Advice For Fertilizing Your Lawn

Fertilizing your lawn is very important for its overall health and performance. If you let your lawn go without proper fertilization, the chances of health problems and other issues are heightened. No matter the state of your lawn, whether it is freshly seeded or sodded, or is an established lawn that has served you well for a number of years, fertilization can breathe new life into it and keep it healthy for years into the future. Talk to a professional lawn care service if you have any questions, but use these tips to get your lawn to a state that is both healthy and maintainable.

New Sod Lawns

Getting the roots into the ground and established is the most important thing when dealing with new sod. You want to look for a fertilizer with enough phosphorus to treat the sod well. Use fertilizer listed at 16-16-16 or 10-20-20 for a starter, then water it into the soil before spreading your turf to help with the root establishment. Apply a 16-16-16 fertilizer about one month after the initial installing, then again 4-6 weeks later to help maintain a healthy lawn you can be proud of. When fertilizing, be sure the lawn is mostly dry, then water the fertilizer in to reduce the chance of burning.

New Seeded Lawns

You want to apply the starter fertilizer right at the start when it comes to seeded lawns. Use the 16-16-16 starter fertilizer for the best results, and apply a new layer after the lawn has been mowed once or twice. This should happen about one month after the initial seeding. Apply another layer about one month after that, and you should be well on your way to having a thick and healthy lawn that will serve your needs without any trouble. You will then want to follow the guidelines for established lawns to keep that health going into the future.

Established Lawns

You want to fertilize your lawn about four to five times every year if it is already established. The times you want to do this depend on the season and the weather, but generally the first layer should go on in early March. You want to wait about thirty to forty-five days between layers, meaning the second layer should go on around early May, the third in late June, the fourth in early September, and the final one in the middle of November. Follow this guide, with adjustments based on weather conditions, and you should be able to maintain your lawn’s health without too much trouble.