Contents
Introduction
The wait is finally over! Spring has come to add bliss to your lazy lifestyle, bloom your new beginning buds and cheer your adorable pets. Particularly, those who have a lawn or garden, witness the dormant due to low humid temperatures. Don’t worry! It is the best time to use spring fertilizers to bring back the vibrant green look that is lost due to the harsh winter.
Fertilizers for spring comes in both liquid and granular forms. However, there are hundreds of spring fertilizers available in the current marketplace to bloom fresh buds and keep your yard safe. Choosing the best one from the bundle is a daunting task. I have gone through lots of studies and made a list of the top 10 best fertilizer for spring to boost strength into the roots of the grass and plants. Without further ado, let’s dive into the details.
How to choose the best fertilizer for spring
To make your garden or lawn more beautiful than ever, you need to take good care and use the best fertilizers. During the selection of fertilizers, you need to consider a few factors that help you to choose the best one. Here is a detailed buying guide which includes all the essential points you must check before the purchase:
1. Composition and chemical factors
Most of the spring fertilizers are made up of three main nutritional ingredients: Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous. Commercial fertilizers are composed of micronutrients, essential substances, and macronutrients in smaller amounts. You can check the levels of important nutrients mentioned as N-P-K on the package label. Most of the plants need general-purpose fertilizers that contain 10-10-10 or 20-20-20 ratio levels. Few fertilizers come with a blend of 10-15-10 that indicates equal quantities of potassium and nitrogen but higher amounts of phosphorous.
2. Fertilizer types
There are various types of fertilizers used for different lawn types. Here are the common types of spring fertilizers:
- Granular fertilizers
- Liquid fertilizers
- Organic fertilizers
- Synthetic fertilizers
Granular fertilizer is the most common and popular kind of fertilizer that increases longevity and keeps your plants healthy. They provide ease of use and comes in dry form. Liquid fertilizers come in the concentrated form you can apply it with the help of a spray bottle. An advantage with this fertilizer is it gets absorbed into the soils pretty quickly. Synthetic fertilizers are manufactured using chemicals and engineered formula which makes it easier for the nutrients to penetrate the soil quickly. Organic fertilizers prepared using living organisms and bi-products. The natural solutions improve the density and texture of your lawn.
3. Ease to use:
In this modern world, It is always better to choose fertilizers that are easy to use. If you do not have time to mix the fertilizer compositions and have no prior knowledge of gardening, you should go for something easy and convenient to use.
4. Penetration time
Slow-release fertilizer takes some time to break down the nutrients and works overtime. You might have to wait for long times in between the applications. You should feed your garden every 6-8 weeks based on your watering schedule. Fast release fertilizer works quickly and gets penetrated the soil easily.
5. Fertilizer Basics
Before choosing the best fertilizer for spring, you need to under the basics of fertilizer. They provide needed elements for your garden and always keep your soil nutritious and healthy. Just like us, plants need water, food, and protection to survive in the environment. First, you need to learn the plant type, soil needs, lawn size, and other factors to select a suitable one.
Top 10 Best Fertilizer for Spring
1. Scott’s Turf Builder Lawn Food
If you are looking for the best composition of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to promote the growth of your plant then Scott’s turf builder lawn food is the right choice for you. The unique formula strengthens the roots and increases the ability to resist harsh climates.
What we like the most:
Scott’s turf builder comes with a pack of 5.72kg and easily covers up-to 5000 square feet yard undoubtedly. The NPK ratio is quite good that the fertilizer is suitable for both warm and cool weather kinds of grass. The fertilizer comes at an affordable price and has a good package.
How to use it:
Most of the customers loved the synthetic fertilizer and you can see better results within two weeks after using the feed. The 32:0:4 mixture makes the lawn look more green and lush. It’s is highly recommend to keep your lawn free from pests and other future issues.
What are the downsides:
But one thing you should be particular about is the number of times you tend to use the product. As the fertilizer contains higher amounts of ammonia which on frequent use may burn your grass easily.
2. Milorganite Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer
Here is another trusted branded product by Milorganite. For those looking for organic mixtures, it is the right one to choose. The Milorganite organic fertilizer is made of naturally available compounds to add strength to the lawn and even act non-toxic to children and pets.
What we like the most:
The organic nitrogen filter comes in 16.3kg pack with an NPK organic mixture of 6:4:0. The high nitrogen content makes the new grass grow greener and healthy. The extra iron content and the organic composition give superior results to new lawns.
How to use it:
The slow-release formula reduces the necessity of regular watering and makes the fertilizer ideal for all climates. Moreover, you can use the fertilizer at any interval of time and kill the damage-causing elements in your yard.
What are the downsides:
The organic fertilizer is quite expensive and also gives you an intense smell that probably irritates your nose.
3. MiracleGro Water-soluble Lawn Food
Miracle-Gro features a water-soluble fertilizing mixture to add ease and efficiency in using the compounds. Especially for those who love to use quick spray bottles, this is the top pick for them. You can quickly mix the fertilizer with plastic and spray it all over your lawn. It gets penetrated into the soil in no time and strengths the roots.
What we like the most:
The garden feeder comes with high concentrations of nitrogen and chelated iron to increase the thickness of the green lawn within a few weeks. The plastic pack weighs about 2.3kg which can easily cover up-to 5000sqft area.
How to use it:
The plastic box comes with four different packs to make the concentration durable. The brand also comes with the user manual to mix the water and feed in the required amounts to strengthen the roots. Installation of the kit is quite easy and nutrients are well sprayed over all the lawn.
What are the downsides:
The synthetic fertilizer is a bit expensive and may burn the grass in the lawn if not mixed as per the guide.
4. Epsoma Organic Lawn Food
Epsoma organic lawn food is an environmentally friendly fertilizer to add sufficient nutritional values to grass and soil. This organic lawn food comes with a special organic formula to optimize the health of the lawn. If you like to use natural fertilizer for your lawn, it is a good choice.
What we like the most:
The organic feed uses feather meal poultry manure and sulfate of potash which are pure and regain the strength of your grass. The pack is 30.4 pounds and covers up-to 5000sqft at an ease. The NPK 8-0-6 mixture formulation makes the grass resist to all harsh climates.
How to use it:
The pack comes with high-quality packing to make the feed long-lasting. The formula is easy to use and gives you quick results. If once you started using the feed you will see the grass lushing slowly and growing with strong root support.
What are the downsides:
The organic mixture does not contain phosphorous, so you have to be careful while using the feed to the new lawn. Because phosphorus is the basic ingredients required for the growth of grass.
5. Scott’s Turf Builder Starter Food for New Grass
Scott’s band comes with various formulas to meet the specifications of the customer’s needs. Here comes the most reviewed product of Scott’s for new grass applications. The Scott’s turf feed allows the grass to grow quicker and a bit wider than the normal feeders.
What we like the most:
The fertilizer comes with a ratio of 24:25:4 which is ideal for a growing lawn. The amazing part of the feed is, the formula is easily applicable to all types of grass. So you can see the new grass growing at 70 percent thicker and 35percent quicker.
How to use it:
The mixture is well formulated to give strength to grass as well as sufficient minerals for the soil. Also comes at an affordable price. However, they come in different sizes to meet your lawn area.
What are the downsides:
Most of the customers are satisfied with this fertilizer but you have to be careful with the frequency of usage.
6. Simple Lawn Solutions Liquid Fertilizer
Simple lawn solutions feature a liquid fertilizer to nourish the grass and soil. The specially formulated liquid food turf fertilizer contains seaweed and fish to strengthen the root’s system of the grass. The liquid form makes it easy for plants to absorb the nutrients quickly and grow grass thickly.
What we like the most:
The premium formulae come with a 16-4-8 ratio to add ammonia, phosphorus, and potassium in higher amounts and make the grass nutritionally healthy. The high pack liquid solution is capable of covering 3000sqft.
How to use it:
The switch sprayer system allows the liquid solution for easy application. The natural ingredients in the solutions help to remove all the deficiencies of your grass and add nutrients to the outer crust.
What are the downsides:
Most of the customers appreciated the quality but the regretting part is the liquid is not suitable to feed grass types.
7. Green View Lawn Food
Green view is another reputed brand in the market offering high-quality lawn feed to your grass. It comes higher efficiency and mostly works in rescuing lawn from early fall.
What we like the most:
The 22-0-10 fertilizer ratio helps to enhance the root development and makes the grass stronger to withstand humid climates. The 7.26 kg weight composition has the capacity to cover up-to 5000sqft.
How to use it:
The quality tests revealed the fertilizer to be used for almost every grass type and act as the best stress relievers. Moreover, these fertilizers are user-friendly and budget-friendly.
What are the downsides:
This fertilizer comes as a good composition to increase the growth of your grass yet, this fertilizer doesn’t work well in hot climates.
8. Safer Lawn Ringer Lawn Fertilizer
If you are in search of the most affordable lawn fertilizer, this one suits best for your lawn as it is manufactured by the Safer brand store to grow healthy and lush grass. It gives the nutritional values and strength for both cool or warm grasses.
What we like the most:
The safer lawn feed is a plant-based nutrient product that comes with the composition of 10-0-6 and capable of covering 5000sqft. The pack comes with good packaging and the mixture is durable to all climates.
How to use it:
The fertilizer is easy to apply on your lawn and the components add necessary nourishing elements into the soil to make the roots strong and strengthen the growth. The component’s ratio limits the growth of the weed and gives your lawn a new life.
What are the downsides:
As the feed has zero phosphorous composition, the feed is not suitable for newly built lawn applications.
9. Scott’s Green Max Lawn Food
Scott’s brand features a 2 in 1 formula to make your lawn green as well as add a little amount of iron to strengthen the grass even faster and quicker.
What we like the most:
The fertilizer comes at an affordable price and boosts the immunity of the plants and grass irrespective of the worse conditions. The iron and NPK mixtures are tested by the professionals to regain the lost strength due to mowing.
How to use it:
The fertilizer composition doesn’t add any strain during the process of spraying. Thus suitable for all lawn models and all grass types.
What are the downsides:
The high-quality feed is mostly loved by all the customers and there are no negative sides to the product. Everyone is satisfied with the quantity and packaging.
10. Andersons Organic Feed Fertilizer
Last but not least, here comes the slow release formula from the Anderson store. The formula and the compositions are natural and can be used confidently around children and pets.
What we like the most:
The feed is formulated in the ratio 7-1-2 and also have little amounts of amino acids to increase the stability and growth of the grass. The homogeneous mixture of the granules allows the feed to be well distributed throughout the lawn.
How to use it:
The product is highly plant-based and is highly safe to use. With the help of spreaders, the application is quite easy and highly recommended for regaining the strength of your beautiful lawn.
What we don’t like:
Available at an affordable price and there are no negative reviews about this product.
Frequently asked questions
Why should you use fertilizers during spring?
The cold and dark winter days make the plants dull and decrease the strength in roots. Spring brings back the sunshine, warmth and bright flowers, tree blossoms, and happy weather. During spring, plants need some extra energy to grow faster, quicker, and healthier. Fertilizer provides all the nutrients, minerals, and substances needed by plants and diverts the plant’s energy for good development.
What is the best time to use fertilizers?
Most people like to apply a dose of fertilizer in spring. The best time for the first application is late spring when the green grass eagerly seeks for sunlight to grow and shine. At the beginning of spring, plants put all the energy for root development.
Does the Location and temperature show any effect on the fertilizer utility?
To begin the growth right after a long winter, you need to process the grass with all the nutrients it needs. The fertilizer solution depends upon your location, the type of grass you are growing, and lawn problems. The suitable time to fertilize your garden is when the soil temperatures reach 55º Fahrenheit. If you are living in the South or North places, it is important to utilize the fertilizer during midday. After six to eight weeks you can go for the second application.
Is it all right to use fertilizers during the rainy season?
Try to use the first application of fertilizers with a short period of rainfall. When you are using the fertilizer, your lawn needs at least a quarter-inch of water to penetrate the soils. However, it is not a good idea to use fertilizers in times of massive storms. The rainstorm increases the water flow and flushes out all the fertilizer nutrients in the rainwater streams.
How to maximize the effectiveness of fertilizers?
If you want to obtain maximum results using fertilizers, you should use it at the right time, sufficient amounts, and provide the best environment for your plants to absorb nutrients quickly. The slow-release function of fertilizers helps the lawn to grow after the rough winters. Most fertilizer manufactures suggest you use the fertilizers in early spring, but soil experts and specialists suggest holding off the application till mid-May.
Conclusion
Fertilizer is the main ingredient in maintaining a healthy, thick, and green lawn. Unfortunately, most lawn owners ignore this fact and get confused about which product is good and bad for their lawn. This complicated problem can be only solved by learning all the basics about fertilizer. It’s my childhood dream to own a house surrounded by a beautiful garden yard. I believe that fertilizers are extremely essential for your lawn to grow attractive green grass along with good care and help. After spending hours of time gardening and doing deep research about plant growth, I am here to share my knowledge with you. We hope this article about the list of the best fertilizer for spring will guide you well.
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