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Home » Lawn Mowing » When to Feed Lawn
Feeding your lawn is akin to feeding your soul, or at least that’s how the green-thumbed among us might see it. It’s about nurturing, caring, and watching something you love grow stronger and more vibrant. But just like you wouldn’t serve a steak to a vegetarian, you can’t just throw any old fertiliser at your lawn and hope for the best. It requires understanding, timing, and a bit of finesse.
Key Takeaways
- Timing is Everything: Feed your lawn in early spring and autumn for optimal health.
- Know Your Lawn: Different grass types have unique needs.
- Right Product, Right Time: Choosing the correct fertiliser makes all the difference.
- Avoid Common Pitfalls: Overfeeding can damage your lawn.
Introduction to Lawn Feeding
Feeding your lawn is not just about keeping it green; it’s about ensuring it’s healthy, resilient, and able to withstand the challenges of weather, wear, and pests. The right nutrition can enhance root growth, improve resistance to disease, and encourage lush, vibrant colour. But before you start, it’s crucial to understand what your lawn needs and when it needs it.
Identifying Your Lawn’s Needs
The first step in any lawn care regimen is knowing what you’re working with. The UK boasts a variety of grass types, from the hardy Ryegrass to the fine Fescues, each with its own nutritional requirements and care schedule. Recognising signs of undernourishment, like dull colour, slow growth, or patchiness, can help you tailor your feeding approach for better results.
Types of Grass and Their Needs
Grass Type | Nutritional Needs | Best Feeding Time |
Ryegrass | High Nitrogen | Spring & Autumn |
Fescues | Balanced Mix | Early Spring |
Bentgrass | Low Nitrogen | Autumn |
Observing your lawn’s growth patterns and colour can give you insights into what it’s lacking and how you can adjust your feeding strategy to match.
Best Times to Feed Your Lawn
The timing of your lawn feeding is crucial for its health and vitality. The general rule of thumb is to feed in early spring to kickstart growth after the winter dormancy and then again in autumn to prepare it for the cold months ahead.
Spring Feeding: Timing and Products
Spring is all about awakening and strengthening your lawn. A high-nitrogen fertiliser is ideal for encouraging lush, green growth. However, timing is crucial; wait until the frost has passed and your lawn has begun to grow actively.
Summer Care: Maintaining Lawn Health in Heat
Summer isn’t typically a feeding time, but it’s important to maintain the lawn’s health with adequate watering and mowing. If your summer is mild and your grass is still growing, a light feeding can support this growth.
Autumn Feeding: Preparing for Winter
Autumn feeding is about preparation and repair. A fertiliser high in potassium can help strengthen grassroots, making your lawn more resilient to frost and cold weather.
Winter Considerations: To Feed or Not to Feed
Generally, feeding your lawn in winter isn’t recommended. The grass is dormant, and the risk of fertiliser runoff is higher due to rain and snow.
How to Feed Your Lawn
Feeding your lawn correctly is as important as choosing the right time to do it. The type of fertiliser, the method of application, and even the weather on the day you feed can all impact the effectiveness of your lawn care efforts.
Choosing the Right Fertilizer
Selecting the right fertiliser is a balancing act. It’s about matching the product to your lawn’s specific needs based on the time of year and the condition of your grass.
Season | Nutrient Focus | Product Type |
Spring | High Nitrogen | Slow-release granules |
Autumn | High Potassium | Liquid fertilisers |
Application Techniques for Even Coverage
Even distribution is key to avoiding fertiliser burn and ensuring every part of your lawn benefits equally. Whether you’re using a handheld spreader for small areas or a push spreader for larger lawns, walking at a steady pace and overlapping slightly will help achieve uniform coverage.
Watering After Feeding: Best Practices
Watering your lawn after feeding helps activate the fertiliser and encourages it to penetrate the soil. However, timing is important. Light watering is sufficient; too much can wash away the nutrients before they have a chance to work.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even with the best intentions, it’s easy to make mistakes when it comes to lawn care. Being aware of these common pitfalls can help you avoid them.
Overfeeding and Its Consequences
More isn’t always better. Overfeeding can lead to rapid, weak growth, making your lawn more susceptible to disease and pests.
Choosing the Wrong Type of Fertilizer
Using the wrong type of fertiliser can do more harm than good. A high-nitrogen feed in autumn, for example, can encourage top growth at the expense of root development, leaving your lawn vulnerable over winter.
Incorrect Application Timing
Feeding your lawn at the wrong time can be a waste of both time and resources. Feeding too early in spring or too late in autumn can lead to poor nutrient uptake and even damage the grass.
Advanced Lawn Feeding Techniques
Beyond the basics, there are techniques and tips that can elevate your lawn care routine, ensuring your grass is not just surviving but thriving.
Soil Testing: The Foundation of Effective Feeding
Before you even think about fertilisers, understanding your soil’s pH and nutrient levels is crucial. A simple soil test can reveal a lot about what your lawn really needs, allowing you to tailor your feeding regimen more effectively.
Soil pH Range | Suitability |
Below 6.0 | Too acidic; may require lime to raise pH |
6.5 – 7.0 | Ideal for most grass types |
Above 7.0 | Too alkaline; may need sulfur to lower pH |
Adjusting your soil’s pH can make a significant difference in how well your lawn absorbs nutrients, leading to healthier, more resilient grass.
Seasonal Adjustments: Fine-Tuning Your Approach
As the seasons change, so should your lawn care strategy. Adapting your feeding schedule and products to suit the growing conditions not only optimises plant health but also conserves resources.
Season | Adjustment Focus |
Spring | Growth promotion with high-nitrogen fertilisers |
Summer | Maintenance and hydration |
Autumn | Root development and disease resistance |
Understanding the seasonal needs of your lawn ensures it gets exactly what it needs, when it needs it, for year-round health.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Addressing common queries can help demystify lawn feeding for many gardeners, providing clarity and confidence in their lawn care practices.
Timing your fertiliser application before rain can seem like a good idea, as the water helps to dissolve and distribute the nutrients. However, too much rain can wash away the fertiliser before it has a chance to work. A light, steady rain forecast is ideal, but if heavy downpours are expected, it’s best to wait.
New grass needs nutrients to establish itself, but it’s also more delicate than mature grass. Wait until you’ve mowed the new grass at least three times before applying a gentle, balanced fertiliser. This ensures the roots are strong enough to absorb and benefit from the feed.
The frequency of feeding depends on the type of grass you have and the fertiliser you’re using. As a general rule, feeding your lawn every 6-8 weeks during the growing season (spring through autumn) is sufficient. However, always follow the product recommendations and consider your lawn’s specific needs.
Both organic and chemical (synthetic) fertilisers have their place in lawn care. Organic fertilisers improve soil health over time and are less likely to burn the grass, but they work more slowly.
Chemical fertilisers provide quick results and precise nutrient ratios but can impact soil biology if overused. The best choice depends on your lawn’s immediate needs and your long-term care philosophy.

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