When To Fertilise Your Lawn (All You Need to Know)

When To Fertilise a Lawn (All You Need to Know)

Fertilisers are important in growing and maintaining a healthy, lush green lawn. Thereby elevating the look of your yard and making your home the neighbourhood’s envy. However, knowing when to fertilise your lawn and the fertilisers to use can be a challenge for homeowners.  

For instance, if the fertiliser is not applied properly, it may damage or even kill your beautiful greens. So, what is the best time to fertilise your lawn, and how do you fertilise your lawn? Luckily, we’re here to provide answers to these tricky questions. Continue reading to find out all the answers. Let’s begin!

When to fertilise a lawn (The essentials)

We recommend fertilising your lawn twice a year, in the early spring to prepare for summer and in autumn to prepare for winter. Generally, lawn grass does not tolerate cold weather well, so fertilising in early spring helps the grass grow once winter arrives.

The best time to fertilise your lawn varies depending on the climate, location, and current lawn condition. However, the amount of nitrogen applied to your lawn is more important than the frequency you fertilise.  

The best time to fertilise your lawn varies depending on the climate, location, and current lawn condition. However, the amount of nitrogen applied to your lawn is more important than the frequency you fertilise.  

Applying less fertiliser during summer can help you achieve dark green lawn grass.  Moreover, winter fertilisers can also be purchased to help your lawn grass survive during the cold winter months

How To Fertilise a Lawn

Fertilising your lawn requires several steps that must be carried out meticulously. Let’s look at the steps involved in fertilising your lawn

1. Pick The Appropriate Fertiliser

Before fertilising your lawn, you’ll need to select the right fertiliser. There are typically two types of lawn fertilisers: organic and inorganic fertilisers. An inorganic fertiliser promotes rapid growth and makes your lawn appear greener, whereas organic fertilisers are environmentally friendly and improve the soil’s overall health.

Furthermore, you can apply fertiliser to your lawn in two ways: liquid and pellets. Liquid fertilisers typically get absorbed quickly, while pellets break down and feed the soil over time.  The application method you opt for depends on your gardening style. Pellets usually take more time to act and require less monitoring.

On the other hand, liquid fertilisers require more frequent maintenance but produce faster results. However, note that before selecting a fertiliser, you should also determine whether your soil is hydrophobic.

The most effective way to tell is to apply water to it and watch what happens. If the soil is hydrophobic, the water won’t easily absorb into the soil, leading to the water pooling on the lawn.

Furthermore, if you notice your lawn soil is hydrophobic, applying a wetting agent before fertilising may be your best bet. Ensure to measure the length and width of the lawn area you want to be fertilised.

When purchasing fertiliser for your lawn, look for three numbers on the label. These percentages represent the nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium levels, the main nutrients required to fertilise your lawn. For instance, a 10-5-10 fertiliser bag will contain 10% nitrogen, 5% phosphate, and 10% potassium. 

when to fertilise a lawn

2. Pick Distribution Method

Lawn fertiliser can be applied in a variety of ways. Spreading fertiliser with a spreader provides a more even application coverage than applying fertiliser by hand. Hand fertilising usually results in pale spots in areas that do not receive enough fertiliser. Furthermore, fertilising your lawn by hand can lead to burns in the spots where you overapplied fertiliser. 

We recommend using a spreader to spread evenly if you use dry fertiliser. Simply adjust the spreader setting to match the size of your lawn and fill the spreader tray with fertiliser. Afterwards, walk steadily while turning the handle to evenly distribute the fertiliser over your lawn.

3. Water Your Lawn

Contrary to popular belief, the more you water your lawn, the more fertiliser it requires. More water means your grass grows quicker, which means you’ll need more fertiliser to account for the growing grass. Furthermore, ensure you read the fertiliser label carefully to determine if you should water your lawn before or after applying the lawn fertiliser.

For instance, granulated fertilisers require moisture to break down the granules after applying them to the lawn. On the other hand, other fertiliser types require you to water your lawn before applying them. Furthermore, ensure the grass is dry when fertilising your lawn to prevent grass burns.

4. Distribute the Fertiliser

So, how do you distribute the fertiliser? Begin by applying fertiliser around your lawn’s perimeter, followed by spreading the fertiliser in the middle of the lawn in one direction. Then, continue filling the middle with fertiliser till all areas are suitably fertilised. 

Furthermore, note that applying little fertiliser is always better than applying too much. An excessive fertiliser application is not only a waste of money, but it can also burn or kill your lawn grass. Also, before fertilising, watch the weather. If you apply fertiliser before heavy rains, a lot of it will be washed away. 

5. Sweep up Excess

When applying fertiliser on your lawn, you can expect the spreader to occasionally throw fertiliser onto your sidewalk or patio.

If this occurs, we recommend sweeping it up instead of allowing the rain to wash it off. Finally, once you’re done fertilising your lawn, empty any remaining fertiliser from the spreader and place it back in its bag. Then, seal the bag tightly and store it in your garden shed.

Conclusion

Summarily, ensure the fertilisers you use are safe to use around your pets (if you have any). Moreover, we recommend staying off mowing your lawn immediately after applying fertiliser because this can prevent the fertiliser from properly getting absorbed.

We advise waiting for three days before mowing your lawn. Hopefully, you now know how and when to fertilise your lawn. Follow our guide, so your greens continue looking lush and thick during every season.