Last Updated on February 24, 2023
Feeding your lawn is important when you want it to look good. By using lawn fertilisers, you can give the grass the nutrients it needs to grow.
Learning how to feed a lawn properly is crucial to its health since it can be harmful to the grass if you do it incorrectly. To help you avoid such issues, we’ve put together this short step-by-step guide that explains grass growth and how soil nutrients will enable you to get the most from your fertilising routine.
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How to Feed Your Lawn the Correct Way
The following actions must be taken in the correct order if you want to get the most out of your lawn fertiliser. Make sure that you read through all the information and note the important points.
Step 1: Check Soil Temperature
The first step in any lawn care involving fertiliser is to check the soil temperature. Soil temperature tells you when you can begin using fertiliser after the colder months of the year when grass plants go dormant.
Take the temperature of the soil and not the air. You should use a soil thermometer for accuracy. The turf will usually reach the right temperatures sometime in April weather in the UK. You’ll want to see a temperature of around 13 degrees Celsius.
Step 2: Buy Fertiliser
Make sure that you buy the right fertiliser. It means that it contains the correct balance of nutrients and comes in an easy-to-apply form.
Different lawn products for fertilising all feature three numbers – the first is for nitrogen, the second is phosphorus, and the third is potassium. Some may include other things, such as sulphate, weed killer, or moss killer. If you are new to fertilisers, stick with a normal blend of the three main nutrients.
The nitrogen content is the most important. It helps the grass to grow. If you have too much nitrogen for your type of grass, it will only result in wild growth that requires more frequent mowing and care.
When buying fertiliser, always buy slow-release lawn feeds. These products will allow you to go longer between feedings. Also, choose granules. Professional companies often use liquid fertilisers, but that is harder to apply. Granules allow you to see application areas and ensure a consistent and even grass feed.
Step 3: Apply the Fertiliser
When to apply is essential when doing lawn care in the UK. You will first feed your lawn in spring. The spring lawn feed helps with establishing root growth and overall grass condition. You will continue feeding into October.
Although you will do regular feedings in spring and summer, it is the fall feed that is most crucial. The feed gives your lawn what it needs to grow strong roots that will allow it to survive the winter.
After your first feeding, you will do it again in four weeks for the first summer lawn feed. Following this, you can apply every six to eight weeks as needed. If your grass is bright green and growing well, you probably do not need to fertilise at that time.
You should make sure you have the right weather conditions in which to apply your fertiliser as well. Avoid applying before it begins to rain, as it will wash it away. You also do not want to apply on a sunny and hot day as it could scorch your lawn.
You will want to use a spreader. Using a broadcast spreader will disperse the feed in wide sprays and help you to maintain an even application on every part.
Walk at a consistent pace and remain steady as you work. The best application process is to do half a bag on the whole lawn, moving horizontally and then the other half on the lawn, walking vertically.
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Step 4: Clean Up
Once you finish, you should clean up any granules on the sidewalks, driveways, or other areas. You do not want it to get on the turf and cause burn spots or have it run off into waterways.
Put any remaining granules in your spreader back in the bag. Store it in a cool and dry place.
Step 5: Water
You should water sparingly and make sure to follow the directions on the package. Some may require watering earlier in the process. Also, watch for rain in the forecast, which can change the needs of your lawn.
Quick Care Tips
The following information on how to feed your lawn can help ensure you have the best overall experience and get good results.
Application
When applying lawn fertiliser, you need to time it right. Fertilising too often can lead to weed overgrowth and a lawn that is out of control. It can also kill the grass. We suggest only doing it about four times a year. You want to do it in spring, summer, and then a couple of times in the fall.
Always use a low rate of application. Less is better when it comes to lawn treatments. You want to avoid overapplying at any site.
Preparation
The best way to get good fertiliser results is to know your soil by testing it first. You should collect samples from around your lawn and mix them. Just get the turf and no plants or roots for a good sample.
Growing a Lush Lawn
Now that you know how to feed a lawn, you’ll have a better chance of seeing healthy grass growth. We hope that these lawn care tips focusing on how and when to feed lawns will help you get the garden you desire.
Do you have any other lawn maintenance suggestions? Let us know in the comments below.
Paul is the type of person who never met a problem he couldn’t fix. He can always be found tinkering with something in his house, even if it isn’t broken! His tips and tricks are often shared on our site. He’s the one you call when something breaks because he has been known to improvise fixes for everything from leaky faucets to malfunctioning dryers.