How To
By
eHow Home & Garden Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Step1
Time fertilizing to meet your lawn's needs. Let the lawn green up and mow it once or twice before applying a lawn food formula in spring.
Step2
Choose a lawn fertilizer made for your type of turf grass. Read the label to be sure it lists your grass (bluegrass or zoysia, for instance) and to see how often you can use it.
Step3
Use "new lawn" or "starter" formulas for seed, sod or sprigged lawns less than 2 years old. You'll appreciate the thickening effect they deliver in the first seasons.
Step4
Select slow-release, granular complete fertilizers for established lawns - they deliver a consistent supply of nutrients during the lawn's fastest growth times. Avoid fertilizers that have only one ingredient (such as nitrogen or potassium) unless a soil test indicates you should apply them.
Step5
Borrow or buy a fertilizer spreader and be sure you understand how to calibrate it for your lawn's favorite granular food. Walk behind the spreader at a good pace (but don't run), and make a pattern that covers each area of the lawn only once.
Step6
Know that water-soluble lawn food doesn't last long in the soil, and plan to reapply it as directed on the label. Spray with caution - cover each section only once to avoid overfeeding.
Step7
Fertilize at least one more time during the growing season, and apply a winter formula in early fall if one is recommended for your lawn grass. Don't worry if you forget, though - research says that once a year, whenever you remember, is fine for established turf.
Comments
said
on 11/22/2005 Don't figure because a little fertilizer is good, a bigger dose will be better - it will hurt the lawn. Follow the instructions on the package.
said
on 11/22/2005 There are three basic needs for a good lawn: fertilizing, mowing and watering. Every lawn needs feeding throughout the entire growing season such as
spring, summer and fall.