Best Time To Fertilize Lawn
When is the best time to fertilize my lawn? You should fertilize your lawn twice per year. Early spring when the grass has turned green, and fall, before the snow comes. This encourages a healthy lawn and crowds out the weeds naturally, without chemicals.
Why Do We Feed the Lawn
One of the most important things you can do for your lawn is to fertilize it. A well-fed lawn is much greener. It has a better root system which provides more protection from excess heat or cold. This will protect a lawn from any other stresses the lawn is subject to. There are different times of the year that are appropriate for fertilizing your lawn.
Benefits of Early Spring Feeding
In the spring your lawn wakes up from the winter dormancy. It is hungry! Fertilizing it now will strengthen the roots and gets it starting to grow for the season. Use th
Benefits of Late Spring Feeding
In the late spring, your grass has been growing and has used many of its stored nutrients. Feeding now will keep it healthy to continue to grow well and stay green.
Benefits of Summer Feeding
In the summer, many times there is drought from lack of rain and high heat from the sun. Also, there are bugs all around. This takes its toll on the health of your lawn. Fertilizing now protects your lawn and makes it stronger.
Benefits of Fall Feeding
In the fall, the lawn starts to feel relief from the pressures of the summer heat and drought. It is starting to regain its green luster and is growing well again. Feeding it now helps it to regain its strength. The grass will increase nitrogen stores for the winter months ahead.
Finding Fertilizer and How Much to Apply
What type of grass do you have?
If you are in a warm climate or a colder climate, chances are you have different grass types.
Cool season grasses (found in the Northern US and Canada) consist of Kentucky Blue Grass, Perennial Rye grass, blue fescue, and tall fescue. This grass grows well where the average temperature is between 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit. This is usually in the spring and fall months. For the best health of your lawn, fertilize heavily in the fall and lightly in the spring. There are different fertilizers on the market. Some are slow release and some are quick-release. Fertilize before the heat of the summer. Special formulations of fertilizer are available for spring and fall feedings. Cool-season grass requires 1 to 2 pounds of nitrogen-rich fertilizer per 1,000 square feet per year.
A great fertilizer to use on cool-season grasses is Scotts Turf Builder Triple Action. It is a triple-action product, that kills weeds, prevents weeds, and has fertilizer in one.
Warmer season grasses (found in the southern US) consist of Bahia grass, Bermuda grass, Centipede grass, St. Augustine Grass, and Zoysia Grass. These grasses grow rapidly when temperatures are 80-95 degrees Fahrenheit. Start to fertilize this grass as soon as it turns green in the spring. You can use slow and quick-release fertilizer but it must be applied before the high-temperature months. Water thoroughly after applying fertilizer to wash the grains off of the blades of grass. Apply fertilizer again when the heat of the summer has passed. Warm-season grasses require 3-4 pounds of nitrogen-rich fertilizer for 1,000 square feet of lawn per year.
For warmer season grass, a great fertilizer is Scotts Turf Builder Southern Triple Action. It kills weeds, prevents weeds and fertilizes the lawn all in one product.
Fertilizer Analysis – Finding Your Fertilizer
All fertilizers have three key nutrients Nitrogen (N) – Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). When you know which of these elements you need for your lawn, you can find the fertilizer to match your needs. How can you fidn that out? By soil testing.
Soil Testing
A home testing kit can be used to test your soil. They are inexpensive and can save you a lot of trouble if you are having trouble with your plants. I like this test kit as it contains a pH, EC digital tester kit, a TDS PPM meter for water, and a 3-in-one soil moisture meter. You will be able to determine the proper analysis for your specific needs. If you would rather, you can have it tested by professionals at a soil testing facility.
For example, a fertilizer that reads 12-0-6 means it contains 12 percent nitrogen, 0 percent phosphorus, and 6 percent potassium.
The fertilizer also comes in slow or quick release. It is your choice what you prefer to use.
Nitrogen is a key component of your lawn fertilizer. Nitrogen is the element that feeds the green part of a plant. It is the first number in the fertilizer analysis. Do not apply nitrogen-rich fertilizer to your lawn when it is dormant.
Follow the directions on your fertilizer bag. This will help to get the correct application for your lawn.
Following the application of fertilizer, it may say on the bag that you must water it in. If it does, it is nice to apply fertilizer to your lawn before a rainfall. If you have a massive lawn, this will make it much easier to water the fertilizer into the soil. If you have a sprinkler system or a small lawn, you can water it after application.
