Lawn fertilizer how much

Fertilizer recommendations for lawns can be confusing to the average homeowner. These instructions are usually given in pounds of nitrogen to be applied per 1, square feet.

Luckily, you can use online fertilizer calculators to simplify things. 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. These symptoms can appear as soon as the day after a fertilizer application, making it easy to determine the cause.

To avoid over-fertilizing, applying a fertilizer every two weeks is not recommended. Fertilizing as often as every two weeks will likely lead to problems such as lawn burn, excessive grass growth, as well as polluted water that can lead to toxic algae growth. A natural, healthier way of feeding your lawn every two weeks would be to simply leave the grass clippings on the lawn surface after mowing your grass.

Some fertilizers contain high levels of nitrogen, which if absorbed in large amounts can become harmful. Burned lawns will need a generous amount of water to get back to green. Slowly soak the affected areas every day for about a week to fully flush out the extra salt. To avoid causing sun damage while the lawn is in crisis, be sure to water early in the morning. Within a few weeks, the affected areas should be turning back to green. If not, those areas of your lawn may need to be dug up and overseeded to inspire new growth.

Most lawn care companies recommend that you apply lawn fertilizer in the spring, between February and April. This is when your grass will start to green up as it begins to actively grow. Basically, if it looks like your grass is ready for its first mowing of the season, then it should also be ready for lawn fertilizer. While most people know to fertilize their lawns in the spring, it is important to remember that fall feeding is critical, too.

In the fall, grass roots are going down into the soil and need fertilizer to stay healthy. This is the most important application of fertilizer for the whole year since it will protect your lawn as it goes dormant over winter. However, if the fall you should use a specific fall fertilizer that is slightly higher in phosphorous and potassium, as it will promote better root growth. It is enough for two applications to your square foot lawn, but only if you calibrate your spreader correctly.

Seal up the bag and store unused fertilizer in a dry, indoor spot away from children and pets, for later use. If in doubt about how much fertilizer to buy, use the handy chart below. Or, do the math yourself:. Calibrate or test your spreader equipment each spring to ensure it is operating properly.

How fast you walk affects the amount of fertilizer applied from a push spreader. Spread out the sheet of plastic on a flat surface outdoors, perhaps your driveway. Use the tape measure to measure the length and width of the plastic surface. Determine the square footage of this surface by multiplying the length times the width. Many fertilizer bags will indicate what setting to use for a particular brand of spreader. Use this as the starting setting. If unknown, select a setting near the middle of its range.

Weigh the empty container. Example: 2oz. Begin applying the fertilizer over the plastic sheet walking at your normal rate. When the entire area of the plastic has been covered, stop, carefully gather all the fertilizer from the sheet and place it in the empty container.

Weigh this container. It is important to apply the correct amount of fertilizer per total square footage of your lawn. Any remaining fertilizer can be stored in a cool, dry place until next time. It is also best to apply one-half the rate in two directions to ensure an even distribution.

Be sure to sweep or blow all fertilizer off of sidewalks and driveways into the lawn. This helps to maintain good water quality for your community. Click here for more information about application timing and rates. Click here for more information about spreader calibration. Calculating fertilizer amounts based on nitrogen recommendations from an extension person, literature, or soil test report. For example, a would be the precentages of N-P-K.

Calculate Pounds Required. Soil testing your lawn can prevent unnecessary fertilizer applications. Soil testing will tell you what nutrients the soil needs as well as what nutrients are in sufficient amounts.