Best Time to Fertilize Your Lawn

Winter has come and gone, and you might look out the window and feel downhearted at the dead, yellow lawn outside. Cold, wet weather can take its toll on any lawn, and you’ll want to try and save it as quickly as possible.

Fertilizing your lawn is one of the best ways to revive grass, but it can be hard to know when is the best time to fertilize.

We’re here to help with a guide on when the best time to fertilize your lawn and bring it back to life.

Soil Temperature

Soil temperature is the best indicator of when to fertilize your lawn.

The soil should be at or above 50 degrees before applying fertilizer, and you can check this using the USDA Hardiness Zone Map or by using a soil thermometer.

The Type of Grass

Cool-season grasses include fine fescue, tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, and Kentucky bluegrass.

You’ll find these grasses in most of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains and in the Pacific Northwest and northern California. They grow best when temperatures are between 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Warm-season grasses include Bermuda, Bahia, centipede, and St. Augustine.

These grasses are grown in the southern part of the United States, south of a line from Maryland to San Francisco. Cool-season lawns go dormant during warm weather, while warm-season lawns go dormant during cool weather.

Why the Timing Is Important

Fertilizing is an important step to keeping your lawn healthy, and some seasons are better than others for getting the most out of your fertilizer.

Knowing when you should be fertilizing your lawn will help make sure it stays healthy throughout the season.

Four Seasons of Fertilization

Spring is a great time to fertilize because it promotes quicker root growth, which in turn helps grass grow faster.

Because summer is so hot and dry, fertilizer isn’t always the best choice during this season. Instead, focus on watering your lawn more frequently during the hottest months of the year.

Fall can be a great time to fertilize your lawn as well; this helps to repair any damage from drought or other summer problems and will give a head start for next spring’s growth.

Extra Tips

If you are trying to prevent weeds from growing in your yard in addition to helping the grass grow faster, it’s best to use a fertilizer that has herbicides in it.

Fertilizer also needs water following application in order for its effects to take place properly; be sure not to skip watering after applying!

If you find it all a little overwhelming, a landscaper like Heartland Turf & Landscape can help!

Now You Know the Best Time to Fertilize Your Lawn

Taking care of your lawn can seem like a lot of work, but knowing the best time to fertilize your lawn can make a huge difference.

When to fertilize depends on the type of grass you have and the type of climate it’s growing in. A good rule of thumb is to fertilize 3 times per year—once in the spring, once in summer, and again in autumn.

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