If you are wanting a dark green and lush lawn, knowing how to pick the right fertilizer for your lawn is the first step to a healthier lawn. No matter how great your lawn mower and other yard tools are, your lawn needs fertilization as well as overseeding in order to resist brown spots, disease, and drought.
But not all lawn fertilizer is high-quality or worth your money. To help you know what fertilizers are worth your hard earned money, we’ll explore the best lawn fertilizer products that you can put on your lawn with confidence.
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The 5 Best Lawn Fertilizers
We’ve curated a short guide for the five best lawn fertilizers that are sure to give your grass the essential nutrients it needs in order to stay green and healthy all season long.
1. Best Overall Lawn Fertilizer: Milorganite Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer
Milorganite is one of the most trusted names when it comes to organic lawn fertilizer. With a non-burning and slow-release solution, this lawn fertilizer can feed your lawn for up to 10 weeks.
Pros:
- Non-burning organic formula.
- Due to the organic materials, it will continue to feed your lawn for up to 10 weeks.
- It does not need to be immediately watered in to take effect.
Cons:
- With an N-P-K ratio of 6-4-0, it lacks potassium, which is essential for healthy soil composition
- The 32 lb bag only covers 2,500 square feet of lawn whereas other competing fertilizers of this size can usually cover 5,000 square feet.
👉BUY – Milorganite Slow-Release Nitrogen Fertilizer
2. Best Organic Lawn Fertilizer: Jonathan Green Organic Lawn Food
When it comes to organic fertilizers, it’s hard to beat Organic Lawn Food by Jonathan Green.
Pros:
- Non-burning organic formula.
- More organic nitrogen than Milorganite.
- Safe for pets and kids.
- Feeds lawns for 8-10 weeks.
- Covers 5,000 square feet of lawn.
Cons:
- Because it is organic, it can take much longer to see the effects of this lawn fertilizer vs a fast-release nitrogen fertilizer like ammonium sulfate.
👉BUY – Jonathan Green Organic Lawn Food Lawn Fertilizer
3. Best Starter Fertilizer: Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food
If you are new to lawn fertilizer application, Scott’s Turf Builder is made for you. With one bag being able to cover 15,000 square feet, this fertilizer can last you an entire season with ease depending on your lawn size.
Pros:
- Covers 15,000 square feet of lawn.
- Helps to build strong, deep roots which helps grass to absorb water.
- Safe to use with warm and cool season grass types.
- Perfect fertilizer to use when seeding new grass, or overseeding an existing lawn.
Cons:
- Fast-release, so it can burn if over-applicated.
👉BUY – Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food
4. Best Weed And Feed Fertilizer: Scotts Turf Builder Weed And Feed
Weeds are part of the battle when it comes to having a healthy lawn. Scotts Turf Builder Weed and Feed is a great weapon to use in your arsenal.
Pros:
- Covers 5,000 square feet.
- Addresses over 50 common weeds.
- Helps the lawn to grow thicker in order to crowd out future weed growth.
Cons:
- Can be applied in warm weather (60-90 degrees Fahrenheit).
👉BUY – Scotts Turf Builder Weed and Feed
5. Best Iron Fertilizer: Ironite Mineral Supplement
Iron is one of the main ingredients that helps to give your lawn a deep green look. Ironite lawn fertilizer is the perfect choice.
Pros:
- Helps to promote lush, dark green grass.
- Can be used in both lawns and gardens.
- Mixture of sulfur and iron produces quick green up.
Cons:
- Does not promote grass growth.
👉BUY – Ironite Mineral Supplement Fertilizer
How To Pick The Best Fertilizer For Your Lawn?
All of the lawn fertilizers we have listed above are good for your lawn, but sometimes your lawn is deficient in a certain nutrient in order to recover or stay in good health. It’s also important to note that different grass types require different amounts of nutrients in order to stay healthy.
Grass Type
Cool Season Grasses: This would include Kentucky Bluegrass, Fescue, Ryegrass and Bentgrass. These grass types respond best to fertilizer after the weather starts to cool down in the fall.
Warm Season Grasses: This would include Bermuda Grass, Zoysia, St. Augustine and Buffalo Grass. These grasses become dormant in winter and respond best to fertilizer in the hot summer months.
Nutrients By Grass Type
The chart above shows the nutrients that each grass type needs. For example, Bermuda grass requires more nitrogen than perennial ryegrass in order to stay healthy. Knowing what grass type you have will help you to ensure you use the right type of fertilizer in order to meet the nutrient needs of your grass type.
Understanding N-P-K Values
Fertilizers give three numbers on the bag, which refer to the ratio of N-P-K values that fertilizer contains. For example, a bag that reads 10-10-10 means that it contains of 10% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus, and 10% potassium.
By using the chart above, you can choose the fertilizer ratios that work best for your specific grass type.
Get A Soil Test
If you really want to find out what your lawn needs in order to be healthy, you can order a soil test online. These soil tests are cheap and get you results fast so that you can build a fertilizing regiment to help condition your soil back to optimal values.
👉BUY – MySoil Test Kit
High-Quality Fertilizer Makes The Difference
Choosing the right fertilizer can make the difference between an unhealthy lawn and a lawn that is the envy of your neighborhood. By putting high-quality fertilizer on your lawn, you can get one step closer to having the lawn you’ve been dreaming of.