Fall Lawn Fertilizer
Fall is a critical time of year for your lawn. Choosing the right fall fertilizer is important.
As we come off the hot and stressed summer months it’s important that our fall lawns get a full and balanced nutrition program. Again… a FULL and BALANCED nutrition program which offers our lawn all the things it wants and needs. Not only will this make our fall lawns look amazing, but it will make them healthy in preparation for the upcoming winter months.
What your lawn needs in the Fall?
It’s really not what your LAWN needs in the fall, it’s more so what your SOIL needs in the fall. Providing a balanced nutrient fertilizer like PGF Complete will bring your lawn back to health and give it a beautiful look.
What’s in PGF Lawn Fertilizer?
Fall fertilizers should be COMPLETE and balanced. PGF Complete contains NITROGEN, PHOSPHORUS, POTASSIUM as the main nutrients in a 16-4-8 ratio. It also contains a broad range of MICRO NUTRIENTS, IRON, and HUMIC DG for soil conditioning.
We have assembled a few links about best NPK ratios below. Because 99% of lawns in the US do not get soil tested, most agree. Use a balanced 4-1-2 ratio lawn fertilizer.
“Top quality lawn fertilizers contain slow-release or controlled-release nitrogen. Look on the label for slow-release forms such as ureaform, sulfur-coated urea, milorganite, and IBDU. These forms stimulate uniform growth over a period of time and are less likely to burn the grass. However, do not expect the quick green up caused by fast-release forms. Slow-release formulations are more costly but worth the price for the improved health of your lawn.
In early fall use a regular lawn fertilizer with N-P-K ratios of 3:1:2 or 4:1:2. For example, a bag may list 21-7-14 or 32-8-16. Amounts don’t need to be exact but should be similar to the suggested ratios. Hold off on applying “winterizer” fertilizers until late October or early November.”
“Fertilizers with a 2-1-1, 4-1-2 or 3-1-2 ratio provide N, P and K in quantities closer to actual plant needs and are best suited for maintenance applications. An incomplete fertilizer is one that contains only one or two of the primary nutrient elements. If only one nutrient is present, the fertilizer is referred to as a straight material.”
“DO use a 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 ratio fertilizer if youelect not to conduct a soil test. A commonexample of a 3-1-2 ratio fertilizer is 15-5-10,while a good 4-1-2 ratio fertilizer is 16-4-8.These ratios generally supply what most lawnsneed, and they won’t dramatically increase thephosphorus levels if it’s unneeded.”
For routine maintenance where a soil test or experience indicates no major deficiencies, use a lawn fertilizer with an approximate ratio of 3:1:1 or 4:1:1 or 4:1:2 at recommended rates according to the schedule in Table 1.
Apply nutrients based on soil testing. In absence of a soil test, apply 1⁄2 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet 3 weeks after greenup. Use a complete nitrogen-phosphorus, potassium (N-P-K) turf fertilizer with a 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 ratio (for example, 12-4-8 or 16-4-8).
Fall Lawn Fertilizer Schedule
What is STACKING?
Stacking is the multiple applications of a product, in lower dosages, over a treatment window. Example: Instead of putting out one pound of a NUTRIENT to cover 8 weeks, we put down two treatments of 1/2 pounds every 3-4 weeks. This split method or stacking method, protects against surges and runoffs due to weather events such as long, multi day, rain periods. Also if a product contains multiple nutrients, some of which are short lived such as iron, this ensures the replacement of those nutrients.
Once temps drop into the 80’s… apply PGF Complete. Then in another 3-4 weeks do another, your last application. This will also allow for the TAIL OFF period when your lawn is preparing to rest for the winter.
IL Ext Office…
Top quality lawn fertilizers contain slow-release or controlled-release nitrogen. Look on the label for slow-release forms such as ureaform, sulfur-coated urea, milorganite, and IBDU. These forms stimulate uniform growth over a period of time and are less likely to burn the grass. However, do not expect the quick green up caused by fast-release forms. Slow-release formulations are more costly but worth the price for the improved health of your lawn.
In early fall use a regular lawn fertilizer with N-P-K ratios of 3:1:2 or 4:1:2. For example, a bag may list 21-7-14 or 32-8-16. Amounts don’t need to be exact but should be similar to the suggested ratios. Hold off on applying “winterizer” fertilizers until late October or early November.
Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass lawns in sun should receive 1 to 4 pounds per 1000 square feet of actual nitrogen every year. A rate of 1 pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet is recommended for each fertilizer application. Lawns and other plants in shade grow slower and don’t need as much nitrogen as plants in full sun. Therefore, shady lawns should be fertilized at half the recommended rate.