If your lawn s got problems, you ll probably want to get your soil tested before fertilizing. In most cases, though, Kansans just need to concentrate on the nitrogen or N content. That s the base for figuring the amount of fertilizer to apply. In some cases, they may even help a bit. Fertilizers combined with pesticides may not be a good idea, however.
Timing is important for applying fertilizer, as well as for controlling weeds, insects and diseases.
The best timing for each lawn care activity varies from year to year and activity to activity. For example, fall-applied mixes of fertilizer and crabgrass preventer are on the market now. But, the state s weather is anything but predictable. As a result, the most reliable time to apply crabgrass preventer in Kansas is still spring, by the time the redbud trees reach full bloom, Fagerness said. It also should be at least half slow-release fertilizer.