When Is The Best Time To Fertilize Your Lawn In The Florida Panhandle
The most common grass in the Florida panhandle area is centipede grass, according to The University of Florida IFAS Extension. The first fertilization should take place in mid-April, with another two applications in the summer and early fall, the last one no later than mid-September. This fertilization season provides the needed nutrients during the active grass growth phase.
Some areas in Florida prohibit lawn fertilization during the summer months, with concern that the nutrients will leach into the water system during the states potentially heavy rains. If you live in one of these areas, the University of Florida Extension recommends using a long-term controlled release fertilizer in late May, before the summer restrictions start.
Why You Should Fertilize Your Lawn
Most of us want to fertilize for aesthetic reasons so that our grass looks better. Routine chores such as overseeding, aerating, fertilizing, and deep watering are the best ways to achieve this.
How does grass fertilizer work? Weeds are crowded out, root systems grow deep, and the lawn can better handle environmental stresses, leaving it a more beautiful and healthy lawn.
What Happens If You Over
Whatever you do, dont throw caution to wind and fertilize your lawn just because you can. When using synthetic fertilizers, over-fertilization can actually do more damage than if you didnt fertilize at all. Greensphere explains that too much fertilizer will cause a growth spurt which the root system of your lawn just cant keep up with that means your grass will struggle to take in the water and nutrients it requires.
Over-fertilization will also increase the nitrogen and salt levels in the soil to the point where it can kill the grass. The result is yellowing patches of dead grass across your lawn, aka fertilizer burn. If youre guilty of over-fertilizing and the damage is already done, you will need to give your lawn time for the soil levels to recover. But, there are steps you can take to help things along.
According to The Spruce, you should first remove any excess fertilizer as soon as possible and distribute what remains across your lawn. Then saturate your yard with water to dilute it apply about an inch a day for a week, or until you see your grass is recovering. Any areas of dead grass will also need reseeding once the soil has regained its levels you can use a soil test kit to keep an eye on its progress during this time. Check our guide on how to plant grass seed for more details on this.
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The More You Know The More Your Grass Will Grow Here Are The Best Ways To Maximize Your Lawn Fertilization Schedule
Understanding when and how to fertilize your lawn is a major component to maintaining a healthy, lush yard. Fertilizers give your lawn a healthier root system while eating up unhealthy nutrients. With some simple steps, youll be on your way to having a lawn that is the envy of the neighborhood.
Why Lawn Fertilization Is Important
Lawn fertilizers are made of the three major nutrients nitrogen , phosphorous , and potassium in various combinations and concentrations. Because nitrogen is the key nutrient for leaf growth, the ratio of nitrogen in lawn fertilizer is always the highest. Phosphorus is important for root growth, and potassium helps with water and nutrient absorption, but their numbers are always lower because most soils already contain enough or most of those two nutrients.
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How Long Should You Wait Between Fertilizing Your Lawn
If necessary, cool season grasses can be fertilized in the late spring. Depending on the amount of water your grass gets, aim to reapply yourfertilizer every two to three weeks. Fertilize your lawn in the fall, when the grass is dormant.
This is the best time to fertilize because it allows you to get the most out of the fertilizers you use. If youre not sure how much fertilizer to use, start with a small amount and add more as needed until you find the right balance.
Don’t Bother Fertilizing Your Lawn Twice A Year
Fertilizing your yard too oftenor at the wrong timecan do more harm than good
A lush lawn can make your homes landscaping shine . But how do you maintain a beautiful and healthy yard year-round?
The answer is fertilizer.
Fertilizing provides the nitrogen that grass needs to better withstand pests and extreme heat and cold. But how frequently you fertilize your lawn can make the difference between a well-kept yard and one that looks worse for wear.
Overfertilizing can damage roots and cause scorching, leaving grass brown and patchy. Underfertilizing, though, can make grass less pest- and disease-resistant. And rules of thumbsuch as fertilizing twice a yeardont apply to every lawn, since weather conditions and grass cycles can vary depending on where you live.
The right time to apply fertilizer is when the grass is growing more roots than blades. In the Northeast and Northwest, thats usually in the fall. In the South and Southwest, its in the late spring. So in cooler climes, dont even think about it until Labor Day. And if you only fertilize once a year, do it in September using fall fertilizer.
How often you mow is also a factor in whether you have a lush lawn. Generally, you should let grass grow to 4½ inches and then cut it to 3 or 3½. Tall grass helps promote deep roots, making your lawn hardier and more resilient.
Bottom line: Listen to your lawn and apply fertilizer only when the grass calls for it.
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Why Is It Important To Fertilize Your Lawn
Fertilizing your lawn can help you get the lush, green grass you desire. To properly fertilize your lawn its important to prepare the ground, pick out the right fertilizer, and use a method that will give your lawn the best chance to grow in stronger and healthier.
How can I find out how much fertilizer I need for my lawn?
Measure your lawn. Youll need to know the square footage in order to buy the right amount of fertilizer. Multiply the length of your yard by its width to find out the square footage. Make sure you subtract the areas that wont need to be fertilized, like your home and any landscaped areas.
Fertilizing For A Greener Lawn
Fertilizing the lawn is relatively quick and easy and has a fast return on your investment you should see results in as little as a few days. Test the soil, measure the lawn, mow, fertilize, and water thatâs it.
Lawn fertilization is easy enough to do as a DIY project , but if youâd rather not spend your time spraying or spreading fertilizer, we can help you to find a lawn care professional near you.
However you decide to fertilize your grass, by feeding your lawn the nutrients it needs when it needs it, youâre sure to have a greener, healthier lawn throughout the growing season.
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What Is The Best Fertilizer For Lawns
The Top 5 Best Lawn Fertilizers Scotts Green Max Fertilizer. If you want easy and quick green grass, then Scotts Green Max is the fertilizer for you. Miracle-Gro Lawn Food. This is one of the most popular lawn fertilizers for a reason. Safer Brand 9333 Ringer Fertilizer. Milorganite 0636 Fertilizer. Scotts Turf Builder.
How Often Do You Need To Fertilize Your Grass
Both the environment where you live and the kind of grass that you have will influence the quantity and sort of fertilizer you should apply to your lawn. Fertilizing should be done in the fall for grasses requiring a chilly growing season, whereas fertilizing should be done in the spring for grasses with a warm growing season. Fertilization of warm-season grasses, such as Bermuda, St. Augustine, zoysia, centipede, and buffalo, should take place in the spring.
Other types of warm-season grasses should also get fertilization at this time. The frequency of fertilizer applications should range from every six to eight weeks and be based on the amount of rainfall that your lawn gets.
Maintain a close watch on the state of your lawns health. If the plant seems to have enough nutrition, further feeding is not required. If you see that your grass is starting to look brown or even black, give it a good feeding.
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How Often Should I Fertilize My Lawn
Lawn fertilization has its benefits, but your lawn can have too much of a good thing. You dont want to overdo it.
Generally, lawns should receive a full feeding five or six times per year. A grass fertilizer with nitrogen is most effective when your lawn is already growing.
There are no silver bullets for fertilization. Keep a watchful eye on how the grass is growing. Thick, green grass likely already has all the nutrients required. Its possible to skip a feeding, in this case.
If the grass is starting to look brown or black, it can still be saved, but youll need to offer some extra TLC.
The Science Behind Fertilizer
While this is an extensive topic for another blog post, using the right mix and the right quantity of fertilizer is important in addition to paying attention to the best time to fertilize and should be researched before applying.
The Goldilocks mantra of avoiding extremes applies here too. Make sure not to apply too much fertilizer, nor too little. Either can cause problems with your lawns growth, health and appearance. Plus, too much fertilizer can harm the environment, with nutrient run-off into the water system and ecosystem. Looking for guidance? This is where a landscaping company that provides lawn fertilization service and other lawn care comes in.
If youd like to learn more about proper lawn care, reach out to the professionals at GreenEarth Landscape Services. Give us a call at our Panama City Beach office at 236-1959, or call our Santa Rosa Beach office at 267-0010 to set up an appointment. You can also fill out the online form on our website to schedule a consultation.
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Setting A Tentative Lawn Fertilizing Schedule
Creating a lawn fertilizing schedule is a good idea to keep track of when you fertilize and how much. It also helps you to get everything lined up in time for fertilization.
However, lawn fertilizing schedule needs to be flexible. If rain is not in the forecast, delay fertilizing until it is. And if there is a drought, delay the fertilization until its over, or skip it altogether. When there is no water, grass wont grow, and fertilizer has no place to go. Fertilizing a lawn during a drought when the grass is already stressed makes fertilizer burns more likely.
When To Fertilize Lawn
Knowing when to fertilize your lawn depends on how often you plan to apply it. If you fertilize once a year, do it around Labor Day thats when lawns absorb the most nutrients. For biannual fertilizing, add a second application the middle of October.
There are exceptions to this timeline depending on climate and soil types, so adjust if your lawn is not retaining enough nutrients. In the spring, if you feel the need, spread a little fertilizer to help the greening process.
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When Not To Fertilize Your Lawn
Don’t apply fertilizer when a heavy rainstorm is in the forecast. A downpour may wash the fertilizer away. But if you’re expecting a moderate amount of rain to come and to fall steadily upon the earth, this is an ideal time to fertilize: It will save you from having to water the fertilizer in, yourself.
Since heat and dryness are your enemies when fertilizing a lawn, avoid applying fertilizer to your grass during periods of severe drought. Your grass is stressed at such times, increasing the likelihood that a chemical fertilizer will burn it.
How Do You Know How Often To Fertilize Lawns
There are several important factors that come into play when youre trying to understand lawn fertilization frequency. These include:
- Lawn fertilizer application times
- The type of fertilizer you use
- How you apply your fertilizer
- How frequently you water your lawn
Ill discuss each of these points in some detail below.
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What Is The Best Lawn Fertilizer For Early Spring
A longer-lasting fertilizer is typically healthier for your lawn in the spring, since it requires fewer applications. Nitrogen is the most important nutrient, but keep in mind that there are fast-release and controlled-release nitrogen sources. To check what the fertilizer contains, just look in the guaranteed analysis section on the back of the bag. Key terms to look for include controlled-release, slow-release, slowly-available, or water-insoluble nitrogen. Some specific types that may be listed include ureaform, sulfur-coated urea, polymer-coated urea, and IBDU . Several organic nitrogen sources are controlled-release if you prefer a more natural, less artificial choice. Most quality lawn fertilizers offer a balance of fast and controlled release sources to offer a fertilizer that will provide some quick color and some long-lasting nitrogen.
Details About Our Fertilization Treatments & When We Apply Them
Each of our fertilization treatments is done with a balanced fertilizer that generally contains nitrogen and potassium. Some fertilizers contain phosphorus, but the use of this substance is regulated by the state of Michigan and can only be applied to new lawns or soil that has tested low for phosphorus. Learn more about when we apply our fertilization treatments:
- Early Spring: This first treatment is done to help your lawn green up for the growing season. If it does not rain within seven days of this treatment, make sure to water your lawn.
- Late Spring: Another treatment of balanced fertilizer continues to provide nutrients to your grass and soil.
- Early Summer: We supply more nutrients to the lawn so it can feed on these and grow strong.
- Late Summer: Fertilization at this time is important as the grass needs its strength during the heat of summer.
- Early Fall: This balanced fertilizer offers more vital nutrients to your grass and keeps nourishing it throughout the fall.
- Late Fall: One last treatment for the year prepares your lawn for the winter months and helps it build deeper roots. This will be extremely beneficial once the lawn emerges from its winter dormant period the following spring.
We also provide weed control treatments each time we fertilize your lawn so the grass will be as strong as possible.
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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.
How Many Times A Year Should You Fertilize Your Lawn
You should fertilize your lawn at least once per year, and more often if you live in an area with a lot of rainfall when deciding when should I fertilize my lawn. Early spring is the best time to fertilize, as this is when grass is just beginning to grow. However, you can also fertilize in early spring or early summer.
The key is to apply fertilizer before the lawn starts to turn brown from the summer heat. If you fertilize too late in the season, the fertilizer will not have a chance to be absorbed by the roots before the grass goes dormant for winter.
Fertilizing will help to ensure a healthy lawn that withstands wear and tear and looks green and lush throughout the growing season.
Should I fertilize before or after mowing ?
Ideally if you want to mow before you fertilize, make sure to eliminate grass clippings, so the fertilizers can reach your soil easier. Aerate the ground in the spring or autumn to help promote healthy soil and remove thatch.
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When To Fertilizer Your Lawn In The Fall
The best time to apply your last fertilizer application is between August 15 and October 1. Ideally, your last lawn feeding should take place six to eight weeks before the average first frost in your area. So, if this date is Oct 10, like it is in Minneapolis/St. Paul, you should target August 15 to September 1 as your last application. If you live in Des Moines where the average first hard frost is October 27, then youd want to target your last fertilizer application six to eight weeks earlier, or between September 1 and Sept 15.
Planning fall fertilizer applications around average frost dates gives your lawn plenty of time to absorb all of the nutrients before it enters its dormant stage. Theres no need or benefit to carry over nutrients through the winter.
If you apply fertilizer too late, youre making your lawn stay up past its bedtime when all it wants to do is go to sleep for the year. Late fertilizing of cool-season lawn grasses will keep it actively growing when frigid weather, snow and ice usher in winter, potentially causing winter kill and disease issues next spring.