What Is The Best Time Of Year To Fertilize Your Lawn
Fertilize your lawn in the spring with weed and feed. In summer , use turf builder. And, in the fall , use a winterizer.
- In the southern U.S., you might skip the winterizer and use turf builder or weed and feed year-round.
- Always follow the directions on the fertilizer bag or bottle. Remember to use the right seasonal fertilizer for your climate. Contact a local lawn care specialist if youre unsure.
When To Overseed Lawn In New Jersey
Visit Jonathan Green online to learn when and how to overseed your lawn in New Jersey. We can help you achieve great results with your lawn.
Since 1881, Jonathan Green has specialized in beautiful lawns. Six generations of the Green family have worked to perfect our genetically superior grass seed and our family of lawn and soil care products. Jonathan Green products will transform every aspect of your lawn to help it thrive like never before.
Should I Mow Before Applying Weed And Feed
The question is, do you have to cut your grass before applying the weed & feed? If youve been following our blog for a while, you know that the answer is always it depends.
It depends on the type of weeds youre trying to get rid of, the species of grass you have, the phase of the season when youre applying herbicide, how the herbicide works, and, of course, how you mow.
If you have large broad leafed weeds, and are using a post-emergent product, then its best not to mow too short before putting down weed and feed, better to have a larger leaf area for the product to work on.
If you are going to be using a pre-emergent product, you can cut the grass not less than 2 days before application, then water it in, as it needs to get under the surface to start working.
So, the general rule is only mow at least 2 days before you apply weed & feed products, and dont mow before 2 days after the weed and feed application.
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Weed And Feed Lawns: Where To Begin
Weed & Feed products combine a lawn fertilizer with a weed killer and/or weed preventer in one product. One application does double duty, treating random weeds spread across an entire lawn while also feeding and greening grass. Weed & Feeds come in two basic formulations, granules and liquids. But before you make an application, here are some things you need to know about weed & feed products.
Weed & Feed Starts With Weeding
The weed half of weed & feed contains some mix of herbicides to kill lawn weeds. Almost all products contain a post-emergent herbicide, but some also combine a pre-emergent herbicide designed to prevent new weeds from sprouting.
Post-Emergent herbicides kill existing lawn weeds like Dandelion, Clover and many other common weeds. The complete list of weeds can be found on your products label. These post-emergents are always selective herbicides, so they will not harm existing grass when applied as directed. New innovations, like BioAdvanced 5-in-1 Weed & Feed, also kill grassy weeds like Crabgrass, eliminating the need for multiple applications of additional herbicides to achieve control.
Pre-Emergent herbicides are meant to keep new weeds from germinating and growing. Timing is the key, apply too early and the preventer can become ineffective while weeds are still dormant. Apply too late and seeds may have already germinated. Youre probably most familiar with Crabgrass preventers that are applied in early spring.
And Ends With Feeding
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.
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When Is The Best Time To Overseed My Lawn
For cool-season lawns, the best time to overseed is late summer and early fall. For example, in the Northeast and Zone 5-6, the last week of August or the beginning of September are the best conditions for new grass. The number of weeds to be invasive is much lower in September than spring seeding in the spring .
More Organic Lawn Care
If you are intent on achieving that deep emerald-green lawn, it is a more responsible approach to limit your feeding to three light applications times a year and to always avoid the weed-and-feed products that add herbicide chemicals to the formulations. A modest application of balanced slow-release fertilizer in late spring, late summer, and late fall is a reasonable approach.
But, if you want to be more organic about your lawn-care practice, here are some tips to follow:
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A Traditional Fertilizing Schedule
Take a look at a sample schedule from Scotts for a Northern lawn composed of a mixture of bluegrass, ryegrass, and fescue. Scotts suggests a four-part schedule for fertilizing lawns. The exact schedule will depend on where you live and your grass type. Ask your local county extension office for tips tailored to your specific situation.
Before fertilizing lawns with any commercial products, read the instructions carefully . A particular product may not be suitable for your type of grass.
How To Apply Fertilizer
Youll want to invest in a broadcast spreader which will evenly spread the fertilizer over your lawn. Areas of concentrated fertilizer will burn your lawn. After you fill your hopper with fertilizer, youll want to walk at a consistent pace over your lawn. Also, make sure you go in even strips across your lawn to avoid over-fertilizing areas.
Its better to apply too little fertilizer than too much. Youll also want to check the forecast and make sure you apply it when there will be a dry day so that the fertilizer doesnt get washed away. Also, pick a day when you wont be mowing soon so it has time to settle into the ground. Start with the perimeter of your lawn and then work your way towards the center. Then re-apply in the opposite direction to create a criss-cross pattern.
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Who Does The Federal Ban Affect
The 2010 federal ban covers all “fine turf,” which applies to all residential, commercial, and recreational turf, such as golf courses, which up to that point were usually exempt from pesticide laws. It does not apply to agricultural uses of fertilizer-pesticide combination products or products that have a single active material that has both fertilizer and pesticidal properties.
The federal ban avoids the political lightning rod of enumerating the specific health risks, instead offering the reasoning that weed-and-feed products “do not support the goals of best practices for pest management in turf.”
Lime Treatments Restore Lawn Ph
If your lawn is beginning to grow moss or is growing slowly, it may be a sign that a lime treatment is needed to restore a healthy pH. Lime restores the balance by lowering the acidity of your soil. Our team will consult with you about whether this service is needed and how it can help your lawn.
When there is an imbalance in your lawns pH, there will be a decrease in nutrients for grass and plants to feed on.
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Diy Vs Hiring A Lawn Treatment Service
Itll cost you half as much to do it yourself, or about $40 per 1,000 square feet if you do all the same treatments like a pro. However, a professional service usually gets better results, saves you time and makes sure all the applications happen on schedule.
For the best looking yard, hire a lawn care professional near you today.
Pros:
- The upfront price tag usually looks like twice as much, but once you factor in tools, chemicals and time, you hardly save any doing it yourself.
- Professional Results. Pros almost always get lusher, greener lawns than DIYers.
- Safe: If not handled properly, serious illness and property damage can occur. Professionals have been trained on how to apply fertilizer in a safe way and according to local and federal guidelines.
Cons:
- Upfront cost: Overall, youll pay slightly more than you would to do it yourself, usually about $100-$200 per year plus equipment.
Find the best service. Browse reviews and research licensed and insured pros in our lawn care service directory.
When To Apply Weed And Feed
Knowing when to weed and feed is essential, but before applying the best weed and feed, it is important to identify your type of grass, because some solutions can be applied to all lawn types, and others are designed for certain types of grasses and weeds. If you apply the wrong product to the wrong grass and weeds, then damage to your healthy grass and lawn is inevitable.
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Debating The Use Of Fertilizer On The Lawn
Whether or not you should use fertilizer on a lawn depends on where you stand on organic or low impact-to-chemical gardening practices. Organic gardeners bemoan the use of any chemicals as lawn fertilizers. The main concern is the fertilizer run-off can enter the local water supply. There is good evidence that shows phosphorus and nitrogen from lawn and agricultural fertilizers are contaminating streams, rivers, and groundwater supplies, creating a pressing environmental problem.
There are a few organic methods of feeding a lawn safely. You can choose to use a mulching mower that chops up grass into fine particles that then break down on the lawn. Horticultural experts say that throughout the season, this technique provides a lawn with as much nitrogen as one complete application of lawn fertilizer. You can also use organic fertilizers made from natural materials instead of refined chemicals. Organic-labeled fertilizers will indeed feed your lawn, though they are usually less saturated with the essential nutrients than the industrially refined fertilizers.
Pre-emergent herbicides are a combination of fertilizer and crabgrass control herbicide applied in the early spring. This combination product does not have a full feeding of fertilizer. This small dose of fertilizer slightly boosts grass growth and keeps it alive, while the herbicide in the product restricts crabgrass seedling development.
Plant Health Services & Deer Repellent Treatments Help Us Care For Your Landscape Plants
Deer might be cute, but they can be very destructive when it comes to your landscape plants. We offer a non-toxic repellent that keeps them off of your property. It deters them by emitting a smell that is unpleasant to them.
We also offer plant health services that allow us to monitor your landscape plants for any signs of plant disease or insect infestation.
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What Seed Should You Use
Jonathan Greens genetically superior Black Beauty® grass seed, which is used by leading sod growers across the country, creates a lawn full of grass that:
- Is deep rooted for drought tolerance
- Exhibits an invisible waxy leaf coating to ward off disease and lock in moisture
- Is dark green, lush, and uniform in texture
- Grows well in both full sun and partial shade
- Grows well in clay or sandy soil
- Is drought-resistant
- Contains Endophytes for natural insect resistance
- Can be seeded into any existing lawn.
Spring And Fall Are The Best Times
Weed and feed products should be applied no more than twice a year, so one application in the spring, and another in the fall if the first one didnt resolve the issue. Further, each application should be at least two months apart, because not waiting long enough between applications could cause the herbicides to build up to high levels that can kill healthy grass and vegetation.
Considering weed and feed products contain chemicals, there are a few safety precautions you need to take, starting with making sure kids and pets stay off the lawn until it dries completely. It is best to wait until the next heavy rain or when the granules have completely dissolved before allowing foot traffic on your lawn.
If youre applying pre-emergent weed and feed, then the best application time is prior to weed seed germination. But if youre trying to control summer weeds, early spring is the best time to apply weed and feed.
However, if youre trying to kill crabgrass, you should apply weed and feed in mid-April. As mentioned earlier, post emergent weed killers will only kill weeds that are actively growing at the time of application.
Given that fertilizer applications arent recommended in the summer such as in temperatures above 90-degrees, post-emergent herbicides to kill tough broadleaf weeds such as dandelions and clover should be applied from late spring onwards.
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What Our Customers Say
I loved their work. Im very happy with their landscaping services in New Jersey, they have installed and maintained our landscape pretty well. Thanks, Borst Landscape & Design! Esther J. Estrada
We have used Borst Landscape for many years for projects such as a new front paver walkway, irrigation and drainage, and new plantings. In 2019 we transferred our lawn maintenance as well so Borst takes care of all our landscaping and hardscaping needs. From owner Mark and the entire team, it has always been a pleasure to deal with Borst and we are extremely satisfied with their work. Anonymous
The mulching that Jason Creans team did this week looks fantastic! We are really pleased. Corinna Giezendanner
We are extremely pleased with the work that Borst Landscape has done for us. They landscaped our property and maintain it year-round. Our property has never looked better. They recently finished a big project leveling a section of the property where we wanted to build a shed. They did an amazing job, and they clean up beautifully when they are finished. I would highly recommend it. Hannah Jacobs
When Not To Apply Weed And Feed
Naturally, you cant apply lawn weed and feed during the winter. When the temperatures are below zero weedings and feeding isnt recommended, because the soil is too hard and cant absorb the nutrients. Summer is also a not good idea for weeding and feeding because the soil can be too dry for absorbing the nutrients. However, there are some exceptions, for instance with Scotts weed and feed schedule.
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When Is It Too Late To Use Weed And Feed
It is generally considered too late at the end of fall. After this, if you are in a cold area, winter will start to take hold and the weed killer element will have nothing to work upon. It works when the weeds are actively growing, or before they sprout, depending upon whether you have a pre emergent or post emergent type.
Summer Lawn Care In Nj
Northern New Jersey summers can be hot and humid but can also result in little actual precipitation. You may decide to tell your lawn company to set the mower blades over three and a half inches to protect your grass by cutting less than a third of the plant at a time. Water only in the early morning so that fungus does not accumulate overnight. If you notice fungus, contact your Bergen County Lawn Service to apply a fungicide. Regular watering is less important than a really good soaking at least once a month in summer though. Your lawn needs about an inch of water a month.
Your lawn service may also suggest spot weed and pest treatments if necessary.
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Early Spring: February April
Clean up winter debris in your yard, but be careful not to damage the turf. The wetness from the melting snow makes the turf vulnerable. Do NOT apply fertilizer, as the ground is still cold, wet and perhaps partially frozen. Fertilizing will be a waste of money, and can run off into lakes and rivers. What you can do is introduce Kentucky bluegrass while the soil temps are below 50 degrees. Also seed bare spots to prevent weed growth.
