WHEN TO FERTILISE

You will want to make sure that you get the timing right for your fertilising, so that you can maximise the effect of it. 

Time of Year

You want to stick to the growing season for the application of a fertiliser. The first month you can do this is April and then it can be done all the way up until September, so you can do it in:

• April
• May
• June
• July
• August
• September

If you want reminding of when you can apply a fertiliser, make sure you sign up to the Lawn Club.

When you are applying a fertiliser, make sure that you pick the correct fertiliser for the time of year. Different fertilisers have different ratios of NPK, so ensure your fertiliser is relevant for the time of year. 

In spring and summer, you want a fertiliser that is designed to increase growth, which you will find from the generic fertilisers. Whereas in the autumn, you want a fertiliser that will prepare your lawn for the winter, so opt for a specific autumnal fertiliser. 

If you have any doubts over which one to pick, check the packaging and they will clearly state when they should be used. 

Moisture

When you have fertilised your lawn, you will need to apply a lot of water to it to avoid scorching and allow the fertilise to dissolve into the soil. Because of this, you will want to keep an eye on the weather and time it right. 

You don’t want to apply fertiliser when the ground is hard and dry, otherwise you can cause damage. So the best time to do this is after it has rained and is also forecast to rain again, which makes it a little difficult to time it well in the summer. 

However, you can use a sprinkler to wet the lawn if the weather isn’t as you need. If you are going to do this, try and time it along with your normal watering routine. 

After Mowing

When you have applied your fertiliser, you want to leave it as long as possible before cutting, so the fertiliser can take effect. The fertiliser that you buy will normally tell you how long to wait until you should mow your lawn, but this will normally be somewhere between 1 and 3 days. 

So to be safe, apply your fertiliser just after you have cut your lawn.