Aside from the regular mowing and occasional watering, fertilising your lawn is key to a greener, more lush turf. It definitely adds to the appeal of your front yard and makes your home feel much more inviting to any of your visitors. If you know how to fertilise your soil properly, you will reap the rewards by having a lawn that’s healthier, denser, and full of vibrancy.
You don’t need to hire gardeners to do it for you because you can do it on your own. Here we’ll be discussing when to fertilise your lawn, why you should start fertilising it, and how to fertilise it properly. Let’s first start with knowing when to enrich your soil.
When should you start fertilising your lawn
There are couple of factors that affect the frequency of fertilising your lawn. Things like the climate, what type of grass you are growing, and the condition of the grass all play a role on how often you should enrich your soil. Most people do it once a year, some every quarter of the year, but in all honesty, twice is more than enough to keep your lawn nice and healthy.
You can get away with fertilising your soil only once during the autumn season. That way, your grass will be prepared to handle the winter months since they will be in relatively good condition. If you want to maintain the health and longevity of lawn, fertilising twice a year is a good idea, with the second fertilising done during the early spring season. It’s important to prepare your lawn for the cold weather and fertilising it in early spring means that it’ll be able to thrive and sprout once winter arrives.
Why should you fertilise your lawn
Fertilising your lawn is of utmost importance if you want your lawn to look good and stay in relatively good condition. Here are a couple of reasons why you should enrich your soil twice a year.
1. Maintains the condition of your lawn year-round.
Enriching the soil of your lawn will help keep the grass in good condition and prepare it for both the summer and winter seasons. This means that the grass will continue to sprout no matter the weather and it’ll end up being denser, greener, and better-looking which definitely adds to the curb appeal of your home’s front yard.
2. It helps save you money.
Regular fertilisation of your lawn helps save you money by reducing its maintenance frequency. A healthy soil means less pests and less chances of weed from growing. It also helps prevent excessive thatching from building up at the base of your grass.
3. Your lawn needs sunshine, water, and fertiliser to grow rich, beautiful grass.
We all know that regular sunshine and water is vital to the health of your lawn. But without the proper nutrients, it won’t thrive. You need to feed your grass with food and that comes from a rich, healthy soil that’s been properly fertilised. Grass needs three key elements which are:
Nitrate
Potassium
Phosphorus
Your lawn needs these 3 key elements to grow dense, green grass that’s lively and full of colour. If not, it will end up looking shriveled in no time. Make sure it get enough sunshine, water, and the food it needs by fertilising your soil.
4. Keeps family leisure time outside more enjoyable.
Spending time outdoors and playing with your children is more fun and exciting when your lawn is thick, vibrant, and full of life. It’s not as fun when you’re playing on a lawn that’s shriveled and brown looking. Not only does it look unappealing, but it’ll also cause irritation to the skin since it’s so dry and unhealthy.
Fertilising your soil provides you with an amazing outdoor space that your children and your pets can have fun rolling and running around with.
5. It promotes growth for your grass.
Growing a lawn can be a painfully slow process. You can speed it up by ensuring that the soil is rich with nutrients that your grass needs to help facilitate growth. Lush, green grass starts with healthy soil and you can do that by fertilising it so it grows beautifully each time you cut it.
How to fertilise your lawn
Fertilising your lawn is an easy step-by-step process that you can do all by yourself. To enrich your lawn’s soil, follow the steps below:
1. Choose a slow release fertiliser that’s low in nitrogen. Slow release fertilisers deliver crucial nutrients to your soil over a long period of time, ensuring its health and longevity as you provide it enough sunlight and water. Fast release fertilisers can damage your lawn if applied too heavily since it’ll cause burning which ruins your grass.
2. Measure the surface area of your lawn. Doing so will help you determine how much fertiliser you will need to enrich your soil. Don’t worry if your calculations aren’t accurate. Using slow release fertilisers mean that you’ll less likely cause damage to your lawn despite being off with your measurements.
3. Trim down your lawn before applying. Before applying your fertiliser, make sure to mow it to allow the fertiliser to distribute evenly to the soil. This will ensure that you’re covering most of the soil and you don’t miss any spots for balanced grass growth.
4. Apply the correct amount of fertiliser. Check the fertiliser bag for the correct amount before spreading it. This will vary depending on which fertiliser you use, the type of grass you are growing, and the surface area of your entire lawn. Distribute it in one direction and spread the rest at about a 90 degree angle to cover all of the soil.
5. Water your lawn after applying fertilizer. This is one of the most crucial steps when enriching your soil. Watering your lawn after the fertiliser application helps wash off fertiliser from the grass blades so it goes into the soil. Moisture is key for your soil to absorb the fertiliser properly. Use a sprinkler to avoid washing off your fertiliser.
Conclusion
Fertilising your soil is very important for a thicker, greener, and healthier grass that makes your lawn look absolutely beautiful. If you want a more lush and vibrant turf, follow these steps and make sure to fertilise your lawn twice a year so it stays in relatively good condition no matter the season.