How great would it be to have your lawn perfectly green and thick all year round? As experts, we know that in order to maintain the health and appearance of your lawn, the grass requires regular feeding. Pale and thin grass might be a sign of your lawn not getting enough nutrients, that is why one of the best decisions you can make, in this case, is to fertilise your lawn.
So what does fertiliser do? In a few words, it improves the appearance of your lawn, provides it with extra nutrients and makes it healthy. Moreover, proper care not only makes it greener but as well prevents it from moss and weed invasion.
So, if you are:
Then keep on reading.
Plants need six main nutrients to grow healthy:
If carbon, oxygen and hydrogen are received from the water and air, the rest of the nutrients are received from the soil. So, in order to choose the right fertiliser, you need to know what type of soil you have (clay, loam or sand). For example, clay is better at providing nutrients than sand.
When you have determined the structure of your soil, it is time to decide what type of fertiliser you should use.
As we already mentioned, the main nutrients for grass are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). On grass foods, they are represented as N-P-K. Generally, all-purpose fertilisers have an equal proportion of each of the elements, meaning that the proportions that you will see on a pack might look like 10-10-10, depending on the amount.
Tip: To have the best results, order a soil test. It will not only show your soil type but give you a hint on your lawn care!
This type of fertiliser is perfect when you want to feed your lawn over a long period of time. All you need to do is apply the preferred fertiliser and water it regularly.
Controlled-release fertiliser needs to be applied only once per season. Generally, it might seem that it has the same effect as the time-released fertiliser, however, it is not exactly the same. The effect of the controlled-release fertiliser is longer and it requires warm and wet conditions for it to start working.
Granular fertilisers are easier to apply. All you have to do is to spread it around your lawn. Whereas with a liquid fertiliser, you will need a hose to spray it all over the area. The main benefit of the liquid fertiliser is that the effect is almost immediate, due to the nutrients being directly received from the leaves.
If you want an immediate effect, then a synthetic fertiliser is your choice! However, the biggest drawback of synthetic fertilisers is in their nature. Because they are produced chemically, they do not have the same effect as the organic fertilisers. They do not improve the soil, as the organic fertilisers do.
In fact, if you use too much chemical fertiliser you risk to “burn” your lawn. However, this type of fertiliser can be beneficial during early spring, when the soil is cold and not active yet.
For the long-term health of your lawn, the best idea will be to build a healthy and nutrient-rich soil with organic matter. Organic fertilisers are produced of natural materials and byproducts. The nutrients that organic fertilisers contain, can be released over a period of several months, even years.
Because of that, it is recommended to apply it in autumn, so the lawn will be nurtured during the winter season.
Here are some tips on how to apply fertiliser correctly:
Spring lawn treatment should be done somewhere around April. Wait until the weather gets warmer. When you have already cut your lawn a few times, then it is the time to fertilise it. Fertilisers with high nitrogen concentration are recommended during spring because they encourage growth and make the lawn greener.
Summer lawn fertilising should be done somewhere between 10 to 14 weeks after the spring fertilising. Keep an eye on the weather, it is not recommended to treat your lawn during hot summer days.
In order for the treatment to be productive, the soil should be moist, otherwise, you risk to stress your lawn. When it gets chiller, you can apply some granular or liquid fertiliser.
In Autumn you want to help your lawn to recover from summer damage and prepare it for the cold winter months. The best time to feed your grass in autumn is in the end of August or the beginning of September. Wait until the rains start and apply your fertiliser.
Timing is important with autumn care because you risk to damage your lawn if you put in nitrogen too late. Moreover, it is important to use fertilisers with high potassium concentration during this season, because that way you allow your plants to grow enough strength for the upcoming winter season.
In winter you have to consider the weather conditions of the area that you live in. September is the best time for the northern parts of Scotland, however, for the warmer the conditions, the later you should feed your grass. Winter fertilisers are regularly low on nitrogen and might have additional elements for the health of your lawn.
Want to know more about different garden jobs and when to do them? Check out our helpful UK gardening calendar!
We highly recommend using a spreader – it’s far more convenient. However, if you don’t own one it is not a problem – your lawn can be fed by hand. To apply fertiliser without a spreader, just grab a handful of it and distribute it across the area with a sweeping motion. Note that this way you might find it challenging to understand if you have covered the area evenly and in the right amount.
If you opt to invest in a spreader, then you should choose one that will best fit the size and shape of your garden. That said, here are some guidelines for when buying a spreader for your lawn:
The “fertiliser burn” occurs when you have used too much fertiliser. Chemical fertilisers contain mineral salts that tend to build-up in the soil, causing a drying effect. You might recognise this effect by the colour change of your lawn.
It can be hard to predict whether your lawn will recover from the burn because it depends on the amount and type of the fertiliser used and the conditions of the soil. Lawn that has slight yellow colouring has chances of being revived, whereas the possibility of brown grass recovering is close to nonexistent.
No worries – Fantastic Gardeners has got your back! We can provide you with a professional lawn top-dressing service. A group of two professionals is always sent to ensure that the job gets done efficiently. Book your lawn care service now, and enjoy the benefits of a custom-tailored treatment for your lawn!
We know. Order a professional lawn care service, today.
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