Fertilizing in the fall helps plants be hardier when the temperatures drop. We also recommend applying fertilizer in the late fall, toward the end of October or early November. This application will catalyze one last frenzy of root growth and really give your plants some staying power through the cold months.
Timing: Apply fall lawn fertilizer once between August and November, right before winter hits, 6 to 8 weeks after the summer feeding.
Fall Fertilizer Timing
For the majority of cool-season lawn owners, apply fertilizer anywhere from September through early November. The further north you garden, the sooner you'll feed your lawn. Fine-tune the timing for your locale by talking with your local extension service or garden center.
Apply fall lawn fertilizer 2 to 3 weeks before the ground freezes. To find an exact date, look for the first frost date in your area. That date is typically a good time to fertilize since the ground hasn't frozen yet. More generally, mid-October is a good time to apply lawn fertilizer.
The November fertilizer application is the second most important time for cultivating a cool season bluegrass or tall fescue lawn, with September being the most important application. The November application helps the lawn flourish in several ways.
When It's Too Cold to Fertilize. As a general rule, you should not fertilize your lawn when it is dormant. Lawn grass can go dormant when it's too cold, or too hot. At the cool end of the spectrum, you want to be sure that your air temperatures are consistently 60 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer.
Don't apply winterizer too late—Generally, winter fertilizer should be applied in November or earlier, depending on your climate. Try to avoid applying in early December, as the nutrients within the formula may not take hold in time to protect the grass from the harsh conditions.
Best Fall Lawn Fertilizer
While this fall lawn fertilizer dose is important, an application at the end of October or early November is essential. At that time, apply a fertilizer with a formula of 13-25-12. The push of phosphorus will stimulate root growth through November and even into early December.
Fertilize your lawn in early fall and again 6 to 8 weeks later with Scotts® Turf Builder® WinterGuard® Fall Weed & Feed. Not only will it help build strong, deep grass roots for a thicker, better lawn come spring, but it also provides nutrients to help repair damage from summer heat, drought, and activity.
The best fertilizer to apply to a lawn in fall is high in nitrogen, especially if you have a cool season grass in your yard. Aim to apply one pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn.
Fertilizing in the fall helps plants be hardier when the temperatures drop. We also recommend applying fertilizer in the late fall, toward the end of October or early November. This application will catalyze one last frenzy of root growth and really give your plants some staying power through the cold months.
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.
Although some fertilizers benefit from slightly moist grass, if your lawn is too wet, it will fail to properly absorb the nutrients. This includes both granular and liquid fertilizer products. You should avoid applying foliar fertilizer to wet grass because it could lead to nutrient burn.
Fertilizer should not be applied to already frozen ground since it will not do any good to the lawn. Worse still, the unabsorbed nitrogen and nutrients will likely leach back into the water system. The best time to apply winterizer is in late fall, about three weeks before the ground is frozen.
Your lawns root system is active until the soil freezes, which in most cases is in mid to late December. Again, fertilizing in early to mid November allows your plants roots to continue to receive nutrients and prepare for the winter.
You should fertilize your lawn a day or so after a light rain or using a sprinkler. This prevents the application from being washed away. The moisture gets your soil damp and ready to receive nutrients. Do not apply fertilizer before or after heavy rains.
Ideally, you'll want to mow and rake before fertilizing, so that excess lawn waste is removed and the fertilizer will have an easier time reaching the soil.
A high-nitrogen fertilizer, such as Pennington UltraGreen Lawn Fertilizer 30-0-4, helps lawns establish vigorous roots, increase energy reserves and survive winter. Overseed thin lawns. Fall conditions are ideal for germinating cool-season grass seed. Overseeding thin lawns pays off with thick, strong, spring grass.
It's best to wait a few weeks after fertilizing before seeding, to allow the fertilizer to fully penetrate the soil and avoid the risk of burning the new grass. ' 1. This starter feed is suitable for spring or fall application and will help to establish new grass seed and encourage strong root systems.
While the best method for determining exactly how much fertilizer is needed is a soil analysis conducted by a laboratory, most cool-season grasses require 2 to 4 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet each year, and a majority of this nitrogen should be applied in two fall applications; one in September and the other ...
Benefits of Fall Fertilizer
Fertilizing in the fall gives your grass a head start for next spring by causing an earlier spring green-up. Your lawn will have an easier time greening up because fall fertilizer prepares the grass by having a consistent flow of nitrogen that's slowly released throughout the winter.
The theory behind late fall nitrogen fertilization of cool season grasses is very simple. Apply low rates of N fertilizer (40 to 50 lbs/acre) in the late fall (mid October to late November) when cool temperatures have reduced top growth, but root growth is still active.
The good news about rain or snow is that both are very good for your fertilization treatment. Fertilizer needs to reach the root system and it needs to mix with water. The fertilizer breaks down with either rain or snow. Now the fertilizer will begin to feed the root system and green up the lawn.
All fertilizer labels have three bold numbers. The first number is the amount of nitrogen (N), the second number is the amount of phosphate (P2O5) and the third number is the amount of potash (K2O). These three numbers represent the primary nutrients (nitrogen(N) - phosphorus(P) - potassium(K)).
As a general rule, warm-season grasses will need four times per annum feeding. Apply the first dose when you see new growth starting - this should be done around March/April time frame for most areas with mild winters which helps their young leaves grow healthier faster than if they were left untreated all season long.