of nitrogen should be avoided. Nitrogen promotes blade growth, which isnt required during the winter months.

Andersons 5-5-25 with Barricade is our winter lawn fertilizer recommendation for warm-season lawns. It has a good amount of potassium as well as a winter preemergent. This treatment protects your grass from winter weeds while also keeping it healthy.

Per 1,000 square feet of lawn, apply 8.1 pounds of Andersons 5-5-25 with Barricade. The optimal time is when the soil temperature reaches 70 degrees. Late autumn to early winter is a better rule of thumb. If there isnt enough rain, dont forget to irrigate your lawn.

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When To Fertilize Your Lawn For The Winter

• Fertilize in the Fall

The best time to fertilize cool-season lawns should be in the fall. At this time, the temperatures are starting to cool off, yet the grass is still growing. The milder temperatures will help the grass maintain green color in the winter.

Moreover, this promotes healthy root growth and allows the grass to get off to a good start for the spring.

Fall fertilizer works best when applied as the temperature drops down to 70°F. But potency lessens when the soil temperature dips below 55°F during the application.

However, do not fertilize your lawn when the soil is frozen. This does not serve the purpose, and the fertilizer will only wash away.

• Fertilize in Winter

Getting the right timing is important when feeding your lawn in the winter. And to ensure winter survival and early-spring green-up, you must prepare the grass for the harsh winter ahead.

Winter fertilizers are best applied about four to five weeks after the application of the fall fertilizer, around October or November. At this point, new roots will form when the ground is not yet frozen.

There are lawn fertilizers specifically designed for the winter season. These fertilizers have high levels of nitrogen.

These fertilizers help the grass store carbohydrates before the soil freezes. Plus, nitrogen makes a reserve nutrient throughout the coldest months in preparation for the spring growing season.

• Avoid Feeding Too Early

• When to Fertilize Cool-Season Grasses

• When to Fertilize Warm-Season Grass

Answers To The Most Commonly Asked Fall Fertilizing Questions:

During fall, best practices say that September is the best time to fertilize your lawn. So that means, right about now you should be taking steps to get your lawn ready for fall and winter. Even more important than the September fertilizer application is the second one that should take place at the end of October or early November.

This last application of fall lawn fertilizer before the winter can make all the difference in the health of your lawn next spring. Taking the time to fertilize in the fall will strengthen your plants and lawns roots, giving them a strong base on which to thrive next spring.

The team at Spring-Green is here to help you prep your lawn for fall and winter with fertilization services and so much more. Since 1977, weve helped our customers care for their residential and commercial lawn care with an unwavering dedication to quality. For any of your lawn care needs, contact one of our neighborhood lawn care professionals to get started.

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Should I Fertilize My Lawn Before Or After Mowing

Ideally, youll want to mow and rake before fertilizing so that excess lawn waste is removed, allowing the fertilizer to have an easier time reaching the soil. Aerating your soil before fertilizing can also help. When fertilizing a lawn, it is best to apply fertilizer after the lawn has been mowed so it has a few days to absorb the fertilizer.

The Best Time To Fertilize Your Lawn

Fall is a great time to fertilize the lawn. Lawns are hungry now and they will develop most of their root systems during this season.

Labor Day is a good time to fertilize lawns. Lawns are actively growing and this fertilizer promotes vigorous blade growth and stronger root systems.

A soil test is recommended to determine exactly what fertilizer your lawn needs. In most cases, a winterizer fertilizer is recommended. Formulations vary, but most winterizer fertilizers are approximately 25-3-10 . Winterizer fertilizers provide a little extra potash compared to summer fertilizers. This boost of potash promotes winter hardiness.

Fertilizers with slow-release nitrogen are valuable since they provide a consistent release of nitrogen to the growing plants. They are more expensive, however.

Follow the rates on the fertilizer package. A standard rate is 1 pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. For reference, one pound of actual nitrogen is in four pounds of a 25% nitrogen fertilizer . Excess nitrogen can burn the turf.

Reduced rates can be used in shady spots. They grow more slowly and only need about half as much fertilizer as sunny spots.

To prevent creating dark green stripes in your yard, apply half the fertilizer going back and forth in one direction and the other half going perpendicular to that. For example, apply half going north-south and the other half going east-west.

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When Should I Fertilize My Lawn In New Jersey

When Should I Fertilize my Lawn in New Jersey?

What is the best fertilizer for New Jersey grass?Spring and fall are the two best times to fertilize your lawn in New Jersey, but the real answer depends on how often youre willing to apply the fertilizer.For a thick and healthy lawn, youll want to fertilize a few times throughout the year, with the major times to fertilize being spring and fall.Best Fertilizer for New Jersey Grass.For yards that struggle with weeds, you might want to consider a granular fertilizer that kills weeds while supporting your lawns nutritional needs.These can be purchased at landscaping or garden stores, or you can contact a lawn care professional in NJ to help you test your soil and identify your lawns nutritional needs.How do you actually fertilize your lawn?At Healthy Lawn, our team of licensed professionals has years of experience providing lawn fertilization in New Jersey, and wed be happy to help you test your soil, establish a lawn fertilizer schedule, or identify the best fertilizer for your NJ grass. .