Spring & Fall Fertilization
Proper fertilizing is needed to help your lawn recover from stress of summer conditions and prepare for the next growing season. Fertilizing your lawn in late fall will help the grass fill in thin spots. A deep root system helps plants to survive winter and begin growing early next spring. In addition, fertilizing will provide a deep green color this fall and your lawn will green up early next spring. Following these tips for fertilizing your lawn will help you maintain a beautiful lawn.
Typically lawns require extra nutrients, however there’s a right way to choose and use them. Here’s what to avoid, and what to do instead.
What to avoid.
- Avoid using fast release chemical fertilizers. With their high concentration of nutrients will green up your lawn quickly, yet they’re tough on the environment and using excessive amounts could actually burn your grass.
- If you have pets don’t use bone meal, blood meal, and fish-meal fertilizers. Dogs in particular find them appealing, and ingestion can lead to vomiting and diarrhea. Additionally some are also mixed with toxic insecticides.
- Do not mix starter fertilizer with weed control when trying to grow new grass. The seeds will not be able to germinate properly and will be a waste of time and money.
What to do.
- Always check the label. It will likely indicate how much nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium are contained, in that order.
- Use fertilizers with a higher nitrogen content in the spring and summer.
- Use a fall fertilizer that is higher in phosphorous and potassium for better root growth.
- Slow release fertilizers are recommended for use. They won‘t have an immediate impact, however it is better for the long-term health of your lawn.
- Organic fertilizers are slower to infuse nutrients, but do not harm your environment.
- Limit your fertilizer applications to twice a year. We recommend once around late spring and again early summer.
- Keep fertilizers off areas where rain water can carry them into storm drains and then into rivers and lakes.
Fertilizing your lawn is essential for having a beautiful and consistent yard. Be sure to follow these tips when fertilizing to maintain a care-free yard that looks like it was done by a professional landscaper!
