Fall Fertilizer Tips [DIY Lawn Care]

https://bit.ly/4eUNhbO Click the link to learn more about lawn care and shop the professional-grade products featured in this video! Shop for Fall Grow here! https://bit.ly/47ZUOUo --- Fall is a very critical time to fertilize your lawn. As temperatures cool, your grass may become dormant, appearing as if the grass is brown or dead. What’s actually happening is your grass is conserving its energy and preparing for the harsh temperatures of winter. Its growth and energy consumption slow just enough for it to survive the cold season. By the time it warms up and spring comes around, your grass will need a large store of energy and nutrients to start growing vigorously and take on a lusher, greener, healthier appearance. That’s where a fall fertilizer application comes in. By fertilizing in the fall, the grass will store the energy to survive, recover, and get a head start for growth in the spring. To figure out the best time to fertilize your lawn, you need to consider your lawn’s turf type and the local climate. The United States can be divided into three sections. In the north, cool-season grasses grow actively in the mild temperatures of spring and fall. In the south, warm-season grasses grow vigorously in the summer. There is also a Transition Zone where your lawn may consist of a cool-season grass, a warm-season grass, or both. You should apply fertilizer when your grass is actively growing. For cool-season grass, this can be throughout fall from September to November, but there are several warm-season grasses like Bermudagrass or Zoysiagrass that become dormant towards the late fall, and therefore should not be fertilized during that time. The safest time to fertilize a warm-season lawn is usually before the end of September. Applying fertilizer too late can cause your grass to grow out-of-season during conditions when it usually cannot survive. When looking for the best fertilizer to use, that will also depend on your lawn’s turf type. Generally, you’ll want to apply a higher nitrogen fertilizer when your grass is actively growing. Cool-season grasses will benefit from higher nitrogen fertilizers since those grasses are actively growing during the fall. Look for a fertilizer with an NPK ratio around 4-1-4. With this ratio, nitrogen makes up 4 out of the 9 parts of the fertilizer’s relevant nutrient content, or about 44%. Since warm-season grasses become dormant at this time, you’ll want to look for fertilizers with lower nitrogen to apply over those lawns. Try looking for a fertilizer with an NPK ratio around 8-12-16. With this ratio, nitrogen makes up 8 of the 36 parts of the fertilizer’s relevant nutrient content, or about 22%. Too much nitrogen when it gets too cold for either turf type may result in increased disease activity and needing to mow your lawn more often during winter. Before you apply fertilizer, test the ground to ensure it's not frozen. This becomes more relevant the further north you are. The simplest way to tell if the soil is frozen is to just walk across the grass or run your hand through it. If frozen, the grass blades won’t bend easily and it’ll feel cold to the touch. You can also dig up a small area, and if it’s frozen, it’ll be difficult to penetrate or may not break apart at all. Next, you’ll need to calculate your lawn’s square footage and use that to determine how much product to apply. To get the square footage of a rectangular lawn, just multiply the area’s length by its width. Irregularly shaped lawns use different formulas, and they can also be broken down into simpler shapes and added together. After you’ve figured out your lawn’s square footage, refer to your fertilizer’s label for an application rate. If you live in an area with warm-season turf, check out the Solutions 8-12-16 Fall Grow Fertilizer. This is a granular fertilizer designed to strengthen your plant’s roots so they green up quicker in spring and become more resistant to disease and drought. Apply the labeled rate of 5 pounds of product per 1,000 square feet of turfgrass. So if you measured an area of 2,000 square feet, you would need to evenly distribute 10 pounds of fertilizer over your yard. With a granular fertilizer, load your measured amount of product into a calibrated push spreader, and broadcast half your granules in parallel lines once across the area. Then broadcast the other half at a perpendicular angle to cover the area in its entirety. Be sure to walk at an even pace to ensure an even spread across your entire yard. Once the product is fully applied, water it in. With even distribution, your lawn will gain the nutrients it needs to survive the winter. Come spring, your grass will have enough energy to start growing bright green and healthy. Click the link to learn more about DIY lawn care and shop the professional-grade products featured in this video! https://bit.ly/4eUNhbO Thanks for watching! #diypestcontrol #solutionspestandlawn #diylawncare