How do I know what Fertiliser to use on my Lawn?

You can save a lot of time and money and get a better result if you use the most appropriate fertiliser for your lawn. Here are the main points to consider. Adjust for these and you’re 90% of the way there.

Soil type

Clay soils hold nutrients well so require less in the fertiliser in the spring and summer growth periods. Ideally you need a stronger wider ranging mix to achieve the same in loam, sandy or chalk soils. In autumn and winter all soils require the same. Get to know whether you have a sandy or clay soil by reading the article on the next page and therefore buy the right feed and possibly save some money!

Time of year

All plants including grass grow differently depending on the time of year. In the warmer months from spring through summer, the lawn gets lots of leafy top growth and your feed should enable that. In autumn your lawn needs nutrients to help it prepare for winter, build disease resilience and maintain root growth. Then in winter it’ll need to keep its strength up and prevent moss dominating without requiring to be mown. Lawnsmith has tailored feeds appropriate to the time of year and needs of the grass.

Now you’ve chosen your fertiliser based on the above it would be sensible to make the most out of your purchase with a few sensible adjustments:

Geographic location and timing

For example, spring has the same start and end date in Brighton as it does in Aberdeen. However, grass growth will follow temperature and not the calendar so time your spring feed to occur after you’ve done the first few cuts in March or April. The summer feed can go in 10-14 weeks later with the autumn feed timed as things start to cool anytime between September and October. Those south of the Midlands can extend into November if need be. Plan the winter feed to coincide with a mild spell in January or February.

Local climate

Are you in the wetter west or drier east? The wetter it is the more growth you will get which means the more you should apply. All Lawnsmith granular feeds have a rate range; for example 25-35 grams per square metre, so apply more or less dependent on rainfall or ability to water.

Lawn usage

Fertiliser not only keeps grass growing but it also drives repair and recovery from use. Therefore, if the kids are giving the lawn a good hammering, feed every season at the highest rate possible. Conversely if all it gets is a gentle saunter to the flower beds then keep the dose on the light side.

Your personal interest

This is very important as there is no point committing to something you hate doing. We have developed feeding programs that require just one feed a year right through to those for the enthusiast with multiple interventions a year to optimise lawn growth, health and appeal. Having said that, any feed is better than no feed! Do have a read of How to Feed the Lawn.

Finally there are a couple of other factors that you may need to consider on occasions if you are creating a new lawn, are having issues or just want to optimise the nutrient levels going into your lawn:

Grass or lawn type

Utility lawns and those containing rye grass will require feeding at least twice a year to look their best. Ornamental, croquet or fescue dominated lawns require a little and often regime with the use of soluble fertiliser between the main spring and autumn granular feeds.

Soil test

Unfortunately the soil test you purchase from the garden center is not going to reliably tell you much other than soil pH. 

Therefore, if you spend either a lot of time on your lawn or will spend a lot of money creating a new lawn we would advise a full soil test WITH recommendations from a reliable laboratory.