Spring Through Fall Fertilizing
Our Four-Step Fertilizer Program is designed to take all the guesswork out of fertilizing your lawn, so it is done right every time. An average application rate for most fertilizers is 3-4 lbs. for 1000 square feet of lawn. It is important to use slow-release nitrogen in your fertilizer, and follow the manufacturers application guidelines. This will help you get even feeding throughout the season, rather than a quick burst that greens up fast and then deteriorates fast, leaving the lawn starving for food.
License Period & Renewal
- Each license is valid January 1 to December 31 and must be renewed each year.
- Renewal applications are mailed to applicants each November. You must mail in your renewal before January 1. A $50 penalty will be added to license renewals postmarked after December 31 .
- Licenses are not transferable to other locations or persons .
Each business must post its fertilizer license in a conspicuous place
What Is The Best Frequency For Lawn Fertilization
The number of applications you need depends on your desired lawn care goals. For optimal results, we recommend our Gold Package , consisting of seven applications starting in early spring and going through late fall. However, not all lawns need that level of service. This is why we offer smaller and customized packages, along with individual applications. Call the experts at Warners today well figure out the best program for you!
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Grow With Kare: Lawn Care Calendar
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. There are so many questions on our Grow with KARE Facebook Page about what to do with your lawn right now. So heres a timeline of when to do what.
If and only if your lawn is dry, you can lightly rake. But typically this does more damage than good this time of year.
The most popular topic right now is crab grass.
Crab grass germinates when the soil temperature reaches 55 degrees for 24 to 48 hours. This is typically mid-April to mid-May but will vary depending on your specific location. You want to apply the pre-emergent BEFORE the crab grass germinates. A good rule of thumb is to do that when the forsythias are almost done blooming and just before the lilacs bloom. And remember, you only need to do this if you actually have crab grass.
Post-emergent crab grass control can be applied in late May through early July after the crab grass has already started growing.
Laying sod is a job for May or June. The fall months are also a good time to lay sod.
Seeding the lawn is okay to do in May to June, but waiting until August or September if you can is a better option. Same with fertilizing and aerating. Fertilizing too early is a common mistake and forces the grass to grow in a time when it should be dormant.
Broadleaf weed control is also best saved for September through October but May through June is an okay time to do it.
Dethatching is on the fall to do list, not spring.
When Should You Fertilize Your Lawn In Minnesota
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Late summer and early fall are the best times of year to fertilize your garden and lawn. According to the University of Minnesota, early spring applications of fertilizer can make your lawn look nice from the surge of top growth, but it ultimately depletes the plants’ energy reserves.
Additionally, what kind of fertilizer should I use on my lawn? The Top 5 Best Lawn Fertilizers
Likewise, when should I fertilize my lawn in the Midwest?
Fertilizing: If you only feed your lawn once a year, autumn is the best time to do it. In fact, your lawn could take a light application of fertilizer in early fall and again in late fall.
When should I apply crabgrass preventer in Minnesota?
Apply crabgrass pre-emergent in early to mid-May if possibleAlthough it is tempting to apply your first fertilizer application shortly after the snow melts in April, this is often too early and the pre-emergent will not last long enough to be effective late into May and June when it is needed most.
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Dont Abandon Lawn Care During The Fall
Fall is the best time of the year to fertilize your lawn and control weeds. Plus, if you put a little bit of work in during the fall then when spring rolls around youll be pleasantly surprised with a green, healthy lawn. Preparing for the upcoming season is mostly research and planning the work is pretty easy.
When To Apply Winterizer Fertilizer
You should apply winterizer when the grass stops growing in the fall, but while it is still active in the root system. You can tell that your grass is still active by the the strong green color.
Your location will depend on when exactly this is, but it is usually mid-late November. On rare occasions, it could even be early December.
When you stop needing to mow your lawns regularly, it is time to apply winterizer.
The calendar below shows a handy visual representation of when to apply winterizer as well as other important lawn care tasks.
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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.
Lawns Always Seem To Be Hungry
A typical lawn requires 1-4 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 square feet each year, 1 pound for low maintenance and 4 pounds on a high maintenance program. A standard lawn fertilizer formulation consists of a 25-0-6 ratio, referring to percentages of the individual nutrients. That means, for a standard 5,000 square foot lawn , that one bag of fertilizer will apply just 0.65 pounds of nitrogen every 1000 square feet..if my math is correct. Most lawn programs recommend 4 applications per year. And by years end, your lawn is hungry! It has gone through periods of growth in the spring, heat stress during the summer months, and more growth during the cooler temperatures of fall. It has expended all of its stored energy growing throughout the year.
Winter pruning is the best time to trim your trees! Resist the temptation to prune your trees during the growing season. Its so easy to want to prune during the summer, but that is when the tree is in active growth, sap is constantly flowing throughout the tree. A summer cut will only make the tree bleed sap which is full of water and carbohydrates . Insects are drawn to these tree cuts and along with them comes possible transmittable diseases. A lot of insects can be carriers of plant fungal, viral, or bacterial diseases.Oak Wilt and Dutch Elm Disease come to mind.
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Fertilomes Winterizer Lawn Fertilizer
Out of all the possible seasonal fertilizer applications to your lawn, Fertilome Winterizer Lawn Fertilizer is the most important application you can make. The season end goal of any lawn fertilizer application is to put back that stored energy into the root system. That energy is lost over the course of the current growing year. When used as directed, Fertilome Winterizer Lawn Fertilizer aids in increased winter hardiness. It helps build better root systems and promotes sturdiness in plants weakened by too rapid of growth. Its an investment into next years growth cycle. Your lawn will green up quicker without the excessive shoot growth associated with the earlier spring fertilizers. The stored carbohydrate levels remain high throughout spring. During the stressful summer months, and your lawn becomes less susceptible to disease problems.
How To Apply Fertilizer To Your Lawn
There are a number of ways to apply fertilizer. It all depends on how much work youre willing or unwilling to do. And, also how big your lawn is. The bigger your lawn, the less practical it will be not to use any kind of tool.
If you use liquid fertilizer, using a handheld spray hose is a great way apply it. This is a popular type of fertilizer with many households because its very easy to apply.
The hard part about liquid fertilizer is that Its not easy to apply evenly. Youll need to get a feel of how much you spread and try not to overdo it for risk of fertilizer burn.
Spreaders are a great way of controlling how much fertilizer you apply. Theyre ideal for most lawns. But, may not be practical for smaller ones since you may not want to spend extra cash for it.
That said, spreaders allow you to apply and distribute the fertilizer evenly. As long as you keep track on how many passes you do and dont overlap, youre good to go.
With spreaders, you have the option of broadcast and drop spreaders, which differ in the way the apply the fertilizer.
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Lawn Care Maintenance Tips
Here are a few lawn care tips to keep in mind as you work your way through the month to month calendar:
- Never fertilize in the early months of spring. This mistake encourages the grass to grow when it shouldnt, which will only lead to problems down the road.
- Dont spray your weeds when temperatures are hot. Even though the weed killer says it doesnt kill grass, your soil is dry and weak during this time, so it increases the chances of your lawn dying.
- Understand when you should water your lawn and when you shouldnt. Mowing your grass too short also makes it more challenging to manage and maintain a bright and healthy color.
Understand Fertilizer And Its Role As Plant Food
Before spreading the fertilizer on your lawn, its important to understand what youre doing. The reason why its essential is because not all fertilizer is the same.
This is why its not a good idea to just pick out the cheapest bag in the store or get something that fits your budget. If you do this, you may end up with fertilizer that doesnt help your garden grow. The problem with this is that you wont know what went wrong.
So, to start from the beginning, plants need certain factors to grow. These include sunlight, water, soil and fertilizer. Technically, fertilizer is just a booster. It basically contains a bit more of the nutrients found in soil.
So what are these elements? The most important are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Youll see these elements in your fertilizer bags labeled as N, P and K. In addition, there are other elements included in smaller amounts. But, the three are the main ingredients.
The reason these three are the most important is that plants need a lot of them to grow. Your task is to figure out the composition and balance of these nutrients thats ideal for your lawn.
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Determining The Best Times To Fertilize
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.
How To Apply Winter Lawn Fertilizer
It goes without saying that you should read the instructions that come with your winterizer, however the following are some general tips to get the most out of it.
- Use a fertilizer spreader to ensure even coverage.
- It is generally advised to use a little less than the label instructs, this reduces the chance of any un-adsorbed nitrogen leaching into groundwater.
For an in-depth guide on fertilizer spreaders, and how to use them see this guide.
I recommend using this handy lawn care planner to help you keep your lawn looking great.
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What Fertilizer To Use
There are many fertilizers available, so sometimes it can be difficult to select the right one. For late summer and early fall application, you should use a fertilizer that delivers its nitrogen in slow-release form. It can also be labeled as water-insoluble or controlled-release fertilizer. These are more effective in providing the nutrients required at the correct rate for late summer and fall. You may also want to consider a fertilizer that is specialized for the crops you are growing.
Bonus: You can also build soil fertility by adding compost. Compost can help improve the fertility and texture of the soil. Just add 1 to 2 inches to the top of the soil and work it in about 6-8 inches.
See our Garden Maintenance Schedule to learn more about when you should fertilize your lawn and garden!
Best Time To Fertilize Lawn In Mn: Spring Summer And Fall
For healthy, green grass its best to follow a lawn fertilizer schedule to work within three-seasons in Minnesota. Ideally, we start your lawn care in the early spring. We then provide regular applications throughout summer and into late fall. This three-season schedule is a great way to get that neighbor-envious lawn you deserve!
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Phosphorus Lawn Fertilizer Law
Minnesotas Phosphorus Lawn Fertilizer Law was enacted to reduce over-enrichment of rivers, lakes, and wetlands with the nutrient phosphorus. Excessive phosphorus in surface water leads to an overabundance of algae and other aquatic plants.
The law was enacted over a period of years starting in 2002. Restriction on phosphorus fertilizer use on lawns and turf started in 2004 in the seven-county Twin Cities metro area and in Minnesotas other 80 counties in 2005. Minnesota was the first state in the nation to regulate phosphorus fertilizer use on lawns and turf. As of 2012, ten other states have similar laws.
Full text of the law is found in Minnesotas Fertilizer, Soil Amendment, and Plant Amendment Law, Chapter 18C of the Minnesota State Statutes.
Seasonal Plant Growth Cycle
In early spring, roots are long and full of nutrients stored from the fall. Shoots, the part of grass visible above ground, use this stored energy for growth.
In warm summer temperatures, leaf and root growth slow down. Plants rest during times of heat and drought. Roots can be damaged when soil temperatures are above 85°F.
In the fall months shoots start to grow again and nutrients are stored in the long roots for the winter. Optimal shoot growth occurs with air temperatures of 55 to 75°F.
Cool-season root growth is stimulated by soil temperatures above 32°F, and is optimal with soil temperatures between 50 and 65°F.
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Choose Your Fertilizer Option
Rainbow Lawncare offers you three different fertilizer options to choose from depending on the look you want and the approach you value.
Synthetic fertilizer
Our experts use the highest quality products in our synthetic fertilizers. We use golf course grade, slow-release granular fertilizers that produce a lush green lawn. This premier granular product releases slowly and promotes healthy steady growth that is easy to maintain. We never use quick-release fertilizers that not only can leach into groundwater, but can also force your grass to grow too quickly.
Natural organic based fertilizer
This fertilizer works best on soils that have a high percentage of organic matter. Our experts may test your soil to determine its current condition, including how much organic matter it contains. This fertilizer differs from our synthetic fertilizer because it contains a combination of refined elements and feather meal, which adds a level of organic material to your lawn.
Fully organic fertilizer
This fertilizer has become an extremely popular choice for people who want to reduce their personal environmental impact. With our fully organic lawn care program no pesticides or herbicides will be used on your property. Upon request, spot treatment of weeds can be performed in targeted areas.
Lawn Fertilizing And Weed Control Program
My services consist of a complete turf care program. I’m not just someone that shows up, throws down a little fertilizer and leaves as quickly as possible. Growing a beautiful and healthy lawn consists of a number of concerns, such as is the lawn being mowed correctly, is enough water being applied to the lawn, is it being watered frequently enough, is the lawn getting the right amount of nutrients, is it getting the correct type of nutrients, is it getting the right amount of nutrients at the right times of the year, does the lawn have any diseases, are the sprinklers set correctly and are they all working.
My complete turf care plan takes all of this into consideration when I’m on your property. When you become a client of mine you have access to all of my services, professional products, lawn care knowledge, advice, expertise, and lawn care contacts in the Brainerd Lakes Area, I will perform, recommend and suggest what needs to be done to your lawn in order to make it the best lawn possible.
Like I said, it’s a Complete Turf Care Program.
My turf program involves all aspects of what it takes to grow and maintain a beautiful lawn.
- 5 applications per season
Growing a healthy thick lawn depends on many management factors, the main one being that it gets sufficient plant nutrients. There are a minimum of 17 essential elements required for maintaining a healthy lawn. The remaining elements are derived from your soil.
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