Should You Fertilize Lawn in Fall? Yes! Here’s Why & How

Many people think that to fertilize lawn is not only unnecessary but even counterintuitive. According to them, it makes no sense whatsoever to work up the growth in the season when the grass is getting ready to go dormant.

Of course, it makes perfect sense to believe that the best time to seed and fertilize lawn is in spring when everything is growing and blooming. If you, however, want to have a healthy and beautiful garden, then you need to feed it several times a year.

So, if you are wondering whether you need to fertilize the lawn, the answer is absolutely yes. The main argument that requires attention is a variety of fertilizers that you are supposed to use in different seasons.

And if having organic veggies on the table sounds great for you, the article that describes organic liquid fertilizer may become of great help.

Read Also:

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• Garden Weeds Identification, How to Get rid of Weeds in Grass
• 7 Crucial Tips in Picking the Right Grass Seed for Your Lawn
• 5 Basic Lawn Care and Maintenance Tips
• 6 Steps to a Better Backyard

Why Is It Important to Fertilize Lawn in Fall

It is crucial to keep in mind that there are different scientific reasons to take out weed and fertilize lawn in different periods.

If you ask, people would generally say that they feed their grass in spring and summer to be able to enjoy the beauty and softness while walking barefoot. However, as we are going to explain to you, there is more to it.

In early spring, you should fertilize the lawn to make its roots stronger. Later in spring, you will do it again, but because fresh grass needs a lot of nutrients to be able to grow.

Summer months are usually hot, and it’s rarely raining. This is also a time when most of us are very active outside, and the fertilizer plays an essential role in protecting the grass.

Okay. But it still doesn’t explain why you need to fertilize lawn in fall, right? Well, some would even argue that it is the most important.

At this time, fertilizers increase the sugar reserves in the base of grass leaves. When the sugar supply is sufficient, the dormant grass is less likely to get sick. Moreover, it will be greener when the spring arrives again.

What Is the Best Fall Month to Fertilize Lawn?

A question that people often ask us is when to fertilize lawn in fall. Keep in mind that you must repeat the process twice during the fall. The best time to fertilize the lawn in fall is September.

Hot days are over, and your grass needs some help from heat and possible drought. Some people use products to destroy weeds and insects in this period as well.

However, if you don’t notice the things that might indicate health issues, there is no need to use anything else except fertilizer.

Now, even if the dose of fertilizer that you used in September should cover the needs of your lawn, you must repeat the process in October or early November.

Remember that this last fertilization process before the reign of cold winter months will make a significant difference concerning your lawn’s health and appearance.

We’ve also heard that people had concerns about the best temperature to fertilize the lawn. This is an important question because if you fertilize the lawn with a nitrogen-based fertilizer when it’s freezing, the grass will grow and, thus, become vulnerable to shock and ice.

The best temperature is around 55 – 65 degrees Fahrenheit, which equates to 12-18 degrees Celsius. Keep in mind that if the area you are living in becomes cold quickly after summer finishes, you should probably finish the fall fertilization process before November.

How Should I Apply the Fertilizer?

Now when we established that it is essential to do it, we will take you through some steps to fertilize your lawn.

• One of the most important things to remember is that you should look for a fertilizer that has a higher percentage of potassium and a bit less nitrogen.

• People are wondering about watering before they fertilize the lawn. There are some disagreements about it, but in our opinion, it is safe to water your grass field before you apply fertilizer. Just be careful not to soak it.

Since autumn can be rainy, another option is to check the forecast and fertilize lawn before rain. You just need to make sure you do it before and by no means after the rain.

• It is essential to fertilize the lawn after mowing.

• Carefully read the instructions before applying the fertilizer. Some people believe that adding a bit more than recommended will benefit the grass. However, it is counterproductive as it can damage it, so you should stick strictly to the instructions written on the label.

Is Fertilizing Lawn Expensive?

A lot of people are wondering if it is better to hire professionals to fertilize the lawn or to make DIY fertilization. On that point, it is crucial to consider the cost to fertilize the lawn.

On average, companies charge between 0.04 -0.12 USD per 1, 000 square feet which are about 92 square meters. This works to nearly 50 -150 dollars per application for 12500 square feet yard and up to 300 dollars for 21700 square feet yard/2043 square meters.

On another hand, when you DIY to fertilize the lawn, the cost is much lower. The price for a bag of fertilizer that can cover about 5000 square feet yard is 40 USD. Of course, if you are doing it yourself, you will need a spreader, but they cost approximately 30 – 40 dollars.

Maybe it is true that hiring a professional will save you the effort, but you need to give a lot of money. As you can see, if you decide to fertilize lawn on your own, it will cost you next to nothing while if you hire a professional company, you will pay between 600 and more than 100 dollars per year. We can tell you that fertilization isn’t a difficult job, but ultimately, of course, the decision is yours.

Conclusion

We hope that you enjoyed reading our article about how and why to fertilize lawn in fall. Remember that following these simple steps will enable you to fully enjoy BBQs with your family and friends in your beautiful yard during warm months.

How do you take care of your lawn? Did you know before reading our text that fall is the best time to fertilize the lawn? In case you have some suggestions or comments, please feel free to write and tell us. We are always happy to hear from our readers.

Author’s bio:

Bernice Hibbs has a BA in Agriculture and MSc in Horticulture. She thinks that writing is the best way to convey useful information to people, that’s why she writes columns in several horticulture magazines. Bernice also has a YouTube channel. She likes to spend her free time with her teenage daughter and their three cats.