When to Start Fertilizing Your Lawn

Everyone wants to have a lush, green yard. But what happens when your dream of perfect curb appeal isn't carrying over into reality? Creating a lawn care routine that works for you doesn't have to cause significant headaches. At Simple Lawn Solutions, we're here to help you make your grass goals happen by giving you the products and resources to turn your drab lawn into the envy of everyone on your block.

Fertilizing your Grass 101

There are three essential things to remember when selecting the best fertilizing lawn care routine for your home:

• Timing
• Concentration
• Water

When it comes to fertilizing your lawn, timing is key. The best time to begin fertilizing your lawn each year is when the weather starts to warm up. For most people in the contiguous United States, this happens around the middle of April. Cool-season lawns should be fertilized in the early spring and fall, and warm-season lawns should be fertilized in the spring and summer. It's important to know when to start your lawn care fertilizing routine because it needs to coincide with when your grass starts to recover from the cooler temperatures of the winter and begins to grow again.

Concentration of Fertilizer

When you look at a bag of fertilizing mix, you'll notice a few different numbers. Fertilizer typically contains a combination of three primary elements: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The numbers on the bag represent the percentages of each element contained within the fertilizing blend. Unless high school science was your favorite subject, you might need a little bit of a refresher on exactly what these elements mean for the success of your lawn care routine.

1. Nitrogen (N)

Nitrogen is the element used in the greatest quantity by turf. Nitrogen is a component of many of the biochemical constituents of plants, including chlorophyll, amino acids, proteins, and enzymes.

2. Phosphorus (P)

The proper level of phosphorus in your grass is essential for root and early plant development. Sometimes referred to as “phosphate,” phosphorus is an important part of many plant compounds that are essential for growth. Its primary role is in the storage and transfer of energy. Without sufficient P, normal growth and development cannot occur. However, it is possible to have too much or too little phosphorus in your soil.

3. Potassium (K)

Potassium is involved in carbohydrate formation, enzyme activation, and the formation of proteins. Potassium plays a role in photosynthesis, and carbohydrate production is reduced when K is deficient. Potassium-deficient plants are also known to be less resistant to plant diseases.

When you begin to fertilize your lawn each year, we recommend starting with a 16-4-8 mix, which contains 16 percent nitrogen, 4 percent phosphate, and 8 percent potassium. Using a slow-release blend is also a great idea if you're creating a new lawn care routine or if you don't want to spend a lot of time treating your lawn. Slow-release fertilizing mixes can be applied every six to eight weeks rather than every four weeks.

Watering Your Grass

Just like humans, your yard needs the appropriate amount of water to stay healthy. However, it is possible to use too much water in your yard, especially if you are more conservative with your fertilizer. Water makes grass grow, so when you increase the amount of water in your lawn care routine, you will also need to increase the amount of fertilizer. Don't forget to take rain into account as well!

Let Your Grass Grow! 

If you're looking for the perfect lawn care routine, remember to take timing, concentration, and your watering schedule into consideration. With the right nutrients and a little dedication, you'll have the best-looking yard on the block in no time. For more help creating the yard of your dreams, check out our lawn care blog!