Fall fertilizer (or lack thereof) can have a big impact on your yard year-round. Without proper nutrients, your lawn can come back patchy, weak, and undernourished. No one wants a spring and summer lawn that just won’t grow. Here’s what you need to know about fertilizing your yard in the fall, from our lawn care and landscaping experts.
What Happens When You Skip Fall Fertilizer?
You won’t be able to tell on the surface, but if you skip fall fertilizing, your lawn and flower beds have some nasty tricks in store. Without its nutrient boost, outdoor plants and grasses enter winter with weaker roots and less stored energy. That means, when spring comes, you’ll see:
- Slower Growth
- Patchier Appearance After Growth
- Increased Susceptibility to pests, Plant Disease and Deterioration
That’s why fall feeding is critical. It strengthening root systems and delivers nutrients that remain stored there until it’s time for its comeback in the spring. Fall fertilizer ensures that comeback is quick, vibrant, and beautiful.
Northern arizona fall fertilizer tips
For cool-season grasses in higher elevations, we recommend two applications: one from late August to mid-September, and the second from mid-October to mid-November.
Apply it in two passes, first in one direction and then perpendicular to it, for even coverage. Since there’s a range of time when you can apply it with good results, monitor the temperatures. Fall fertilize when daytime temperatures are consistently below 80°F and soil temperatures are below 65°F
A high-nitrogen fertilizer (2/3 of yearly nitrogen: 3-1-2 NPK ratio, or about 1.5 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft.) should be used on the first application to promote root growth. For the second, use either a slow-release formula or one higher in potassium. If you’re in a cooler climate, do this before you expect the ground to freeze.
Water the fertilizer into the lawn immediately after each application to prevent burn and runoff.
Treat Your Yard This Halloween
Fall fertilizing is one of the best ways to treat your yard and plants to a happy, healthy spring. Since autumn is an ideal time for cool-season grasses to grow new roots, fertilizing will improving its winter hardiness. These stored nutriets will allow fast, full growth when the weather warms back up. And its natural weed control is an added bonus. Never applied fertilizer yourself? Never fear.
Call the pros at Zebrascapes. We take all the spookiness out of landscaping and lawn care. We get the timing just right, apply the highest-quality products, and make sure your yard is clean and healthy, no matter the season. Contact us to schedule your fall cleanup, fertilizing, or weed care service today.