Best Lawn Fertilizer

It’s universally understood that worthy things don’t come without effort, and maintaining a lush lawn is no different. It can indeed be quite a daunting task if you don’t have the appropriate tools or additives. Lawn care involves numerous practices such as watering, de-thatching, aerating, and importantly, fertilizing. When conducted properly with the correct gear and material, these activities fortify your lawn to naturally resist diseases and withstand drought conditions.

So, maybe you know how to water the lawn, de-thatch it and aerate it, but what about fertilizing? Today, we will be considering the top 5 lawn fertilizers that are just perfect for your lawn.

The 5 Best Lawn Fertilizers

1. Scotts Turf Builder Food for New Grass

Key Features

• Specially designed for new grass. This product helps them grow 70% thicker and 35% quicker compared to unfed grass.
• It has a 24-25-24 ratio. Hence be assured that your grass is going to get all the essential nutrients it needs.
• It can be applied on any grass type.

Do you have newly planted grass? Look no further. Scotts is here for you. It caters solely to the needs of new grass and ensures that it grows thicker and stronger with time.

Why we like it

• It is safe for all kinds of grass. You can use it on any kind of grass. This is regardless of whether you are starting a new lawn or reseeding an existing one.
• It creates incredible seeding results. It is perfect for grass and sod plugs.

What we don’t like

• It is limited. In other words, It is not sold in all the states. E.g. Florida.

Verdict

This product is highly recommended. Especially for people who want to create new lawns.

2. The Anderson Organic Humic DG Lawn Fertilizer

Key Features

• Iron content: One of the reasons why it is very effective is because of its 4% iron content. This alone contributes to the healthy look of your grass.
• It follows all standards procedures and meets the EPA requirements.
• Humic Acid: It contains 62% of this acid. This ensures that your lawn gets a dose of healthy nutrition.

This organic nitrogen fertilizer is one of the best products in the market right now. Your lawn will look ever sharp.

Why we like it

• It lasts longer because it is a slow-release fertilizer.
• We love the fact that this product comes with about four different biological units –Humin, HAP, Fulvic Acid, and Humic Acid.

What we don’t like

• Some customers have complained about the smell of the product. This is something that you should make a mental note of.

3. Jonathan Green Lawn Fertilizer

Key Features

• Contains calcium in high quantity: Calcium is an essential component because of the benefits it provides to grass nutrition and growth. It helps to maintain chemical balance and decrease soil salinity.
• Contains granules that are very easy to spread.
• Contains substances that help to improve lawn color.

When it comes to the combination of affordability and quality, the answer is Jonathan.

Why we like it

• It doesn’t have any adverse effects, so you can use it throughout your entire garden.
• This product is easily absorbed by plants, and its pH can be adjusted accordingly.

What we don’t like

• Not much information is given about other essential ingredients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Verdict and Rating

This product is highly recommended for all grass types. We will give it a 4.6/5.0 rating.

4. Spring and Summer Concentrated Spray Lawn Fertilizer

Key Features

• Consists of high-quality organic feed ingredients: keep your lawn healthy with safe and entirely pure liquid content.
• Unlike the popular misconception, that states that a large number of chemicals should be used on lawns, this isn’t harsh. It also does not put pressure on your grass. Your lawn is nourished the right way.
• It favors all types of grasses: This includes Bermuda, Fescue, Ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, Buffalo, St. Augustine, Zoysia, Bahia, etc.

This advanced lawn food is an entire buffet. It has an NPK ratio of 16-4-8, which makes it appropriate for all kinds of lawns. It is the perfect mix of all the key essential macronutrients. Plus, it contains Seaweed and Fish.

Why we like it

• It is super easy to use.
• Has complete macronutrient formula: Its complete Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium formula will not only give your grass the rich green color it needs, but will also release the nutrients required for turf strength, root, and health.
• It is produced from years of experience: This product is produced from 16-4-8, a business run by a family, and backed up by over 25 years of experience in the professional turf industry.
• The smell is not offensive.

What we don’t like

• Must only be used in summer.
• It can cause harm if used excessively.

5. Natural Alternative Summer Lawn Fertilizer

Key Features

• It is 100% organic: Most people do not like fertilizers with chemical contents, and that is fine. If you are in that category, this is your best option. Unlike most chemical versions, your lawn won’t go up in flames.
• It feeds the roots and soils: it comes with a plant activator and Protilizer seeds to feed the roots and soils.
• Produces dark green turf.

If you are looking for a product that can do an effective job and is cost-friendly, look no further! One beautiful thing about this fertilizer is that it contains corn gluten, a substance that serves as a great source of nitrogen.

Why we like it

• It is very affordable: It is popular because it is very effective and affordable.

What we don’t like

• Phosphorus content is missing: phosphorus is one of the essential plant nutrients, so it’s a very common component.

How to Choose the Best Lawn Fertilizer

The Best Time to Fertilize

The best time is springtime. This is when the temperature of the soil reaches about 55 degrees Fahrenheit. At that temperature, most flowers begin to bloom, and grasses begin to grow. The soil usually gets to this temperature at around mid-April.

Look Out for the NPK Ratio

NPK stands for Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. They are the three most essential plant macronutrients. Look out for the NPK ratio often represented by three numbers. These numbers show the percentage of the individual nutrients. For instance, if you buy a bag with a 20-5-10 NPK ratio, it simply means that the bag contains 20% nitrogen, 5% phosphorus, and 10% potassium. The rest of the bag can then include other micronutrients or filler materials to guarantee an even application. Note that 20-5-10 is an ideal NPK ratio for springtime.

Make Use of Slow-release Fertilizers

They tend to break down their nutrients over time. Thus, the waiting period is longer. Instead of applying every four weeks, you can stretch it to six to eight weeks. You should also get a product that contains nitrogen. However, it should be applied slowly. This is because the maximum amount of nitrogen needed on the lawn is the one-tenth of a pound. The lawn isn’t going to grow greener than that if you apply it excessively. Instead, it is going to grow fast and prematurely.

Use Granules Instead

Most people are indecisive of whether to use granules instead of sprays. However, experience has shown that granules are better. If you watch professional landscapers applying fertilizer on a lawn, you will see that they often use spreaders to get the granules everywhere in a short amount of time. So, get the right equipment i.e. a spreader and consider environmental factors like the wind before using the granules.

Water, water, water!

It is important that you understand that watering is not fertilization, and fertilization is not watering. Do not replace one interchangeably for the other. Contrary to myths, the more you water a plant, the more fertilizer you need to give to it. Watering makes the lawn grow, and growth requires fertilization.

If you have an automatic sprinkler in your house (and it is recommended that you get one if you don’t), you can fertilize the lawn once every six weeks. If you do not, you can wait for an additional two weeks. Furthermore, ensure that you read the instruction manual or talk to a professional before using a particular brand. This helps you to find out whether you should use it before or after watering.

Most granulated fertilizers require the soil to be moist before coming in, while others need the soil to be thoroughly soaked.

Apply the Fertilizer in a Balanced Fashion

The key here is to apply it at a moderate rate. Most products come with instructions on how much you need to use. Always start by using half of what is written on the instruction guide. Do not also apply with a wide-open spreader to avoid excessive application. Begin by applying around the edges (the perimeter) of the lawn.

Then, proceed to the middle in one direction and then proceed in a direction perpendicular to the one you took before. This helps to get an even spread. Note that since you are using half the recommended rate, you do not have to worry about spacing between rows.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Best Ratio for Lawn Fertilizers?

The best ratio for NPK is either 4:1:2 or 3:1:2. Another good factor to consider is the kind of nitrogen in the product. Is it fast-release or slow-release?

How Does Frequent Mowing Affect My Lawn?

Mowing helps your lawn grow thicker as the tip of each of the blades has hormones that reduce horizontal growth. When they are cut off, your lawn is allowed to spread and grow thicker.

What Should I Never do to My Lawn?

Never mow your lawn when the ground is wet. The best time to mow grass is when it is dry. Rain (or even moisture) causes the grass to bend which makes cutting difficult. 

You can also slip on the wet grass if you are not careful. 

How do I Grow a Beautiful Lawn Naturally?

Aerate the soil to improve its texture. Then water with a watering wand and fertilize frequently. You can also use pH adjusters if you need to get the pH of the soil in an optimal range.

Final Thoughts

For us, your best option will remain the Scotts Turf Builder’s Food. While this may be our recommended option, you are always welcome to make your own choice!