Timing: Apply fall lawn fertilizer once between August and November, right before winter hits, 6 to 8 weeks after the summer feeding.
Treat weeds and feed your lawn with Scotts® Turf Builder® WinterGuard® Fall Weed & Feed3 in the fall for a better lawn next spring. This weed killer plus lawn fertilizer controls over 50 listed lawn weeds, including clover, dandelion, plantain, morningglory, chicory, eveningprimrose, and purslane.
Fertilize your plants, shrubs, trees and lawn to stimulate root growth, which will help your plants survive the winter and recover earlier in the springs. Fertilize perennials in the early fall for extended life. Fertilize trees and shrubs in the late fall to give them a boost before 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.
If you're not sure if your lawn is lacking nitrogen, here are some signs to look for: Slowed growth. Yellowing patches. Thinning patches.
An excess of nitrogen, caused by fertilizer over-application, can result in rapid, lush growth and a diminished root system. In extreme cases, too much quick-release nitrogen can cause burning of the leaf tissue and plant death.
When To Fertilizer Your Lawn in the Fall. The best time to apply your last fertilizer application is between August 15 and October 1. Ideally, your last lawn feeding should take place six to eight weeks before the average first frost in your area.
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 ...
Watering after fertilizing washes the fertilizer off of the grass blades and into the soil, where it can get to work nourishing your lawn. It's also important because if fertilizer sits too long without being watered in, it can burn the grass.
Fall is the best time to feed with Scotts® Turf Builder® WinterGuard® Fall Lawn Food. This fall fertilizer builds strong, deep grass roots for a better lawn next spring, delivering the nutrients needed to help recover from damage caused by summer heat, drought, and activity.
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.
Fall is the best time. The autumn season comes with a mix of warm soil and cool air, perfect for planting grass seed and allowing time for new grass roots to develop before winter sets in. It is also a good time to fertilize to build stronger, deeper roots for winter, resulting in a thicker, greener lawn next spring.
Can I put too much fertilizer on my lawn? There is the idea of “too much of a good thing,” and that definitely applies when it comes to fertilizing your lawn! Applying too much fertilizer to your lawn will cause the nitrogen and salt levels in the soil to increase rapidly, which can damage or even kill the grass.
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.
Although there are reservations to this, adding fertilizer to your wet grass is a great way to give it a boost of nutrients. When you add fertilizer to wet grass, the roots absorb nutrients more efficiently. This is because water helps break down nutrients, making them more available for plants.
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.
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.
Ideal Time to Fertilize
Applying fertilizer (and water) in the afternoon will cause the moisture in the soil that is preventing the lawn from burning to evaporate as the sun beats down on the lawn. It's also important for grass to dry out slightly before the nighttime temperatures.
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.
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.
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.
Nitrogen helps your grass to appear green, lush and thick. Nitrogen aids in the creation of chlorophyll, which is responsible for producing the green pigment in the grass and is the compound by which plants use sunlight to produce sugars from carbon dioxide and water. Nitrogen or “N” stimulates new root growth.
Compost and manure are excellent nitrogen sources that also improve soil. Nitrogen is a very important nutrient for plant growth. It encourages lush growth of leaves and stems as well as providing a dark green color to the plant.
Apply 0.5 to 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet to the lawn to support growth and to build-up nutrient reserves, which help the lawn withstand the heat and stress of summer.