When you are working to get your lawn health in top condition, a quality fertilizer is paramount. It doesn't matter what you are - a new homeowner or an old groundskeeper -- there are a lot of questions you may have and certainly should be asking. These questions include price, effectiveness, ingredients, safety, and questions about your own lawn that should be asked before you make a decision on fertilizer. The thing is, if you have these questions and just ignore them and rush your way towards the first fertilizer that you see, or if you simply do not think about these questions in the first place, you may find yourself -- and your lawn for that matter -- feeling the brunt of that irresponsibility. Read on for important questions and answers that can help you choose the best fertilizer for your yard.
Warm weather can be a downer for lawn care enthusiasts, as prolonged sunny weather can dry out lawns and cause weeds to thrive. Many fertilizers with weed-killing herbicides still work during warm weather, but you may need to water your lawn before or after applying the fertilizer. Make sure to carefully read the instructions regarding how to use fertilizers during periods of warm weather.
Winterizing lawn fertilizers are rich with potassium, which can help to protect your grass from exceptionally cold weather. The best way to protect your lawn for the winter is to apply winterizing fertilizer during the fall, which is typically the peak growing season for lawns. You'll want to be ready with nitrogen-rich fertilizer for the spring.
Fertilizer is not exactly something that you need the best of the best in quality to get a healthier lawn, but it definitely does not hurt to spend a little extra if you do want that extra bit of quality. Not to say that you would be fine buying legit crap fertilizer, but it is not something you need to break the bank over.
Most homeowners should fertilize their lawns in the late spring or early summer. This is the point where the grass will benefit the most from it. In colder areas, you shouldn't apply winterizing fertilizer any later than mid-fall.
Just as much as you should not under-fertilize your lawn, do make sure that you do not over-fertilize it either. Over-fertilization can be a death sentence for a normally healthy lawn, so be careful with how often you do it. Always follow the instructions listed on each lawn fertilizer product.
Fertilizers are designed to ensure that your lawn can reach peak health, avoiding the unfortunate damage from both warm weather and cold weather (both weather types carrying a rather unfortunate dryness to them). Some fertilizers use unique ingredients, so mind this as well. You must also consider whether fertilizers are better for new or old lawns, or whether fertilizers contain herbicides to kill weeds.
In general, fertilizer is not something that you have to get a top of the line brand or from a place that specializes in it. It is a pretty simple thing, so you can probably just go to a nearby Wal Mart to get it. Of course, going to a local place is always an option if you want to help local businesses.
Fertilizer is not exactly a complicated thing to make, so it is entirely common that people make their own. The reasons usually have to do with cost, time, and the knowledge of what's in it. In general, making your own fertilizer is fairly easy for what it is, and if you can pull it off, it may be recommended.