Fertilizing Lawns In Spring: Everything About The First Fertilization In Spring
In the first warmer days of spring your lawn will start growing again. Here you will find out how to properly prepare your lawn for the new season after winter and what you should consider when fertilizing lawn in spring.
After winter, when sunlight and warmth are scarce and it often freezes too, most lawns look rather worn out. Spring is therefore perfect for fertilizing the lawn for the first time. But first we should clarify a few important questions: Why exactly should a lawn be fertilized in spring and when is the right time for fertilization? You can find all the answers in this article.
Water Deeply But Not Too Often
- 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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Spring Lawn Care Tip #: Remove Weeds
There are a few ways to handle weeds in your lawn during the spring. As a preventative measure, overseed your lawn before cold weather hits. Overseeding in the fall may help promote healthy growth of grass in the spring or early summer, giving little to no room for weeds to grow.You can also attack weeds chemically. Pre-emergent herbicides stop certain weeds seeds from growing out of the soil, while post-emergent sprays attack weeds that have already emerged. Before you go the chemical route, make sure you research the effects any given chemical might have on your grass, animals and the environment.
If you dont want to spray your lawn, you can pull weeds out manually. There are a variety of weeding tools that can help simplify the task of pulling weeds from your yard. Just make sure you are removing weeds at the root for the best results.
Taking good care of your lawn could get it to the perfect shade of green that has your neighbourhood a-buzz. We hope these spring lawn care tips can help your lawn get to where you want it. As one of your neighbours and energy providers in Alberta, we will surely be in awe of your pristine lawn! For more information on regulated Alberta energy rates and how we might be able to help you, contact us at 1.866.420.3174.
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Should I Fertilize Plants In The Fall
With the exception of new plantings, such as fall bulbs, its not necessary to apply fertilizers to your garden beds in the fall. However, applying a few inches of compost or manure can enrich the beds nicely, which your spring garden will certainly appreciate.
Purchasing and applying fall fertilizer is an inexpensive and quick way to make a big difference in the look of your lawn. Once the spring arrives, youll be pleased to see how quickly your lawn returns to its original colour, and how much easier it will be to keep weeds at bay. However, if your lawn is in bad shape, sometimes your best bet is to start with a blank slate. Our team specializes in sod and artificial turf installation to help you start over with an even, green look. Contact us today to discuss how we can help you get your yard back to tip-top shape!
When To Apply Fertilizer
Most fertilizer works best when you apply it to dry grass and then water it immediately afterward. The best time of day to apply fertilizer is usually the early morning after the dew has evaporated. This way, you can water your lawn thoroughly and not worry about the water evaporating during the hot afternoon or growing mold overnight.
If you dont have sprinklers, apply your fertilizer just before it rains. However, you should be careful not to fertilize directly before a strong storm, which might wash the nutrients from your soil before they can be absorbed.
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Considerations When Using Organic Lawn Fertilizer
For the most part, organic lawn fertilizer is almost always going to be the best solution to feed your lawn. However, its important to note that you should always double-check the percentages of nutrients in whatever type of fertilizer you use to make sure youre giving your plants exactly what they need.
For example, many organic lawn fertilizers contain far too much phosphorus and not enough nitrogen. Just double-check to make sure your fertilizer has precisely what your lawn needs .
Ultimately, organic lawn fertilizers are excellent choices for lawns, especially when used appropriately. Knowing when to apply organic lawn fertilizer is the most critical part of the equation. Now that you have the information you need, theres nothing standing between you and the lushest, greenest lawn imaginable!
Lawn Care: Organic Fertilizer
There are several organic ways to safely feed a lawn. A mulching mower cuts grass into small pieces that are then broken down on the lawn. Experts in lawn care in Myrtle Beach say this method provides the lawn with twice as much nitrogen than a single application of fertilizer. Although organic-labeled fertilizers can feed your lawn, they tend to be less saturated with essential nutrients than industrially processed fertilizers.
Lawn Care: Non-organic Fertilizer
The most popular type of lawn fertilizer is still traditional chemical lawn fertilizer. It can be supplied by your local lawn care provider, Conners Lawn Care. There are many types of fertilizers. There are fertilizers that match the season. These include early-season fertilizers and mid-summer fertilizers. Some fertilizers are better suited to vegetables or flowers. The herbicides category also includes fertilizers that feed the grass and kill weeds.
Pre-emergent herbicides combine fertilizer with crabgrass control herbicide and are applied in the spring. This product does not require a full feed of fertilizer. The product contains a small amount of fertilizer that boosts grass growth, keeps it alive, and a herbicide that restricts the development of crabgrass seedlings.
Fertilizer should be used with care
Fertilizer Application Timing
Traditional fertilizers can be applied to the lawn in three applications. One in spring, one in midsummer for those areas, and one in fall.
When To Fertilize Your Lawn During Spring
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Go For Slow Release Fertilizers
Synthetic fertilizers are usually of two types. Slow-release and quick release. Quick-release fertilizers go into action almost immediately after they are applied. Whereas, slow-release fertilizers work over a long period of time.
Asides that, slow-release fertilizers usually have a gentle impact on the turfgrass, and unlike quick release fertilizers, they pose minimal risk of burning to your grass.
When Should You Aerate Your Lawn In The Spring
The key to a luscious lawn is ensuring that the plants receive sufficient nutrients to grow. To achieve this, you have to engage in basic lawn care practices, including watering, mowing, weeding, aeration, etc.
Aeration is one of the vital aspects of lawn maintenance. The process, which is also known as core aeration, improves the growth of the roots and generates a robust, more luscious garden.
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When And How To Fertilize New Grass
If youre starting a new lawn from seed, sod or plugs or youre doing bare lawn spot repair a starter fertilizer helps grass get the perfect start. Unlike established lawns, new grass benefits from extra phosphorus, an essential plant nutrient that supports strong, deep roots. Some states only allow phosphorus-containing lawn fertilizers on new grass, so check with your county extension office if youre unsure.
On fertilizer products, phosphorus is the middle number in the N-P-K ratio usually 0 in normal lawn fertilizers. But with Pennington UltraGreen Starter Fertilizer 22-23-4, you get an ideal ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, plus other essential lawn nutrients, including iron for deep green color. This premium fertilizer blend starts feeding new grass immediately and keeps feeding it for up to three months.
Always follow guidelines for the best time to plant grass seed for your region and grass type, then fertilize accordingly. For seed or plugs, apply fertilizer with a regular lawn spreader before you plant. If youre starting a lawn with sod, fertilize after your sod is in place.
With any new lawn area, avoid using crabgrass preventer fertilizers or weed & feed fertilizers within four weeks before planting time. After seeding, wait until your new grass gets established and youve mowed your lawn at least three times.
Weed & feed fertilizers kill tough weeds and feed your lawn.
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The Ideal Height To Cut Grass
Figuring out the best height to cut grass depends on the type of lawn you have. Typically you should keep your grass about three inches long, with the last cut of the season taking it down to between 1-1/4 inches to 1-1/2 inches.
Cutting grass too short before the end of the season can damage the soil and the lawn mower itself. Short grass also will not do as good of a job blocking the sun, which can dry out the soil and create dead patches.
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Bermuda Zoysia & Centipede
Early Spring
Omit fertilizer for these months. Your grass will be dormant, and you dont want to promote growth during this time.
Pre-emergent exception: You may apply a low nitrogen fertilizer and pre-emergent combo from late February to early March to prevent weed seeds from germinating. An example of a low nitrogen ratio is 0-0-7 with pre-emergent.
Limestone: During early spring, conduct a soil test to determine if the pH of your soil is too acidic. If the results of your soil test pH are too low, apply lime to your lawn. We recommend Pelletized Dolomitic Limestone.
Spring
When all of your grass is green and completely out of dormancy, apply 16-4-8 + Iron to Bermudagrass and Zoysiagrass.
Since Centipedegrass likes low nitrogen, apply 5-10-30 + Iron to it. Centipede fertility is a little different than other lawns so read our Fertilizer Tricks for your Centipede Lawn.
Organic Lawn Care Alternative: Instead of applying fertilizer, topdress your lawn with Soil3 organic humus compost. This will act as one application of fertilizer for the year and cut down on your chemical use.
Mid- Summer
Apply 16-4-8 + Iron as your final application of fertilizer for the year.
Fall and Winter:
When To Fertilize Your Lawn In Spring
You want a healthy lawn. Everyone does. Lawns obtain nutrients from the soil to grow. During the growing season, they often need a little help. Enter a lawn fertilizer application. It encourages turf blade and root growth, boosting lawn density and reducing weeds in the process. Sounds like a no brainer, right? Better, thicker lawn and fewer weeds. Sign me up!But when it comes to getting the season started right, you may be wondering when to start fertilizing your lawn.
This is an intelligent question, and heres why. Fertilize too early, and you waste product . Fertilize too late, and you miss a key window for best results. Time and money wasted is never fun.Here are some key facts to consider when it comes to lawn fertilization timing, particularly that first application.
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Fertilize Lawn Properly: Instructions For Ideal Application
So that you can start supplying your lawn with nutrients right away, we have put together precise fertilization instructions below:
Tip : You can easily measure our Plantura organic lawn fertilizer: a volume of one liter corresponds to 650 grams.
If you are looking for information on mowing, scarifying and further maintenance of the lawn after winter, you will find it here. You can also find more information on various lawn fertilizers here.
Things To Be Mindful Of
- Make sure you always read the label. If you’re doing it yourself, make sure you follow the labelled ratings or you could risk over or under applying.
- Don’t over-fertilize. If you put too much fertilizer down, you could burn the lawn and leave it with undesirable yellow patches or lines. Too much product can also also create ‘flush growth’ – this means the plant begins to grow excessively, however leaves it weak and vulnerable to disease and insects.
- Don’t under-fertilize. If you under apply, you’re not going to get the benefit and won’t see anything happen on your lawn – not to mention, you’ll have wasted time and money.
- Application technique is important. You need the right equipment to get the job done right. Ideally, you should use a spreader – this will help you avoid streaking the lawn by doing it by hand.
- Know when to fertilize next. The type of fertilizer will determine when you should be fertilizing again. If you’re using a store-bought quick release fertilizer, you may need to re-fertilize once a month. Slow release fertilizers may need to be reapplied every 6-10 weeks, while most professional lawn care companies use controlled-release fertilizer blends, which feed the lawn for 12-16 weeks.
Talk to your local Nutri-Lawn about your fertilizer options, and for more lawn care tips and tricks.
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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.
The Secret Under The Soil
Understanding soil characteristics will also improve fertilization program outcomes, says Toby Mancini, Franz Wittes operations manager.
While we don’t necessarily do a soil test, there are some consistent generalities of our region, explains Mancini. For example, we have a high clay content and low rainfall on an annual basis, which tends to result in a higher alkaline soil that ties up some nutrients. So, one of the other components to our turf fertilization requirements is that we have a readily accessible amount of iron in conjunction with nitrogen. Those are the two most important elements we need for healthy turf in our area.
While its a good practice to test your clients soil so you can provide the most comprehensive and prescriptive treatment program, its not always possible, adds Moses.
I believe you should be charging for your time and expertise, and sometimes clients don’t want to pay for a soil test, he says. In those cases, you just have to communicate that you’re going to do what’s best based on what you know about the region.
Brown notes that since most of the soils in his region arent typically low in phosphorus and potassium, his team usually wont test unless they see signs of deficiency.
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Environmental Factors That Impact Fertilization Timing
Respecting Maryland law comes first. But looking at timing based on the plant and the weather conditions is also important. For the most part, youre looking for that moment in spring when the days are getting longer and the grass is coming out of dormancy. That is the time for your initial lawn fertilizer application because you want the turf plants to be able to pick up those nutrients as they begin bursting with new growth.
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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