Even if you prefer a low-input lawn, you still should fertilize once or twice a year in order to maintain a relatively healthy lawn that can compete with most weed species and survive disease and insect infestations. Three different fertilization schedules are shown in the chart below, corresponding to high, medium, and low turf quality. Solid bars indicate approximate times when fertilizer is most beneficial. Dotted bars indicate optional applications. December applications result in greener grass in winter and early spring, but might make it necessary to mow occasionally throughout the winter.
Solid bars indicate the times when fertilizer is most beneficial.
Dotted bars indicate optional applications. To apply 1 lb of N, you need to apply 5 lb of this fertilizer. See the tables below to find out how much fertilizer to apply based on the percentage of N in the fertilizer. There is little immediate color and growth response from this type of fertilizer, but they provide nitrogen for turf growth for extended periods of time. Removing clippings from lawns also removes plant nutrients, so you might need to fertilize more often than you would if you left clippings on the lawn.