Are the patches of your grass thinning? You can get lush green grass by fertilizing your lawn. One of the most important things you need to do is properly fertilize your lawn. Make sure you prepare the ground and choose the right fertilizer. This will allow your lawn to grow stronger and more healthy. After you have established your fertilization plan, it is important to keep it consistent from one season to the next. It is possible to maintain a healthy lawn with a little effort.
Let’s learn how to fertilize your lawn.
Use a Rotary Spreader or Broadcast
Broadcast or rotary spreaders are ideal for fertilizing large lawn areas. Make sure the hopper is closed before filling it. To collect any fertilizer that has escaped, it is a good idea for the hopper to be covered with a tarp. Start by applying fertilizer to the lawn’s perimeter. Then, move in an ordered manner across the turf. To ensure that fertilizer is evenly distributed across the lawn, overlap your application strips.
Use a Drop Spreader
Drop spreaders are ideal for controlling fertilizer distribution. To ensure adequate coverage, overlap each pass slightly. Don’t forget to close the hopper at the end of each pass. A drop spreader will cost you more, but it is worth it if your lawn is typical suburban. You can gather any fertilizer that you have accidentally dropped onto your lawn and then use a stiff brush to remove it as far as you can. To help the nitrogen move down through the soil and out of the lawn’s root zone, water it well.
Handheld Broadcast Spreader
For small areas of lawn, a handheld broadcast spreader is ideal. Slowly and evenly walk, making sure that you overlap the distribution patterns slightly between each pass. This spreader is great for shady areas of your lawn that need a higher fertilizer rate than those in the sun. Some fertilizers contain both a herbicide and lawn food. These fertilizers are called weed-and-feed lawn care products. You can apply them with a lawn spreader.
Use a battery-powered, hand-held, pre-calibrated spreader
Small yards can be mowed with handheld, pre-calibrated battery-powered spreaders. To fertilize your lawn, simply flip a switch. This handheld spreader is ideal for small yards and areas where it’s difficult to move a push lawn spreader like slopes.
Fertilizer and water
Water your lawn well a day or so before you apply fertilizer. Apply fertilizer after the grass has dried. Next, water lightly again. The second watering is crucial because it washes fertilizer from the grass blades into the soil. To let the rain wash fertilizer into the soil, fertilizer can be applied between rainfalls. Be sure to fertilize your lawn after a downpour. This will prevent fertilizer from washing away. Apply fertilizer only to lawns that are browning or withering due to drought.
Grasscycling
Grasscycling is the practice of letting grass clippings remain on the lawn after they have been cut. These clippings can be used to provide fertilizer for up to 25% of your lawn, which will save you both time and money. A hundred pounds of lawn clippings could yield three to four pounds of fertilizer. A lawn of half an acre in Pennsylvania’s temperate zone yields over three tons of grass clippings annually. Grasscycling is a great way to nourish your lawn. A grasscycling mower does not need to be specialized. However, a mulching mower will cut the grass into smaller pieces that decompose more quickly.
Soil Aeration
You should fertilize your lawn after you have aerated it. Soil aeration is a great way to improve the health of your lawn. It creates holes in the soil and exposes the roots zone for grass plants. These holes give water, fertilizer, and air direct access to the grassroots. Core aerators are designed to pull soil plugs from your lawn for the best aeration. This machine is heavy and will require a pair of strong arms to lift it. Many riding mowers have core aerator attachments. A digging fork can be used to quickly and cheaply dig into small areas of grass. If the thatch layer is thicker than 1 1/2 inches, it’s time to aerate.
Consider these safety tips when you invest in lawn care.
1. Attention to all lawn fertilizer labels
It is a good idea to read the labels on fertilizers and get familiar with the instructions. They not only disclose the ingredients but also provide safety tips for how to apply the fertilizer safely.
2. “Safe” Doesn’t Mean “Natural” or “Organic”.
We assume that many foods, products, and materials are safe if they are labeled “natural” or “organic”. This may be true in certain cases, but not all.
Children and pets can still be exposed to organic or natural fertilizers.
3. Protective clothing is essential
Although not all fertilizers can cause skin irritation or burns, it is wise to always wear protective clothing when fertilizing your lawn. You can use goggles, gloves, and other protection when you are involved in lawn maintenance activities.
4. Take Care When Fertilizing
A little planning and a lot of tidiness are key to fertilizer safety. Before you fertilize, make sure to check the weather forecast. Wind and water can cause the fertilizer to run off or drift from your lawn. You want your lawn to absorb all nutrients that the fertilizer has provided.
5. After fertilizing, keep your lawn clear
Many fertilizers have a “re-entry time”. This is when the product has completely dried out or settled in the grass, making it safe to be used again by people and animals.
6. Securely Store Products
Fertilizer-related injuries don’t just happen outdoors. Protecting your family at home is crucial.
First, it is important to keep fertilizer products in their original containers. This will allow you to quickly access the original labels for any emergency and prevent others from mistaking them for food or ingredients. Keep your lawn care products out of reach for pets and children.
7. Learn what to do in an emergency
If you have a fertilizer-related emergency, call 911 immediately. These are not incidents you want to ignore. The quicker you seek professional medical help, the better.
8. Fertilize not too early
While everyone wants to fertilize their lawn on the first day of spring, your grass isn’t getting nutrients from the soil until it starts growing. The University of Guelph suggests waiting until May to apply your first fertilizer or lawn treatment.
Conclusion
Fertilizing your lawn is important and by using the tips given above, you can make the most out of it.