How to fertilise your lawn in Winter – Your lawn works hard and deserves the best of care. In this article, from guest blogger David Hedges Gower we’re looking at the importance of autumn-winter lawn feeding. How to apply autumn lawn feed and fertilizing your lawn in the winter.
Autumn-winter lawn feed supplies vital nutrients for roots:
- Roots continue growing during the winter months
- Well-fed lawns are better able to resist disease and cope with frost
- Always use a lawn feed formulated for autumn-winter use
- Apply between October and February – every 6-8 weeks if the weather permits
We’re rocketing through Autumn, and no doubt it won’t be long before winter’s here. So this is a really important time of year to think about your lawn. How are you going to keep it fertilized in the winter and prepare it for tough times ahead? For the purposes of this article, all information is based on using TurfOnline’s Rejuvenator Autumn/Winter Lawn Feed, which we think is the ideal solution for you.
If feeding your lawn in autumn/winter seems complicated – you’re not alone
The world of fertilizers can seem like a minefield – not just the products, but how to use them, when to use them…whether to use them….
But it doesn’t have to be so complicated. The simple fact is that lawn fertilizers all work to some extent. No one would be selling ones that didn’t. But it’s when you start examining the product specifications that things get confusing.
If you’re daunted by the different NPK calculations for different seasons or struggling to integrate these into your feeding programme, you’d be forgiven for firing up Google. Maybe for some that’s the best solution – hire the right firm and you’ll have a well-looked-after lawn.
However, I want to help those of you who still like getting out there yourself .Those of you personally involved in what happens to your garden. I want to educate and inform. How can I help you learn about lawn care? How can you keep your lawn healthy and fertilized throughout the year ? And I know from talking to some of you that even the timing of the seasons themselves is now causing confusion – when exactly does Summer end and Autumn begin?
Lawncare: When does summer end and autumn begin?
Unfortunately, no one can answer that accurately – we just have to keep an eye on prevailing conditions that can range from heavy autumnal rains to late dry Indian summers. But one thing you can do is to choose a reliable fertilizer. As I said, they all work, but some work better than others.
Fallen leaves are a sure and certain sign that autumn is here. But who can set a date for the beginning of autumn?
Unreliable weather is one of the many reasons I like the Harrowden Turf range of lawn feed. The Rejuvenator Autumn/Winter grass feed is nicely balanced and will suit your lawn equally whether we’re basking in mild autumn or heading for an early chill. And this gives you more confidence when you’re worried about the other aspects of feeding.
Versatile lawn feeds
For example, if you were to follow the sports turf model of lawn care, you’d be obsessed with the shut-off dates for this or that fertilizer. But for most of us with gardens, what should matter is whether we’ve scarified the lawn (which allows more of the fertilizer to reach more of the grass) or how much fertilizer to use (which is almost as important as what sort), instead of worrying too much about the best Autumn-Winter lawn feed.
The really good news is that a reliable product like Rejuvenator can sit happily on the lawn without harming it, waiting for some seasonal rain to water it in. So you can be proud of your environmental gardening techniques!
It is not uncommon to give your lawn a pick-me-up in September or at the start of Autumn, to revitalise them after dry summer weather and to ensure they are fit enough to get through winter. A great way to do this is to supply your lawn with a feed. We recommend using an autumn lawn fertiliser, which is high in phosphates and potash. To get the best results, don’t use a spring fertiliser as these tend to have high levels of nitrogen which could result in the leaves being damaged by frost.
So, feeding does not have to be overwhelming; but if you want some more advice or haven’t yet devised a simple year-round feeding plan, you can find all of that in my book, Modern Lawn Care.
For now – bon appetite to your lawn!