When Should I Fertilize My Lawn? (2024)

FAQs

When Should I Fertilize My Lawn? ›

No matter which kind of grass, you want to fertilize your lawn while it's actively growing. For cool-season grasses, that means in spring and/or fall. Warm-season grasses respond best when fertilized in late spring and/or early summer.

Cool-season turf's growing period is during the cooler seasons of fall and spring. As a general guideline, Californian homeowners should fertilize their cool-season lawns in early spring (March), then again in May, then from September to October.

If you would rather not waste your time and the money you've invested, it's best to fertilize when no rainfall is expected for two days, or spread the fertilizer before it rains if you're anticipating only light rainfall. The light rainfall can substitute for watering in the fertilizer after application.

Lackluster color

A vibrant and healthy lawn should showcase a rich, deep green color. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for promoting lush green growth, so if your grass lacks that vibrant hue, it's likely deficient in nitrogen and could benefit from a fertilizer application.

The amount of fertilizer you'll need can also depend on the specific needs of your lawn. For instance, if you've recently planted grass seed, a slow-release fertilizer like 10-10-10 can provide sustained nutrients, helping to establish a lush, green lawn.

Rain After Fertilizer -- Granular Applications

Granular fertilizer and insecticide applications need to be watered in. This activates the product. Slow-release granular fertilizer is not easily washed away and doesn't dissolve quickly in water. So rain after fertilizer is actually a good thing.

At Master Lawn, we typically say to wait 24 hours before watering your lawn after fertilizing. But it is important to make sure that it does receive a good watering session soon after that 24 hour waiting period. Watering helps the fertilizer to activate and to break down and begin feeding nutrients to the lawn.

If you're going to spread fertilizer on your lawn then you really shouldn't do it without a spreader. There are two types of spreaders: broadcast and drop. Drop spreaders are for more targeted applications, while broadcast spreaders are good for covering a large area quickly.

Mowing and fertilization are essential aspects of lawn care during your grass's growing season, and the time to do both can sometimes overlap. Although it's tempting to mow and fertilize on the same day to save time, it's far better to mow a few days before fertilizing.

A day or two before applying fertilizer, water your lawn thoroughly. After grass dries, apply fertilizer. Then lightly water again. This second watering is vitally important, because it washes fertilizer off grass blades and into soil.

What's best liquid or granular fertilizer? ›

Liquid fertilizers are beneficial year-round when they are applied correctly, and granular fertilizers have benefits during colder weather. Granules provide slow-release of nutrients over a long period of time, which makes them ideal for these seasons when growth is slower and more gradual.

We recommend waiting 24 hours after fertilizing to water your lawn, which will give the fertilizer time to settle. After the 24 hours are up, it's important to give it a good soak—not just a quick spritz with your hose—to activate the fertilizer and help the critical nutrients absorb into the soil.

Usually, this equates to 45 minutes to 60 minutes per area or zone if you're using an irrigation system. Water your lawn in the early morning hours to give it plenty of time to soak into the soil and dry out before nightfall.

If you have an automatic sprinkler system, you should fertilize your lawn about every six weeks. You don't want the watering to outpace the fertilizing as that could negatively impact the lawn's growth cycle. If you don't have a sprinkler system, you can wait an additional two weeks between applications.

Fall is the best and most important time to fertilize your lawn because: Fall's morning dew delivers moisture to help turf absorb the fertilizer. The grass has a chance to build stamina before a chilly winter. Supporting root growth in fall leads to a healthier, greener lawn in spring.

If you have an automatic sprinkler system, you should fertilize your lawn about every six weeks. You don't want the watering to outpace the fertilizing as that could negatively impact the lawn's growth cycle. If you don't have a sprinkler system, you can wait an additional two weeks between applications.

Best case scenario, this is the standard schedule your lawn needs: Mid to end of APRIL – spring fertilizer – 32-0-6 slow release (fast acting) Early to mid JUNE (6 weeks later) – early summer fertilizer – 25-0-5 – 50% slow release. Mid to late JULY (6 weeks later) – late summer fertilizer – 25-0-5 – 50% slow release.

You can usually apply most non-liquid granular fertilizers to wet grass, but not saturated ground. If there are ponds or heavy rain, it's best to wait until the ground processes the water before applying any type of fertilizer. If there's light rain, it's okay to spread dry granular fertilizer.