Signs your lawn needs fertilizer include discoloration, slow growth, weeds and pests, and thinning and bare spots. If any of these symptoms appear in your grass, check what nutrients your lawn is missing with a soil test.
Using the test results as your guide, purchase a fertilizer that best fits those needs, whether it’s a complete NPK fertilizer, a nitrogen-only fertilizer, or one with nitrogen and potassium.
The grass doesn’t have to always be greener on the other side; you, too, can flaunt a verdant lawn on your corner of the neighborhood.
1. Your Grass Is Growing Slowly
With the right amount of nutrients, grass can grow an inch a week. If your lawn’s growth rate is slower than that, it could be a signal that fertilizer is needed. Fertilizers are made of up of three main ingredients — nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Nitrogen helps produce chlorophyll, which not only gives grass its green color but also draws energy from the sun to help speed up grass growth. Phosphorus and potassium help make the grass sturdy, so it can stand up to stressors like weeds, diseases, pests, and extreme temperatures.
Each of the three main ingredients are assigned a number, so you know how much of each is inside your bag. For more information, take a look at our guide on Fertilizer Numbers: Why They Matter and What They Mean.
2. The Lawn Color Is Off
If your turf is more yellow or brown than green, odds are it’s lacking nitrogen. As previously mentioned, nitrogen is part of the chlorophyll production process, and chlorophyll is what makes grass green. To restore its color, apply a nitrogen-rich fertilizer; there are some that are nitrogen-only.
Check out our guide for even more tips on how to achieve a dark green lawn.
3. Weeds and Pests Are Prevalent
Just as a well-nourished human body has a more robust immune system to fight off illnesses, a well-fed lawn has a sturdier root system to help it withstand weeds and pests.
When there aren’t enough nutrients in the soil, your grass won’t be strong enough to prevent weeds from stealing what nutrients do exist. This lack of strength also opens the door for pests to come in, as they can easily conquer weak grass.
(We’ve got even more ideas on how to get rid of stubborn weeds in your grass and how to get rid of summer lawn pests in these guides.)
4. Your Grass Is Thinning and/or Has Bare Spots
If you don’t eat enough, you can knock your body out of whack. Same goes for grass. Besides lawn thinning, this lack of nutrition can also lead to bare spots where grass won’t grow at all.
To find out exactly what nutrients your lawn has deficiencies in, conduct a soil test (more on that below). Then, bless your lawn with the sustenance it specifically needs, and watch it thicken and thrive.
5. A Soil Test Reveals Nutrient Deficiencies
The only way to know for sure if your lawn needs fertilizer is to conduct a soil test. This test will tell you how much nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus are in your soil, as well as how well your soil is able to absorb these nutrients. A soil test will also provide information on your pH and microbe levels. You can read all about it in our article Why, When, and How Often to Test the Soil pH of Your Lawn.
Depending on the results, you’ll know whether or not you need to fertilize your soil and how many times per year will be best for your particular situation.
FAQ About Fertilizing Your Lawn
What happens if I never fertilize my lawn?
If you never fertilize your lawn, a few things could happen: it could be overrun with weeds, lose its good looks, or die off from pests, diseases, or sheer lack of nutrition.
Sometimes, your soil doesn’t contain enough of the nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) grass needs to thrive and stay healthy. Without these nutrients, your lawn can’t build the strength it needs to produce a green color or fight off pesky invaders.
When should you not fertilize your lawn?
You should fertilize your lawn at least once per year, but be sure to avoid doing so under the following conditions:
- When it rains/when the grass is still wet from a recent rain
- During the winter months
- When temperatures are too high/too hot
- Before conducting a soil test
Note: Technically, you can fertilize your lawn without a soil test, but it’s not a great idea. Why? You won’t know what your grass specifically needs, and you may under or overfeed it.
How long does it take to see results from lawn fertilizer?
How quickly you see results from your fertilizer application depends on the type of fertilizer you use. For example, if you choose a quick-release fertilizer that’s either organic or synthetic, it’ll take between one and three days to see results.
If you use a slow-release synthetic fertilizer, it’ll take around two to five days to see results. On the other hand, a slow-release organic fertilizer can take anywhere from two to six weeks.
Hire a Pro to Keep Your Grass Fed and Flourishing
It’s OK if you don’t feel like being a weekend warrior (everyone needs rest sometimes) because there are plenty of local lawn pros near you who’ll tackle mowing, edging, and blowing your lawn for you.
And, if you notice your grass showing any of the signs listed earlier, pros can take your grass from “hangry” to healthy with a fertilizer application.
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