When you fertilize your lawn properly, you will have a healthy, dense turf that maintains a deep green color and chokes out weeds. Nitrogen is every lawn’s most important ingredient. How often can I fertilize my lawn? Fertilizer affects not only lawn appearance, but also maintenance level. The more you fertilize, the more you’ll have to mow. It is recommended to fertilize 2 to 4 times a year. There are instances when you should apply fertilizer more than recommended.
- Weed Infestation: Applying pre and post emergents will also aid in restoring your lawns health and color.
- Lawn spots that appear to have some fungal disease. You will have to treat the area of disease, but once the soil and plants have been removed, fertilizing with new soil will quickly recover your lawn.
- Excessive water runoff from frequent rain or flooding. When your lawn has runoff, it will wash away vital nutrients in your soil.
Using Rotary Spreader
A broadcast or rotary spreader works well when you’re fertilizing larger lawn areas. For smaller areas, you can use a hand held spreader for spot treatments or small sections. Before filling the hopper, make sure it’s closed. Fill it on a tarp, so you can easily gather any spilled fertilizer.
- Apply fertilizer around the perimeter of the lawn
- Then start to move back and forth across turf in an orderly pattern.
- Overlap application strips slightly to ensure that you cover the whole lawn evenly with fertilizer.
Fertilizer and Water
Water your lawn thoroughly a day or two before applying fertilizer. Soon after your grass dries, apply fertilizer and then lightly water again. This second watering is important, because it washes fertilizer off grass blades and into soil.
To maintain a great lawn year round you should also mow regularly and often. Don’t mow your grass too short. Additionally you can also dethatch and aerate your lawn during the year. Always make a habit of checking for weeds.
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I never knew that grass could choke out weeds. I’ve heard of weeds choking out plants. That’s good to know. I used to have problems with my lawn such as bare spots and uneven growth. I started fertilizing about 10 years ago and it’s made a world of difference. It didn’t happen overnight, but I now am able to enjoy a beautiful lawn. I fertilize it three times a year, beginning in the late spring, early summer, and late summer.