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What lawn fertiliser should I use?

With so many types of lawn fertiliser available we thought we would help to answer the question of which lawn fertiliser to use.

Our grass is constantly walked on, played on and generally subjected to a lot of wear. So using the right lawn feed/fertiliser at exactly the right time will help replace lost nutrients as well as keep weeds and moss at bay. It will also help your lawn recover from winter.

safelawn

Which lawn fertiliser is best for all lawns?

The best type will change throughout the year. Therefore, it’s important to make feeding your lawn part of the seasonal process of caring for your lawn.

We recommend using a lawn spreader to ensure even coverage. Check out our lawn spreader settings here.

 

Lawn fertiliser for early Spring

Choose one with high Nitrogen levels as it will encourage new growth. Using Westland SafeLawn is ideal for this season. Use from February to September.

Lawn fertiliser for Spring and Summer

Usually with a higher nitrogen content to encourage leaf and shoot growth. It’s best to use this from March to September and it will steadily release nutrients over a 6-8 week period.

Either choosing Westland SafeLawn (Use from February to September) or Aftercut All In One is a good option for these months. Use during the months of May to August. This all in one product, not only feeds, but greens and controls weeds.

During a drought:

Lawns will go dormant during extreme droughts, so it is best to wait until a rainfall before applying feed to your lawn as they work best when the lawn is actively growing.

Lawn fertiliser for Autumn 

At the end of the growing season, we recommend using something like Aftercut All In One Autumn. Use this from September to mid-November.

aftercut all in one autumn

It is specially formulated to provide nutrients throughout this period. It helps to control moss as well as keeping your lawn healthy and strong over the winter months.

Fertilising a lawn when you have kids and pets

If you have children or pets, or both, it’s important to consider child and pet friendly lawn care. Try to ensure an even coverage, we recommend using a lawn spreader. Our child and pet friendly range includes:

Should I use liquid or granular lawn fertiliser?

Liquid fertilisers are fasting acting and can be applied with a watering can or sprayer. They are great for smaller lawns when you want quick results. However, they do not last as long as granular feeding, therefore more frequent applications are required.

Granular fertiliser are more convenient for applying to larger lawns and available with different nutrient sources;

  • Natural/organic based; naturally slow releasing fertiliser, generally lower nutrients levels and promote a balanced growth with a little and often nutrient release
  • Mineral fertiliser; quick acting fertiliser to promote a quick response and strong growth, can also be combined with weed and moss control active ingredients.

What do lawn fertilisers contain?

Fertilisers contain 3 primary nutrients:

NPK:

(N) Nitrogen An essential building block for new grass growth and essential for healthy green growth.  If the grass is yellowing/pale in colour then this indicates low levels of Nitrogen and leads to poor grass quality.

(P) Phosphorous – Develops & encourages a strong grass root system which makes the lawn more resilient all year round and especially in dry weather.

(K) Potassium For grass durability and better hydration of the grass. This helps the lawn deal with drought and disease much better and will deliver a stronger, healthier lawn.

 

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