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When is the best time to fertilize the lawn? This is one of the most common questions asked by most people who have a lawn.
The answer to this question will vary from person to person, depending on their lawn’s condition. Some lawns don’t need any fertilizer at all, while some lawns need a good amount of it. So, how do you know the best time to fertilize lawns?
If you were wondering about when to fertilize lawns, check out this article. We will go over everything you should know, such as the proper types of fertilizers and when they are best to use for your type of soil.
Plus, I’ll talk about weed control and how to manage your fertilization schedules. These are all important topics that deserve your attention. So, read till the end.
Best Time to Fertilize Lawn
When we talk about the best time to fertilize a lawn, it has to do with the time of year and the kind of grass you have.
For example, if you have hardy perennial grass-like St. Augustine grass, you know that it is best to fertilize your lawn in the spring.
Weed Control
When you apply fertilizer, it helps keep weeds under control. This is especially true for drought-tolerant lawns.
During heavy rainfall, the nutrients that are left in the soil are washed away before the grass can absorb them. If this happens, the grass will consume the nutrients from the top of the soil and no more.
When there is heavy rainfall, you would be advised to apply more nutrients than usual to control the weed.
Fertilizing in Spring Season
Spring is the grass growing stage when growth is at its highest. It is during this stage that the grass starts to expand and produce new shoots. Fertilizing in the spring will promote the rapid growth of your grass.
How to Fertilize Chemical Lawn?
On the flip side, if you have a chemically fertilized lawn or a highly fertilized one, you would be better off fertilizing lawns in the fall.
This is because fall fertilization allows the grass to assimilate the nutrients that it gets from the fertilizer before the new growth period begins.
During the fall season, it is essential to apply high-quality nitrogen-based fertilizer. This is very important to ensure that you get good quality results.
Mowing Techniques
It is also essential to keep in mind the mowing you do. If you follow the recommendations given below, you can significantly enhance the results of your fertilizers.
It is important not to fertilize lawns with heavy rain if you live in an area that is prone to heavy rain. Instead, focus on light mowing so that the grass will get more nutrients.
You should start applying fertilizers at the first sign of green grass. For areas that are not prone to heavy rain, you can wait until the first frost. Even then, it is advisable to wait until the first feed is dropped.
This way, the lawn care specialist can take note of the nutrients still available in the soil. This is the best time to fertilize lawns as long as you use organic fertilizers.
Spring Lawn Fertilization
Some lawns need extra help in getting the first nutrient-rich particles to penetrate the soil. This is where non-organic fertilizers come in handy.
The best time to fertilize is when the grass is just about to sprout. The best time for fall and spring lawn fertilization is actually in the spring, as the grass has yet to go dormant.
Winter Lawns
Winter lawns may need extra help in getting the first nutrients to the ground. During cold months, the grass tends to remain dormant. It is at this time that it is even more important to fertilize the lawns.
When the temperatures start going below freezing, the grass begins to grow. It is essential to fertilize before the first shoot appears. You may use granular fertilizers for these lawns to ensure that the nutrients are delivered right to the grassroots.
A third popular choice for fertilizing lawns is heavy rain. This method aims to soak up the extra water from the ground and distribute it to the entire lawn.
The heavier the rainfall, the more nutrients will be absorbed by the soil, making it conducive to the growth of the lawn. This method is best applied in the spring when there is no drought.
One of the most popular fertilizers used to make lawns grow fast is acid fertilizer. It helps in increasing the nitrogen level in the soil, making it more suitable for plant growth.
It is best to apply it in the early spring. For areas that do not respond well to fertilizing, this is the best time to fertilize the lawn.
Here is the Best Organic Fertilizer you should try out:-
Espoma EOLB30 Organic Lawn Booster Fertilizer
How to Fertilize Your Lawn?
Many of us confuse fertilizer with a weed killer. Some homeowners try to use fertilizer on their lawns when they have not even watered them yet or are just finishing a weed-growing cycle. In fact, both methods are wrong as far as how to fertilize your lawn.
There are different types of fertilizers that you can use to fertilize your lawn. However, it is crucial that you know which one is appropriate for your lawn before you start applying it.
For example, if you are trying to fertilize new grass-established lawns, you should not use any type of fertilizer before you have watered the lawns.
Perform a Soil Test
The first step you should take in establishing your lawn-fertilizing regimen is to perform a soil test. A soil test will tell you what nutrients your lawn needs to survive and grow.
During your soil test, the PH level of the soil should be measured. The PH of the soil can be found using a soil test kit. The specific nutrients needed by lawns depend on the stage of life of the grasses.
Identify the Weed Species
The next step is to identify the weed species you want to control in your lawn. The two most common weed species are bluegrass and crabgrass.
Bluegrass and crabgrass prevent new weeds from growing by preventing them from coming up to the surface. You can control these two weed species by either removing them from the lawn before they germinate or by using an ultra greenwood insecticide.
How to Fertilize your Lawn with a Spreader?
You need to choose a fertilizer that delivers high-quality concentrated nutrients quickly. A lawn sprinkler or a rototiller are the two best options for applying fertilizer.
The lawn sprinkler has a spray that spreads evenly over the entire area you are trying to fertilize. Rototiller spraying height depends on the grass type and its height at maturity.
How to Fertilize your Lawn with Fertilizer?
This can be a challenge if you do not have a good understanding of the process. With all of the equipment readily available, it seems very simple.
If you have a deep hole in your ground, you can put a few bags of fertilizer in, spread them out evenly, and watch them go.
However, the phosphorus content and the potassium content of a bag of fertilizer may not be the same. If you are not using a deep hole or a bag, you will have to do a couple of things to compensate for your lack of proper knowledge.
If you want to know the best time to fertilize your lawn, you should never apply fertilizer directly to the grass.
The fertilizer may give off nitrates that will kill the grass. You should never apply fertilizer directly to the soil because the soil will become full of nitrates before you can even apply fertilizer.
Final Verdict on Best Time to Fertilize Lawn
You should fertilize your lawn by spreading a good quality lawn fertilizer will take some effort, but it is enriching. You should make fertilizing your lawn a regular part of your lawn care routine because it will help keep the lawn healthy.
There are many different fertilizers available, and it can be a challenge knowing which one is the right one for your needs.
You should learn about the nutrients contained in various fertilizers and also learn about the differences between organic fertilizers and chemical fertilizers.
Purchasing the right fertilizer will help ensure your lawn provides a healthy and attractive green and will also keep the weeds at bay.