Aeration Fertilization Help Your Lawn
- Iowa State University Extension & Outreach
Fertilizing turfgrass is very common in the spring, and nitrogen will get it growing.
Fall is a perfect time to prepare lawns for the upcoming year with seeding, aeration and fertilization.
Here are some questions about lawn care with answers from horticulturists at Iowa State University Extension. To have additional questions answered, contact the ISU Hortline at 515-294-3108 or .
Q: When is the best time to sow grass seed?
A: Mid-August to mid-September is the best time to seed new lawns and overseed existing lawns in Iowa and Illinois. Although were past that date now, it can still be done if you hurry.
A late summer seeding has several advantages over spring seeding. The seeds of cool-season grasses germinate quickly in the warm soil of late summer. The warm days and cool nights of early fall promote rapid turfgrass growth. The growing grass also has less competition from weeds as few weed seeds germinate in late summer or fall.
When purchasing grass seed, choose a high quality seed mix that is best adapted to the site. In sunny areas, Kentucky bluegrass is the best choice. Select a seed mix that contains at least three bluegrass cultivars. For partially shaded areas, use a mixture containing Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fine-leaf fescues. In shady areas, the fine-leaf fescues are the best grasses.
Q: When is the best time to fertilize a lawn?
Q: When should I aerate my lawn?
When To Fertilize Your Lawn In Spring In Maryland
Dont you hate to run late? It makes you feel hectic. It makes you stress out. And who needs more stress today? No one. Though it may seem like its creeping up on you, spring erupts on the scene pretty quickly. And most of us cant wait. Those warmer days are so welcome after a stretch of gray, winter days.But almost immediately you feel late. Late to spring cleaning. Late to cleaning up your yard from winters wrath. Late. Late. Late. Watch this video about fertilizing.
Bring prepared for spring — and the growing season — can give your yard a huge advantage for the year. Your reward: a stronger, greener, and healthier lawn. The season starts with a lawn fertilizer application. Lets talk about the best time to begin this process for the best results.
Best Time To Fertilize Your Lawn
Spring means more daylight and warmer temperatures. After a cold winter, this is the weather your grass is craving. If youre unsure of exactly when to lay down your first feeding, you can base it off of the temperature. Ideally, the ground should be around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending on where you live, March to April is the best time to fertilize your lawn. Its also best if your yard is watered a few days before you want to apply the fertilizer, whether thats from rain or a sprinkler.
Fertilizer provides your grass with extra nutrients that help to prevent crabgrass and allow it to grow green and thick. To ensure youre laying the feed correctly, start around the perimeter of your lawn. Then, you can start filling in the middle. Similar to mowing your yard, you should go back and forth in straight lines. And you should always use a lawn spreader instead of your hands to complete the job.
Now that you know that spring is the best time to fertilize your lawn, here are some other helpful tips that will keep your grass thriving.
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Spring Fertilizer Application Rates
Just like most products out there, all fertilizers are not created equal. Different fertilizers have different NPK ratings – nitrogen , phosphorus , and potassium – the plant essential nutrients required by the lawn to sustain and encourage healthy growth.
Nitrogen helps promote the dark green colour most of us seek, phosphorus encourages deep root growth and quick establishment and potassium is important for the general vigour of the turf, helping prepare it for stress periods like heat and drought.
Different technologies determine how long the fertilizer takes to activate and release, as well as how long they last. The rate of application is an important variable that is determined by a range of factors, such as blend analysis, type of fertilizer , release technology , and the nutrient source .
Typically, the recommended rate of application for a Spring fertilizer is 1lb of nitrogen per 1000 square feet. This provides the adequate nutrition the turfgrass requires for the Spring growing season.
Spring Lawn Care In Texas
Posted in: Big Tex Urban Farms, lawn & garden.
With temperatures on the rise and the days slowly but surely getting longer, it is clear that spring is coming quickly! We all know spring is an active time in the garden, but it is also an important time to give attention to our lawns. There are several tasks to perform this time of year to help our lawns transform into the lush, green oasis we all want. Oh, and word to the wise no matter how many commercials you hear this spring, weed and feed products are not ideal in North Texas! The timing is almost always off for one or two of those components . The first step to a great lawn is an honest evaluation of what you have.
Questions to ask include:
What type of grass do I have? Is it a full, healthy-looking lawn? Is my lawn overrun with weeds? Do I have patches that look diseased? How much water should I give my lawn?
Getting these answers to your evaluation will go a long way towards growing healthy, green grass, so lets address each question one by one.
The Grass is Always Greener Or Is It?
If you are unsure of the type of grass you have, place some cuttings in a sandwich bag and bring them to your closest garden center. The experts there should quickly identify your grass type. The most common warm-season grasses in our area are St. Augustine, Bermuda, and to a lesser degree, Zosia. Knowing what you have is an important step as it will help dictate the types of products to use.
Texas A& M Soil Test
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Controlled Release Lawn Fertilizer
The best fertilizer to apply in the fall is a slow- or controlled-release one. These formulas deliver nutrients over several weeks or even months and will feed your lawn through fall, winter, and maybe even early spring.
Using a fertilizer containing slow-release nitrogen could also prevent unwanted growth late in the year.
How Does Osmocote Plant Food Work
Osmocote® Plant Food consists of a homogeneous nutrient prill coated with a semi-permeable resin derived from linseed oil.
The coating utilizes the natural principle of osmosis. Moisture in the soil penetrates the coating and dissolves the nutrients in the prill.
Nutrients are released at the same rate the plants root system takes-up nutrients from the soil, neither under or over-feeding the plant.
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What Should You Do For Your Lawn In The Spring
With the warmer weather of spring, your grass will grow. This makes it a good time of the year to apply fertilizer to your lawn to keep it healthy and green.
Pre-Emergent Weed ControlThis is also a great time of the year to apply a pre-emergent weed control on your lawn, which helps keep weed seeds from growing in the summer months.
Slow-Release FertilizerWe also recommend using a slow-release fertilizer because they require fewer applications and because they lower the risk of too much nitrogen releasing into your lawn, which could hurt your grass.
Soil AerationThis is the process of creating holes in your soil, which allow water, fertilizer, and oxygen to penetrate the roots beneath your grass. This will help rejuvenate the roots and the grass, giving your lawn a fresh look.
Fertilizer & WaterAfter applying fertilizer, its smart to water your lawn. Liberally water your grass the first time and then only lightly water it in the second round. This will help the fertilizer sink into the roots and also keep the fertilizer from being washed away from overwatering.
LimeWhile lime application can happen at any point during the year, spring is a natural time to test your soil and see if your soil is alkaline or acidic . Lime will help balance your pH levels.
When To Fertilize A Lawn In Summer
Remember to feed your lawn during the summer, too! Warm-season grasses grow a lot during the summer, meaning all those nutrients you put into the soil in the spring are being used up.
If you use cool-season grass, avoid feeding the lawn during the summer, but for warm-season grass, youâll want to make sure that you keep up with some fertilizing during the summer. Always make sure that your lawn has plenty of water, too, and that you stay on top of your various pest management methods.
Itâs important to make sure that your lawn is ready for the summer, but it doesnât mean itâs not also a good time to fertilize lawns again.
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When Is It Time To Apply Spring Fertilizer In Michigan
There are several times throughout the year that property owners should fertilize their lawns. Spring is considered the optimal time to have a lawn fertilizer service such as Lush Lawn fertilize your lawn, this is because the soil temperature will reach approximately 55 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, the soil will encourage most lawn plants will begin to grow again. Here is when you should fertilize:
Early Spring This is the beginning of the growing season. Feed your hungry lawn! Weather permitting, February to April is actually a good time to consider fertilizing.
Late Spring From April to June, your grass will have used up its energy reserves, so you should reinforce it with a round of fertilizer application. If you already applied fertilizer in early spring, you should wait 6-8 weeks before applying the second round.
Special Problems: Rocks In Lawn
Here in New Hampshire, we get a lot of sand, salt, and gravel pushed onto our lawns from snow removal. Its very difficult to get out with a rake alone! If you have a similar problem, look into a rock sweeper or paddle sweeper, which is fantastic for getting into grass and scooping out small rocks or sand without harming the grass itself. Move acorns, walnuts, rocks, mulch, and pine cones from lawn to driveway or sidewalk for easy pickup, all without hurting the lawn. The paddle is pricey, so you may also want to rent from your home improvement store to try it out.
Its hard to imagine how this type of tool works so below is a quick video .
With the five spring lawn care tips above, youre all set for a great start to the season!
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The Guide For Spring Fertilizer
Spring is a great time in Canada, that’s for sure. There’s warmer weather , blossoming plants and flowers, and NHL playoffs are on almost 24/7… What’s not to love!
It’s no secret that spring is the best time of year for lawn care. Now that the weather is a little better , it’s time to get it ready for the long season ahead.
There are a number of beneficial tasks that home owners can do in spring to get a head start before summer creeps up on us. One of the most important things on your list should be a spring fertilization.
Choose The Best Spreader For Applying Fertilizer
There are two main categories of spreaders drop and broadcast. Each fertilizer comes with a distinctive spreader setting to allow correct coverage, and your spreader settings should be adjusted accordingly. Look for the correct spreader setting in your fertilizer bag and ensure that you are choosing the right setting for your spreader.
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Key Features Of Combination Products:
- Combined application of fertiliser and herbicide in one application
- Easy to apply by hand, hand or push spreader
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Get Your Lawn Ready For Spring: Fertilize
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. After a fairly mild winter across the state, you can give your lawn a head start, head off the crabgrass, save yourself some money and maybe even impress the neighbors by following a few tips from a turfgrass specialist in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
“From a financial standpoint, fertilization does more to revitalize thin, weedy lawns than any other single management practice,” says Peter Landschoot, professor of turfgrass science. “With more user-friendly products on the market, lawn fertilization has never been easier — provided you follow a few basic steps.”
–Soil Test. Soil tests tell consumers how much fertilizer and lime is needed. Test kits are available for a nominal fee at Penn State Cooperative Extension offices throughout the state. Soil tests can be taken and sent to Penn State any time of the year, but make sure you allow two to three weeks to receive your report.
Landschoot points out that some products contain “slow-release nitrogen” or “water insoluble nitrogen.” “It’s a good idea to have some slow-release nitrogen fertilizer in the bag,” he says. “This will provide longer-lasting green-up and reduce the chance of fertilizer burn. However, if all or most of the product is slow-release nitrogen, green-up of the lawn can be very slow. It may take weeks or even months to occur.”
EDITORS: Contact Peter Landschoot at 863-1017 or by e-mail at .
Gary Abdullah Writer/editor Phone: 814-863-2708 E-mail:
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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.
When To Apply Lawn Fertilizer
We recommend applying fertilizer a few times throughout the year. If you apply too much lawn fertilizer, the soil will become too concentrated with salt and nitrogen, leading to dry, burnt grass. Too little, and your lawn will look the same as it did the year before: The grass will be malnourished and sparse.
The exact timing will vary based on the following factors:
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Is It Ok To Fertilize Lawn In Winter
Dont fertilize too early! During the winter months, grass is likely dormant if you havent been irrigating. When you fertilize too early in springmeaning its still winter youre providing nutrients before the grass has broken dormancy. It wont be able to immediately take advantage of the nutrients you provided.
Now That You Have The Knowledge Apply Yourself
Fill up a handheld or pushcart lawn spreader with fertilizer granules and get busy. Apply the fertilizer around the perimeter and then work your way in. Criss-cross your yard to assure adequate coverage and prevent over coverage. Remember, less is more. You dont want to waste money, or worse, burn your yard by over fertilizing. Youve seen those yards. Youre better than that. Sweep up excess fertilizer granules to keep Mother Nature happy. With a little practice, you can get your lawn fertilized and looking green and healthy in no time. When youre ready to cut it, Toro has plenty of lawn care tools for that, too.
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How Fertilizer Is Formulated & The Requirements Of Newly Established Lawns
Most standard fertilizers offer a ratio of 1-0-1 of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium , and come in options such as slow-release and fast-release fertilizers. Each lawn requires a different formulation of nutrients, which is where soil testing can greatly benefit how your lawn is treated on an annual basis.
Cool-season grasses like the types we have in central Iowa typically thrive under slow-release nitrogen-based fertilizers.
Newly established lawns require a different mix of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Starter fertilizer is always used for the initial application on newly planted seeds or new sod. This fertilizer is typically phosphorus-based to promote sprouting and germination of the new seedlings. After this initial application, standard fertilizer is used going forward.
How Long Should Fertilizer Be Down Before It Rains
When youre applying fertilizer, be sure to consider the rain forecast. Applying fertilizer a day or two before it is set to rain is a great idea the water will help the fertilizer wash off the grass blades and absorb into the soil.
Dont fertilize before a heavy rainstorm. The water might flood your lawn, causing the fertilizer to run off into street puddles and storm drains. And finally, dont plan a fertilizer application during a drought.
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