Common fertilizing mistakes - Fertilizing at the wrong time

By the DIY experts of The Family Handyman Magazine
TheFamilyHandyman.com

“Many lawn owners don’t follow a schedule. They fertilize when they think their lawn needs it, when they have time or when the stuff is on sale.”

If you fertilize just once a year, apply it around Labor Day. That’s when your lawn is the hungriest and when it will respond best to the nutrients it receives. Fertilizing at this time will help replenish food reserves after a long, stressful year of growing and before the harshness of winter sets in.

If you fertilize twice, apply the second application about the middle of October. This acts like a “second helping” of much needed food going into winter. A third application can be added in mid to late spring and can be combined with your crabgrass preventer. A fourth application, if you feel the need, can be added mid-summer. Watch the weather when applying midsummer fertilizers. Fertilizing during hot, humid weather can harm your lawn. An exception would be using an organic fertilizer. They are much more lawn friendly during the dog days of summer.

In the spring, apply just enough fertilizer to help green up your lawn. About half the normal amount will do. Even without fertilizer, your lawn naturally grows quickly as soon as temperatures become consistently higher. Have you ever noticed that grass grows fastest in the late spring and early summer? Why promote even more growth at this time by fertilizing?