Seehow and what to fertilize the lawn in autumnso that it survives the winter in perfect condition and turns green in spring. We advise on how andin what date to fertilize the lawn in the fall , as well as what fertilizers to apply during this period. Here's everything you need to know before you startfertilizing your lawn in autumn !
Fertilizing the lawn in autumn
Fertilizing the lawn in autumn is an important procedure , thanks to which we increase the resistance of the turf to negative temperatures, prepare the grass to survive the winter and ensure its good start as soon as spring comes.
Fertilizing the lawn in autumn should be adapted to the nutritional requirements of grasses in the autumn , namely fertilizers should contain small doses of nitrogen, preferably not at all. Lack of nitrogen will ensure that the grass will not be stimulated to grow and will not be damaged after the first frost. In addition,autumn fertilizers for lawns should contain potassium and phosphorus , which increase plant resistance to diseases and result in better wintering of grasses.
For the autumn fertilization of the lawnwe can use mineral and organic fertilizers.
Mineral fertilization of the lawn in autumn
Ready-madegranulated autumn fertilizers for lawnswill be suitable among mineral fertilizers, which in their composition have appropriately selected proportions of ingredients responsible for the development and good wintering of the lawn. Such mineral fertilizers include the aforementioned nitrogen in small doses (or no nitrogen at all), phosphorus and potassium.
We use autumn mineral fertilizers for lawnsfrom the second half of August and at the turn of September and October at a dose of 30-40g per 1m². Spread the fertilizer evenly over the entire surface of the lawn after mowing the grass. Then we water the lawn abundantly.
Phosphorus flourworks as a mineral fertilizer for the lawn, which is a great source of phosphorus. We use the flour depending on the type of soil in the dose:
- on compact soils: 0.6-0.8 kg per 100m²
- on sandy soils 0.8-1 kg per 100m²
Higher doses of phosphorus are used for carpet and sports lawns . In the case of phosphorus deficiency in the soil or lack of phosphorus fertilization for several years, the dose can be increased to 1-1.5 kg per 100 m2.
The nextmineral fertilizers used to fertilize the lawn in autumn are calciumfertilizers. They should be used when the pH of the soil under the lawn is too low (too acidic soil).Lawns grow best on slightly acidic soils with a pH of 6.0 -7.0 .
Calcium improves soil pH, helps to utilize phosphorus and activates potassium.We perform the autumn liming of the lawn in October , until the beginning of November.Dolomite will be perfect for limingin a dose adjusted to the quality of the soil:
- for light soils, use 17 - 27 kg of dolomite per 100 m² once every 3 - 4 years
- for heavy soils, a higher dose is used, i.e. 27 - 40 kg of dolomite per 100 m²
Organic fertilization of the lawn in autumn
For the autumn fertilization of the lawn, we can also use organic fertilizersThey affect the accumulation of humus in the soil and increase the intensity of tillering grasses. They also provide the necessary micro and macronutrients, but most of all they improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil.
Organic fertilizer for the lawn that is worth applying in the fall is manure.We can use composted or granulated manure, evenly spreading it over the surface of the lawn.
Apply manure in autumn when the temperature drops and the grass freezes slightlyThis is due to the fact that the manure if applied too early, the grass will be stimulated to grow before winter and will freeze. Subsequent application of manure to the lawn will provide nutrients that will evenly penetrate the soil during the winter and early spring, supplying the lawn from the beginning of the growing season and regenerating it faster after winter.
Use manure in the fall once for 3 yearsThe lawn will no longer need to be fertilized in spring.
Anotherorganic fertilizer that is worth applying to your lawn in autumn is compost . It protects the soil and turf from drying out, creates better conditions for grass propagation and prevents the formation of empty spots in the turf.
Ripe and shredded compost is sifted through a mesh with a mesh diameter of 1-2 cm, applying it evenly to the surface of the lawn.Compost can be used in doses of 300-600 kg per 100m², usually every 4 yearsFor decorative and sports lawns, compost should be used annually, but in smaller doses.
If we do not have compost,it is worth using the Target Safe Lawn fertilizer , which contains granular compost.
MSc Eng. Joanna Białowąs
