Fertilizers give your lawn the food it needs to stay healthy and full of life. Just like people need vitamins, grass needs nutrients to grow strong. We want to share our ultimate guide and tips for fertilizing your lawn.
What do Fertilizers do ?
Fertilizing helps your lawn grow thicker, greener, and softer underfoot. It also makes the grass tougher, so it can handle hot days, dry weather, and regular use without looking tired or patchy.
In short, fertilizer keeps your lawn looking fresh, green, and welcoming all year round.
What’s in a Fertilizer?
Most lawn fertilizers contain three main ingredients, often called the “big three” nutrients:
- Nitrogen
- Phosphorus
- Potassium.
With each one plays a special role in keeping your grass healthy.
Nitrogen (N)
This nutrient is like fuel for your lawn. It helps the grass produce chlorophyll—the green pigment that allows plants to capture sunlight and turn it into energy through photosynthesis.
With enough nitrogen, your lawn grows thick, lush, and a rich green color.
Phosphorus (P)
Phosphorus focuses on what’s happening underground. It encourages strong root growth and helps new grass establish quickly.
Healthy roots mean your lawn can better absorb water and nutrients, making it stronger from the base up.
Potassium (K)
Often called the “protector,” potassium makes your lawn more resilient. It strengthens the grass so it can better handle stress from drought, disease, pests, or heavy foot traffic.
Think of it as a shield that keeps your lawn tough and healthy.
Together, these three nutrients, commonly shown on fertilizer labels as the N-P-K ratio—work as a team to keep your lawn green, strong, and ready to handle whatever nature throws its way.
When Should You Use Fertilizer?
Timing really matters when it comes to fertilizing your lawn. Feeding your grass at the right times of year will keep it green, strong, and able to handle whatever the seasons throw at it.
Spring (the most important time)
When soil temperatures reach about 55°F (13°C), your grass begins to grow again after winter. This is usually when flowers start blooming.
Fertilizing now jump-starts growth, helping your lawn turn thick, green, and healthy. For best results, aerate your lawn first, this loosens the soil so water, air, and nutrients can reach the roots more easily.
Summer (maintenance feeding)
Summer brings heat, foot traffic, and sometimes dry spells, which can all stress your lawn. A lighter feeding during summer helps grass stay strong and green, but be careful not to over-fertilize in hot weather, as this can burn the lawn.
Look for a slow-release fertilizer to provide steady nutrition without overwhelming your grass.
Fall (recovery and preparation)
Fertilizing in fall is just as important as spring. After a long summer, your lawn needs a boost to recover from stress and prepare for the cooler months.
A fall feeding helps build deep, strong roots, making your lawn healthier through winter and ready to grow back quickly when spring returns.
By following this seasonal routine, spring for growth, summer for strength, and fall for recovery. You’ll keep your lawn lush, resilient, and beautiful all year long.
What Type of Fertilizer Should You Use?
When it comes to choosing fertilizer, the best option for most lawns is a slow-release fertilizer.
Unlike quick-release formulas, which dump a large amount of nitrogen into the soil all at once, slow-release fertilizers feed your lawn gradually over time.
This lowers the risk of “burning” your grass from too much nitrogen and keeps growth steady instead of patchy or uneven.
Another bonus is convenience—because nutrients are released slowly, you don’t have to apply fertilizer as often.
Slow-release fertilizers are available in both granular and liquid forms, but granular is usually the easiest to spread evenly across a lawn.
When shopping, look for a balanced formula with an N-P-K ratio that matches your lawn’s needs (with nitrogen being the most important for lush, green growth).
How Much Fertilizer Should You Use?
Every lawn is different, but fertilizer needs are usually measured by how much nitrogen your grass requires each year.
As a general rule, most lawns need between 1 and 6 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per year.
The exact amount depends on the type of grass you have, your climate, and how often your lawn gets stressed by things like heat, drought, or heavy use.
Here’s a helpful tip
if you leave grass clippings on the lawn after mowing, they naturally decompose and return nitrogen to the soil.
This can reduce your fertilizer needs by about 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet each year—saving you both time and money.
By choosing a slow-release fertilizer and applying the right amount, you’ll keep your lawn healthy, green, and low-maintenance without the risk of overfeeding.
What Is the Best Fertilizer to Use?
There are many fertilizers on the market, but here are a few reliable options that work well for most home lawns:
Miracle-Gro All Purpose Food – A well-known brand that provides balanced nutrients for a wide variety of plants and lawns.
Scott’s Turf Builder Lawn Food – Specifically designed for lawns, it strengthens grass and improves its ability to absorb water and nutrients.
Earth Science Moorganite – delivers rich, green growth and vibrant plants, turning your yard into a dreamscape.
When choosing a fertilizer, look for a slow-release formula. This type feeds your lawn gradually, preventing nutrient overload and reducing the number of applications you’ll need each year.
How Do You Apply Fertilizer?
While you can scatter fertilizer by hand, it’s not the best method. It can often lead to uneven coverage.
Instead, use a garden spreader to distribute fertilizer evenly across your lawn:
For smaller lawns, a handheld spreader is convenient and easy to control.
For larger lawns, a broadcast or drop spreader (the kind you push like a cart) is more efficient.
No matter which spreader you choose, follow these key steps:
- Spread evenly – Walk at a steady, consistent pace to avoid applying too much in some areas and too little in others.
- Start with the edges – First apply fertilizer around the perimeter, then work your way toward the center in straight lines.
- Check the weather – Don’t fertilize right before heavy rain, as it can wash nutrients away.
- Clean up spills – If fertilizer lands on driveways, sidewalks, or paths, sweep it up. Otherwise, it may wash into storm drains and harm rivers or streams.
- Water after application – Once you’ve finished spreading, water your lawn thoroughly. This helps the fertilizer soak into the soil and prevents the grass from burning.
With the right amount, the right fertilizer, and the right method of application, your lawn will grow thicker, greener, and healthier season after season.
Can You Over-Fertilize?
Yes, absolutely you can. Adding too much fertilizer, or applying it too often, can actually harm your lawn instead of helping it.
When excess fertilizer builds up in the soil, the salt content increases, which can “burn” the grass.
The results are easy to spot: yellow or brown patches, streaking, or thinning grass that looks worse than before you fertilized.
The key is balance, apply the right type, at the right time, and in the right amount.
Watering and Fertilizer
Water plays a big role in how much fertilizer your lawn needs. The more you water, the faster nutrients get used up or washed through the soil.
If you use an automatic sprinkler system. Then fertilize about every 6 weeks during the growing season.
If you water by hand or less often. then fertilize about every 8 weeks instead, since your lawn won’t lose nutrients as quickly.
Tip: Always water lightly after applying fertilizer to help it soak into the soil and reach the roots—but don’t flood your lawn.
What You Shouldn’t Do
- Don’t fertilize on windy days – Wind can blow fertilizer away, leading to uneven coverage or wasted product.
- Don’t apply near waterways – Fertilizer can wash into streams, rivers, and lakes, polluting the environment.
- Don’t overwater after fertilizing – Too much water can wash fertilizer away before it has a chance to benefit your lawn. A soaker hose or gentle sprinkler is best, as it allows water to penetrate deeply into the soil.
What You Shouldn’t Do
- Don’t fertilize on windy days – Wind can blow fertilizer away, leading to uneven coverage or wasted product.
- Don’t apply near waterways – Fertilizer can wash into streams, rivers, and lakes, polluting the environment.
- Don’t over water after fertilizing – Too much water can wash fertilizer away before it has a chance to benefit your lawn. A soaker hose or gentle sprinkler is best, as it allows water to penetrate deeply into the soil.
Fertilizing your lawn and plants doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right products and a little care, you can enjoy a vibrant, green lawn that’s the envy of the neighborhood all year long!
