When you hear fertilising, you always think of it as referring to garden fertilising – something we all know is important for a healthy garden.

But what about lawn fertilising for healthy grass?

Read on for why lawn fertilising is important and our tips and tricks for getting it right.

If you think about it in terms of origin, most of the grasses we have here in Perth aren’t originally from Australia. In their native environment, they would have had all the nutrients and other factors required for healthy growth – but what about our sandy soils and dry climate?

This means that we need to treat our lawns like we would the plants in our garden, and not expect them to grow healthy and happy without a little help and care.

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  Good methods of lawn care are;

• Regular lawn mowing
• Regular and monitored watering – no over-watering
• Lawn Aeration
• Weeding
• Disease treatment

And one of the important ways we can make sure our lawns get what they need is through the use of a good lawn fertiliser.

Which Lawn Fertiliser should you use?

If you are unsure about what fertiliser your lawn needs, a good starting point is to carry out a soil test to check what nutrients your lawn is lacking and then choose accordingly. Find more on testing your soil for deficiencies here.

The reason you are applying fertiliser is to supply what is lacking, so there is no point just applying one you think looks good. Make sure it is high in the minerals your specific lawn needs.

A good rule of thumb is to use a winter-specific fertiliser around May to prepare it for the colder months, then again around 8 weeks later. This should contain extra iron and nutrients to keep it healthy and green during winter.

How much fertiliser should you use?

Take care to read and carry out the specific manufacturer instructions (On a sandy soil it may be better to fertilise more often but at lower rates then manufacturer instructions). Many people look at their sad lawn and want to double the amount to give an extra boost. This can be harmful to your lawn, or just a waste as the lawn can’t actually take in all those nutrients at once and will wash away – which is a pollution of our water supplies.

How often should you fertilise?

The best practice is a little and regularly. This way your lawn only gets what it needs and at regular intervals for consistent nutrition. Follow the instructions your fertiliser comes with, and don’t feel tempted to just do one big nutrient dump every year, as it will have the same effect as above.

A general rule is to fertilise every 8 weeks – although if you are using a slow release fertiliser, you can possibly go longer in between.

Top Tip – The nitrogen in fertilisers can burn the lawn and leave unsightly yellow marks. Take care to water immediately after applying to ensure the fertiliser is watered in and absorbed into the soil before it can burn the blades.

About to install a lawn? Read this blog here for help in choosing the right lawn for your property.

Professional Lawn Fertilising Services

Talk to our team and hand over the task of keeping your lawn in great health – and just spend your time enjoying it! We can test your soil and create a year-round lawn care package for your property so you don’t have to think about it again.