May 25, 2023
Prepare Your Lawn For Summer With These Fertilizing Tips
Summer is just around the corner in Southeast Michigan. Time to make sure your lawn is lush, green, and ready for action—and by action, we mean backyard games, dog zoomies, and maybe even a homemade slip-and-slide to help cool everyone off.
Fertilizing the soil is the best way to prepare your lawn for summer fun. This will promote healthy grass growth and strong root development. So what type of fertilizer should you use, and when should you apply it? Let’s take a look at some summer fertilizing tips to help your lawn thrive all summer long.
Get Ahead of Summer Lawn Fertilizing
Before we dive in, it’s important to note that not all soil is the same. Southeast Michigan soils vary from sandy to clay, with different watering needs. For example, sandy soils drain quickly and require more frequent watering, while clay soils retain water and can become waterlogged. This composition, as well as testing your soil for pH level and nutrient content, helps narrow down the best summer fertilizer for your yard. Three minerals are key to summer grass growth: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. They
must be balanced, and the amount in your fertilizer needs to be compatible with the Ph levels of your soil.
Seeding Vs. Feeding Your Lawn
Seeding and feeding are two different lawn care products that can benefit your lawn in different ways during the summer months.
Seeding is the process of planting new grass seed to fill in bare spots or improve the density of your lawn. Feeding is the process of adding nutrients to the soil to promote healthy grass growth, which can be achieved through summer lawn fertilizing. If you do notice bare spots, spring is the best time to seed your lawn in addition to fertilizing it for optimal summer grass growth.
Types of Fertilizers For Late-Spring Application
There are four main types of fertilizer, granular liquid, organic and synthetic.
- Granular Fertilizer - Granular is the most popular and is sprinkled over your lawn. It comes as slow-release or controlled-release. Slow-release is less effective, as the release of nutrients can vary based on soil temperature, moisture, microorganisms, and Ph. Controlled-release fertilizers depend on one single factor-soil temperature. Through this method, the soil is fertilized at a predictable and sustained rate.
- Liquid Fertilizer - Just as it sounds, it’s a liquid system that pairs with water. This concentrated fertilizer comes in a spray bottle that you attach to your garden hose. It acts quickly to boost growth but is expensive and requires frequent applications.
- Organic - Organic fertilizers are eco-friendly and preferred by many homeowners. The nutrients come from plants, animals, and their by-product. They are applied with spreaders or by hand. Before buying or using organic fertilizer, it’s crucial that you test your soil. You want to make sure you’re applying a compatible Ph mixture.
- Synthetic Fertilizer - Like many of the daily vitamins on store shelves, synthetic fertilizers are chemically manufactured for certain lawns. While they may not be a natural or organic version, they are safe for your grass and family and are designed to be fast-acting. Like liquid fertilizers, they do require frequent applications to be effective.
When To Apply Pre-Summer Fertilizer
The
timing of fertilizer application is critical for optimal results. The reason you prepare your lawn for summer in the spring is because it takes time for the fertilizer to take effect. Also, the soil is just the right temperature. You want to fertilize while the grass is actively growing and before the temperatures start to top out in the
high 80s. The grass is actively growing, and the soil is beginning to warm up.
What Is Fertilizer Burn?
Over-fertilizing can damage or “burn” your lawn. This can happen when too much fertilizer is applied, a lack of moisture to help the plants process the fertilizer salt, or the plants aren’t strong enough to absorb the fertilizer right away. That’s why late spring is the best time to fertilize for summer; there’s plenty of rain, the temperatures are not super high, and the grass is going through its growth cycle.
Lawn Care Tips For Summer
Summer lawn fertilizing is just one part of lawn care for summer. To keep your lawn looking lush and vibrant and strong enough for backyard barbeques and summer games, follow these three lawn care tips:
- Water your lawn deeply and infrequently to promote deep root growth.
- Mow your lawn at a higher height to provide shade for the soil.
- Keep an eye out for pests and diseases and treat them promptly.
Trust The Lawn Care Professionals At Visionary Fertilization
Visionary Fertilization are your go-to lawn care professionals in Southeast Michigan. We’ve studied the soil and researched fertilizers to make sure your lawn gets the proper nutrition at the perfect time! We start our first summer fertilizer application in June. We realize that lawns can be stressed from the heat, so we keep your hard healthy by focusing on soil improvements over the summer as part of our exclusive
7-Step Treatment Program. With veteran-owned and operated Visionary Fertilization, you can rest assured that your lawn is in good hands. We provide
professional lawn care services to Lapeer, Macomb, Rochester Hills, Shelby Township, Utica, and Troy. Give us a call at
586-281-5148
for more information on custom lawn services near you, or
contact us today for a
free estimate.
