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When To Fertalize Your Lawn

Lawn Fertilizer Schedule For Warm

How To Fertilize Your Lawn | The Home Depot

Early spring: When the grass greens up after winter, usually late March or early April depending on the year and where you live

Early summer: When grass growth speeds up, but before the onset of intense midsummer heat, usually early June

Early fall: At least 6 8 weeks before the first expected frost, usually sometime in September

Seasonal Lawn Care Schedule For The Northeast: Your Calendar For Cool

Here is a more seasonal do-it-yourself cool season lawn care schedule for the northeast and states like Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware.


1. Lawn Fertilizer Schedule

When should I fertilize a cool-season lawn? is a common question, but the fertilization of cool-season grasses doesnt have to be complicated. You should fertilize two to four times per year, based on soil testing. The best months are March or May and September or November.

Fertilizing your lawn is key to making sure it has the nutrients it needs to prosper and thrive. That is why its important to use a soil analysis kit. Finding that balance between too much and too little fertilization takes some thought. When thinking about a fertilization schedule for cool season grasses dont be afraid to fertilize your lawn as many as four times a year, including late and early spring, once in the summer and once in the fall. These treatments will help your lawn be both healthy and resilient.

Pro tip: When you fertilize in the spring, you can use a weed-and-feed fertilizer that contains both a fertilizer and a pre-emergent.

2. Watering


If it rains more than one inch a week during any week, you do not need to water your lawn.

Remember, water in the morning so you wont scorch the grass. Another reason to water in the morning is that the grass will be dry by the time afternoon or evening humidity sets in.

3. Mowing

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Picking The Right Fertilizer

Picking the right fertilizer depends on your lawn type and your end goal is. If you want to make your lawn greener and healthier, a product like The Andersons 16-0-8 Fertilizer with Humic DG is great for you. It contains methylene-urea that will give your lawn an even feed over eight to 10 weeks. Its also safe for pets.


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When To Use Compost

Compost does more than feed grass it also builds and feeds soil. Compost contains microorganisms, micronutrients and organic matter items that nourish soil and foster a healthy underground environment in your lawn. When should you use compost? Spread a thin layer over lawns in early spring to fuel strong growth. Any time you plan to aerate, spread compost after aerating to improve soil and give roots a boost. It’s also a good idea to apply compost before overseeding thin turf. Add compost to a lawn by the shovelful in several places.

Water Deeply But Not Too Often

Southern Lawn Fertilizer Schedule
  • Too much watering can lead to poor growing conditions and disease problems.
  • Water only when your lawn needs it, usually no more than once a week when there is no rainfall.
  • Apply at least 2.5 cm of water. Put a tuna or pet food can on your lawn to measure how much youve watered. Stop watering when its full.
  • Consider the soil type and surface features. Grass growing on compacted, fine soil or on slopes needs lighter, more frequent watering.

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Using A Drop Spreader

Choose a drop spreader for controlled fertilizer distribution. Overlap slightly on each pass to ensure you have adequate coverage, and don’t forget to close the hopper when you come to the end of a pass. You’ll typically pay more for a drop spreader, but if you’re tending a typical suburban-size lawn, it’s worth the investment. If you accidentally dump fertilizer onto your lawn, gather what you can, then use a stiff broom to spread out any remaining fertilizer as far as possible. Water it in well, and do so again a few days later to help move that nitrogen down through soil and out of the lawn’s root zone.


Kicking Off Your Lawn Maintenance Plan

First things first, youre going to want to test your soil pH levels in the early spring. You can purchase a soil test kit and easily do it yourself in your yard. The pH of your soil has a major effect on grass growth, because most lawn grasses do best in slightly acidic soil with a pH around 6.5 or 7. However, before you amend your soil pH, check the type of grass you plan to grow. Some grasses, like St. Augustine or carpetgrass, prefer a pH of 6.0-8.0, while others, like Centipede, grow well in a pH of 4.3-5.8. Its important to match the soil pH to the type of grass, so that it can soak up the nutrients it needs to produce a lush, green lawn.. If the test reveals your lawns soil is at the optimal pH level perfect! You can skip the lime application stage.

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Fill And Prepare A Lawn Spreader

  • Next, check the instructions on your fertilizer bag for the recommended setting to use on your lawn spreader. This determines the amount of fertilizer that will be distributed. The higher the setting, the larger the hole size in the hopper, and thus, the more fertilizer spread on the lawn. Adjust the setting on the spreader accordingly.
  • Before you fill the spreader with fertilizer, make sure the hopper hole is closed. Fill the hopper on a hard surface, such as a driveway or sidewalk. This will prevent a potential spill from damaging or saturating a spot on your lawn.
  • Be careful not to overfill the spreader’s hopper or the lawn spreader may become hard to maneuver. Your lawn spreader may come with an edging feature to help you avoid dispensing fertilizer onto your driveway, sidewalk or walkway. If so, turn it on before you begin fertilizing that area. Follow all other instructions provided by your manufacturer for operating your lawn spreader.

Why And When To Fertilize Your Lawn

WHEN and HOW to FERTILIZE your lawn

Are you trying to get your lawn and garden in the best shape possible? Then it’s important to understand the process of fertilizing, including why and when to fertilize your lawn and plants.

Feeding your lawn is one of the most important things you can do to keep it in good health and to keep the grass green all year round. Fertilizers help to build a better root system, which in turn helps protect your lawn from extreme heat, cold, drought, foot traffic, and other stress factors.

First of all, keep in mind that every lawn is different depending on where you live, how much sun your lawn gets, and many other factors. You may find you need to tweak your fertilizer schedule depending on your unique lawn needs. But to get started, here are some general tips on when to fertilize your lawn.


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How To Fertilize Your Lawn In The Fall

Approach your fall fertilizer application just as you would any other. Follow the coverage recommendation for the chosen product. Its always a good idea to split the application in half and then make two passes in different directions. For example: if your fall fertilizer bag says it will cover 5,000 square feet, find the setting on your spreader for 10,000 square feet . This will close the spreader gate allowing only one-half the recommended rate to flow through. Then make two consecutive passes at this spreader setting. This will apply the total recommended amount using two passes instead of one. This ensures even, uniform coverage, reducing the risk of missing parts of your lawn.

After youve finished your fall fertilizer application, make sure you thoroughly wash your spreader. This removes any remaining fertilizer residue that can corrode spreader components over the winter. Refer to your owners manual for additional recommended maintenance before winter storage.

Professional Lawn Fertilization Vs Diy Lawn Fertilizer

Professional lawn care services are an excellent option for people who dont have the time or ability to maintain their lawn or for people who are disappointed with their lawn after trying to care for it themselves. Even though its cheaper to fertilize your lawn yourself, its also easier to wind up with a less vibrant lawn if you dont know what youre doing. The difference in cost between professional fertilization and DIY fertilization is also more minor than most people realize.

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Fall Lawn Care Fertilizer

Using late fall fertilizer is an important fall lawn care tip in Pennsylvania, that will help your lawn to green up better for next year. Thats because fall fertilizer, also called winterizer, allows for better root development over the winter and into the early spring. Youll start spring off on a much better foot if you perform this task.

Begin The Fertilizing Cycle Again

Tips on fertilizing your yard

When you buy fertilizer, take note of how long the feed lasts. There are slow- and quick-release fertilizers and these differ in how long they take effect for. Slow-release fertilizers tend to be effective for three to four months quick-release ones last for a month or so. So, make a note in your diary of when to begin the process again.

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When To Fertilize Warm

When to fertilize depends on what kind of grass you have. You want to time fertilizing so it occurs just before grass enters its peak growing phase. If you live in southern areas where lawns feature warm-season grasses, fertilize turf in late spring or early summer, just before grass kicks into high gear. Make a second application in late summer. If your warm-season lawn goes dormant in winter, don’t fertilize after the first of September.

Warm season grass types include bahia, Bermuda, St. Augustine, centipede and zoysia. Warm season grasses typically thrive in frost-free areas and grow best at temps of 75 degrees to 90 degrees.


Are Lawn Fertilizers Safe To Use

The majority of lawn fertilizers are safe to use, but if you have pets that like to eat grass, it is worth checking the packaging when you buy for any contraindications, and keeping the pets off the lawn until it has had a good post-feed soaking to ensure the fertilizer has moved off the grass and down into the soil.

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When To Fertilize The Lawn In Spring

Kelly Burke is a professional turf manager for a manicured corporate campus in New England. He is accredited in organic land care and is a licensed pesticide applicator. He formerly managed the turfgrass as a golf course superintendent and has held several senior management positions at private country clubs overseeing high maintenance lawns.

The Spruce / Jayme Burrows

Most people apply a dose of lawn fertilizer in the spring, followed by one or two more applications during the growing season. If you are going to fertilize your lawn, do not do it too early in the season. The best time for that first application is late spring, just as the green grass is beginning to grow eagerly. In early spring, the grass is putting energy into root development. If you apply fertilizer too early, it will divert the plant’s energy into leaf development too soon.

When Should I Start Applying Fertilizer

When To SEED and FERTILIZE Your Lawn In Fall?? + More Plot Updates

During cold weather months, it is important for grass to maintain the integrity and strength of its root system to combat and preserve itself from the harsh winter cold and wind, so fertilizing during this period is not ideal or necessarily conducive to your lawns health. The same can be said for the hot summer months when the suns strong and intense rays can compromise the strength and integrity of the grass, which is focused on maintaining moisture and preservation as opposed to growth and propagation.

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Your First Fertilizer Application Should Take Place In Early Spring

Fertilize your lawn in early spring when your grass first begins to grow. In Northeast Ohio, this is typically between March and April when temperatures start consistently staying near 50 degrees. Also consider a weed control application at the same time. Getting ahead of weeds before they germinate can help prevent them from taking over your lawn. A second application of both products should be used in late spring before it gets too hot.

Why Fertilizer Is Important For Your Lawn

Fertilizer provides your lawn with the nutrients that it needs to flourish and thrive. The better the soil that houses your homes grass lawn is, the more rich, fertilizing nutrients your lawn can benefit from, but if you have not conceived and created your lawn from the get-go, you may not have a lawn that is loaded with self-fertilizing goodness.

Even the best soil tends to lose its potency and fertilizing power over time, so its important to fertilize your lawn to ensure that it will continue to grow at a satisfactory rate, as well as remain healthy and as green as possible for as long as possible during the year.

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Best Time To Fertilize Lawn

Fertilizing in the morning allows the soil to take in the most nutrients, soak in the morning dew and take advantage of cooler temperatures. Thats the best time. Do not apply fertilizer on an abnormally hot day, not even in the morning. Wait until the weather cools back down to a normal temperature.

You can mow anytime after fertilizing with a granular treatment. With a liquid treatment, wait a day or two.

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Dont Fertilize During A Drought

Lawn Fertilizer

Although your lawn may be suffering, be sure not to apply fertilizer during drought periods. Your lawn needs to be watered regularly for fertilizer to work correctly, and arid conditions can lead to grass surface burns and slower growth. Additionally, in many states where droughts are a huge concern, there are often regulations on how often you can water your lawn.

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How To Fertilize A Lawn

Fertilizing a lawn the the proper way will keep it growing strongly and densely, but once it’s done, keeping it well fertilized is what will maintain its health and good looks moving forwards. It will also mean your lawn can withstand harsh conditions whether a kids’ football game or bad weather. Even better? Fertilizing a lawn regularly can ensure it’s less likely to suffer from disease, pests and weeds.

Note that fertilizing is in addition to knowing when to add lime to lawns and not a substitute for this.

Mulch Your Grass Clippings

If youre tired of bagging grass while you mow, weve got good news. To help your lawn stay greener year-round, you can leave the grass clippings on your lawn. When grass clippings break down, they provide your lawn with beneficial nutrients. While you dont need to buy a new mower blade, it doesnt hurt to install a mulching blade so that the grass is cut into smaller pieces. Learn more about recycling grass clippings here.

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How Often Should You Put Epsom Salt On Your Lawn

Some homeowners like to use Epsom salt as a natural lawn fertilizer in the spring to facilitate lush green growth. Epsom salt contains magnesium, which is key to seed germination, chlorophyll production, and improving the uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur.

To try this method, add 2 tablespoons to each gallon of water used on the lawn. If you have a sprinkler system, lightly sprinkle the salt directly atop the grass and then allow the system to water it into the sod.

How Often Should You Fertilize Your Lawn

Fertilize Your Lawn – Beginner’s Guide to Understanding Fertilizer

Advice widely varies on this, as you may have already seen. The exact answer will depend on the type of fertilizer youre using a slow-release fertilizer will last longer and require fewer applications. However, a typical synthetic fertilizer will be fast-acting, but will require more frequent applications.

Most recommend a minimum of two applications per year if you’re using a slow-release fertilizer, but this is not set in stone some experts recommend up to 4-5 annual treatments. If you’re using a fertilizer which won’t last as long, you may find yourself having to apply it much more regularly to keep up appearances. The right answer for you will ultimately depend on your lawn’s soil levels as well as the fertilizer you choose.

Ian Grant, lawn care expert at National Greenhouse advises: “We would suggest treating your lawn 4 to 5 times a year. Being the end of summer your treatment should contain plenty of iron to keep the grass a deep green colour and this helps the roots grow to make the most of the late summer sun. This late summer treatment is especially useful if your garden receives lots of wear and tear by children or animals.”

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State Laws About Fertilizing Lawns

Maryland protects the Chesapeake Bay from pollution by setting a cutoff date for fertilizing lawns: There is no lawn fertilizing allowed between November 16 and March 1. Many states limit phosphorus in lawn fertilizers, to cut down on the phosphorus algae bloom that pollutes streams, rivers and lakes.

When To Fertilize Lawn Important Things You Should Know Before Fertilizing Your Lawn

August 5, 2022 | Steve Merchant

Fertilizers work to boost the overall health of the root system of your grass by digesting potentially hazardous elements. Hence, it is necessary to fertilize your lawn effectively and at the right time.

Your lawn will quickly become the whole neighborhoods pride in no time if you follow certain guidelines on when to fertilize your lawn.

But, how often you want to apply fertilizer to your lawn is a critical factor in determining the timing of those applications. If you only fertilize your lawn once each year, you should do it around the time of Labor Day. This is the optimal period for grass to absorb nutrients.

It is best to fertilize your lawn between March and April, although the exact timing of these efforts will depend on where you live. It is also a good idea to water your lawn a few days before applying fertilizer to it, whether you do this by using a sprinkler or waiting for rain. Regarding temperatures, 55 degrees Fahrenheit is considered to be perfect.

You may need to adjust this schedule if the grass on your property isnt keeping enough of the nutrients it receives. This could not be the case at all, depending on the weather and soil composition. If you believe it is important to speed the greening up thing, you may hurry things up by spreading a little fertilizer in the spring.

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