The Best Time to Fertilize Your Lawn
Fertilizing your yard too often can harm grass roots and leave lawns scorched
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Fertilizing provides the nitrogen that grass needs to better withstand pests and extreme heat and cold, but fertilizing more doesn’t always make your lawn better. In general, you don’t want to fertilize your lawn more than twice yearly, according to Frank Rossi, associate professor of horticulture at Cornell University’s School of Integrative Plant Science.
Overfertilizing can damage roots and cause scorching, leaving grass brown and patchy. Underfertilizing, though, can make grass less pest- and disease-resistant.
The Best Time to Apply Fertilizer
Rules of thumb for fertilizing don’t apply to every lawn, because weather conditions and grass cycles can vary depending on where you live. Follow these tips when deciding when to fertilize your lawn.
Other Lawn Care Tips
In addition to fertilizing your yard, mowing and watering in the right fashion will also make your lawn lusher. Here are three key lawn care tips:
Let your lawn grow. Generally, you should let grass grow to 4½ inches and then cut it to 3 or 3½ inches. Tall grass helps promote deep roots, making your lawn hardier and more resilient.
Use the mulch setting on your mower and leave the clippings behind. The mulch clippings serve as compost, providing your grass with nutrients. This also reduces evaporation.
Don’t overwater. A typical lawn needs no more than 1 inch of water a week, including rainfall. To promote deep roots, give your lawn one long soak each week instead of several short waterings. In fact, a light daily watering encourages root systems that are too shallow, promotes weed growth, and leaves grass susceptible to disease and insect damage.
Best Lawn Care Products
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