How to Apply Lawn Fertilizer in MD & DC For Fantastic Results!

Dawn KruegerLandscaping

lawn fertilizer spreader

As the old saying goes, “You only get one chance to make a first impression.” This applies to your home as well. A less than spectacular lawn will greatly diminish the overall appearance of your otherwise stellar home. Creating and maintaining a pristine lawn can be a daunting task. Knowing when and how to properly cut, water, and fertilize your lawn, and finding the time to do it can be overwhelming. If you choose to do this on your own, when to cut your lawn is pretty obvious, but for most homeowners, how to apply lawn fertilizer remains a mystery. And knowing how and when to fertilize greatly impacts the density and health of your lawn.

When is best time to apply lawn fertilizer?

In the Bethesda/Washington DC area, most lawns consist of tall fescue, rye, and Kentucky blue grass or a mixture of these. These grasses flourish in the seasonal climate.

Fertilizer should be applied to these types of grasses 4-5 times per year using a nitrogen based product that may contain weed killers and pest control. Timing is everything in that fertilizing too early can actually aid in weed growth, fertilizing during extremely hot months, or in drought conditions can damage the grass, and fertilizing too much can cause patchiness. Care should be taken when using time-released products as over-fertilizing can occur.

Fertilizer should be applied while your lawn is actively growing in the spring and fall – when grass is coming out of or going into dormancy (but no longer dormant). If you fertilize with nitrogen while your lawn is dormant, you can encourage weed growth, and ultimately waste fertilizer.

Fertilizing with nitrogen while grass is dormant actually causes weeds! http://goo.gl/0u9igT Click To Tweet

Aeration and removing thatch are also key.

Lawn aeration is vital for helping your lawn absorb water, oxygen and nutrients to keep it healthy. It’s best to aerate your lawn in the early spring or fall in our area of Maryland and Washington DC. Unfortunately, putting on spikes and walking over your lawn will have minimal effect if any. It’s best to hire a pro that removes soil plugs at least 2 inches deep and at least a half inch in diameter, and about 3 inches apart.

Fertilizing and managing your lawn for the best results is time-consuming and can be complicated. The professional landscapers at Rasevic Residential Landscaping know how to keep your lawn lush, beautiful, and healthy year round. Contact us for all of your landscaping needs by calling 301-951-1244.