After summer, winter is the most challenging time for a lawn to survive. At this time, some areas get heavy snowfall, and the lawns often stay under the snow cover for a long time. Besides, lawn grass doesn’t get enough sunlight to make chlorophyll to produce plant food. However, there is a way to keep the lawn alive and fresh. You have to use the right winter lawn fertilizers.
About fertilizing in winter, there are lots of controversies. Many people will suggest that you not apply fertilizer in winter at all. But we think it differently. Not when the winter is running, but you should apply fertilizer when it is about to begin. And that’s how you can bring it its utmost benefits.
However, today’s discussion will follow everything about winter fertilizer, including how to choose the right one. Hopefully, it will help you if you are concerned about your lawn for the next winter. So, stay with us till the end.
Do You Need to Fertilize Your Lawn in Winter?
The first thing you need to learn about is if you should fertilize your lawn in winter or not. Surely, winter is not so suitable for lawn fertilizers like Fall and Spring. Still, there are a few reasons you should fertilize your lawn in the winter for.
People often don’t fertilize their lawn in the Fall when it needs food the most. If you miss it in the lawn, feeding your lawn at the beginning of Winter is a must for you. Indeed, it will help if you manage to fertilize at least two weeks before winter hits your place.
Always remember that the lawn grass will stop growing once the soil temperature is below 14 degrees Celsius. At this time, the absorbed food that the grass root collected from the fertilizer will be an as great help. Also, there are some specific fertilizers that are suitable for mid-winter. You can use them too.
Those fertilizers are known as winterizers. Basically, those are not particularly fertilizers but contain some components that act like fertilizer. They mainly work to keep your lawn healthy in the winter. However, you should double-check the fertilizer type and quality before buying one for winter. The next section will tell you everything about it.
Buying Guide: Best Winter Lawn Fertilizers
Many people fail to buy the right fertilizer for their lawns, and they are very disappointed as the consequences are harsh. However, one should check a few essential things while buying the right winter lawn fertilizers. The following points will tell you all of them briefly.
- The very first thing is to choose the right NPK ratio. It’s about the amount of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium in the fertilizer. The ideal NPK for the winter fertilizer is around 16-4-8.
- You should do a soil test before you choose a winterizer for your lawn. It will help you learn about the needs of your lawn soil.
- In winter, your lawn should have a rich fertilizer, rich n nitrogen, and a moderate amount of phosphorus and potassium.
- Between the organic and synthetic fertilizers, you should always for the organic one unless your lawn is sufficient from any diseases.
- Check through the lawn care and find out if your lawn has any diseases like brown patches or dollar spots on the lawn. If there is any, you should buy the fertilizer according to the need of the soil.
- For winter, it is always better to try granule fertilizers as they are mostly organic and contain no side effects. You should use liquid fertilizers if your lawn soil has any problems.
Besides, you should be careful of the pack size and price. Make sure to buy a packet that can cover the entire lawn. However, your lawn needs extra care in winter, and you should treat it wisely to keep it alive for the whole winter.
Best Winter Lawn Fertilizers to Protect Your Lawn in the Harsh Cold Weather
Buying the right winter lawn fertilizer is essential. As you know what to check to buy the right one, it’s now time to make a purchase. Here, I can suggest 5 options. We have already listed the 5 best winter-time lawn fertilizers that are suitable for almost any type of lawn grass. Let’s check them out briefly.
1. The Andersons Professional PGF Complete Fertilizer
Let’s meet with one of the best winter lawn fertilizers that combines all the necessary nutrients in a single bag. For regular lawn maintenance, you can just apply a 4-1-2 ratio fertilizer, which consists of high iron and additional micronutrients.
Moreover, within 6 to 14 days, you can expect a luscious and green lawn, and proper rainfall and irrigation are mandatory. For an even better result, you can apply it to dry foliage and put enough water with a minimum of 0.2 inches after the application.
Pros
+ You can apply this fertilizer to o all types of turf, and it is safe enough to use during the growing season
+ It is formulated with a high amount of slow-release nitrogen, and it will help with feeding for at least 8 weeks
+ This product has Humic DG, an organic and carbon-based compound that allows your plants in better nutrition
+ You will find this fertilizer with a very small particle size which actually helps in distributing the nutrients and a two-fold coverageÂ
+ This fertilizer is made of Anderson patented DG Technology, and it makes way to nutrients to reach the roots quicklyÂ
Cons
– Sometimes, this fertilizer is unavailable because of its demand
As I said, this lawn fertilizer has a perfect combination of all the necessary nutrients. So, it has a high demand for sure. Normally, you can put on PGF in your lawn every 6-8 weeks during the growing season. But it is also important to mow before applying the fertilizer for the best result.
2. Simple Lawn Solutions Advanced Balanced Lawn Food
Is your lawn soil lacking in key macronutrients? Then, Advanced 16-4-8 Balanced NPK Lawn fertilizer is the one you are looking for. It is blended with all the essential nutrients and contains fish and seaweed too.
These emulsions give organic matter to the soil for optimum nutrient uptake. Indeed, it is a lawn nutritional supplement, but you must also water your lawn regularly. And this will help the nutrients to get absorbed thoroughly.Â
Pros
+ This fertilizer is great for any type of grass such as Zoysia, Centipede, Fescue, Bermuda, Ryegrass, Buffalo, Kentucky bluegrass, and so on
+ It has 16 percent of nitrogen, and it helps the lawn grass for vigorous growth of a dense and luscious green lawn
+ You will find it blended with 4 percent of phosphorus which is excellent for root developmentÂ
+ 8 percent of Potassium enhances the lawn grass tolerances so that it can still stand in high temperatures and droughtÂ
+ It does not contain salt, and you can use it on your new grass as well
Cons
– This product is a little bit more expensive
– It contains a little iron, and that can be the reason it doesn’t suit a few grass type
Simple Lawn Solutions always brings the best fertilizer though the price is a little higher. This winter lawn fertilizer usually boosts your lawn in both vertical and lateral growth. And it plays an important role in nourishing the lawn, so a little iron is not a big deal as you get the greater benefits.
3. Scotts Turf Builder WinterGuard Lawn Food
If you want to build deeper and stronger roots of your grass for a green lawn, then Scotts Turf Builder WinterGuard Fall Lawn Food is all you need. As a lawn owner, you should already know that Fall is an excellent time to fertilize your lawn.
Indeed, it will keep your lawn ready for the upcoming year. This fertilizer has enough nutrients to help the grass in harsh winter, and you can spread this easily by following the instructions on the packet label.
Pros
+ With this, you can easily apply on 5,000 square feet of lawn
+ The blended nutrients here will help the damaged grass from heat and droughtÂ
+ It helps the lawn to absorb nutrients and water properlyÂ
+ You can apply this product on any type of grass that you want
+ This fertilizer allows you to apply it on both dry and wet lawns in the fall
Cons
– The amount of nitrogen might stimulate the growth of grass, which can be harmful to the lawn in the Winter season
– It is not suitable to apply in the middle of the winter. You can apply it in the later winter or at the beginning of the Spring
This WinterGuard lawn fertilizer is made for use before or after winter. This fertilizer is blended with all the best elements to boost lawn health and make it ready for Winter. And nitrogen has a bigger role to play on the lawn, but an overdose might also lead to the grass’s destruction.
4. GreenThumb Winterizer Lawn Fertilizer
GreenThumb Winterizer Lawn fertilizer is specially made to save the grass from Winter and dry climates. The necessary nutrients that are included here make the grass more resistant to winter stress.
First, you need to fill a lawn drop broadcast spreader with the right amount of granules to the hopper. And then, you have to distribute it row-by-row and always start at the perimeter. Lastly, overlap this effective winter lawn fertilizer by 6-12 inches for the betterment of the lawn.
Pros
+ This fertilizer is made of slow-release nutrients to strengthen the grass to stand more firmly in Winter
+ it increases soil fertility and enriches more lush and green growth of the lawnÂ
+ The One Fall application can last for 16 weeks, approximatelyÂ
+ It helps the winter-season grass to sprout to its full growthÂ
+ There will be less yellowing of the grass on your lawnÂ
Cons
– Overusing this fertilizer can result into over-fertilizationÂ
This fertilizer comes with Iron and higher nitrogen. So, if you use it too much on the lawn, it can show side effects. Therefore, you do not need to worry about the forced winter growth of your lawn grass. Plus, the ingredients here help in nutrient availability and proper absorption in the soil.
5. Fertilome Winterizer for Established Lawns
If you want a fertilizer with 2-in-1 benefits, the Fertilome Winterizer is one of the best that you will find available in the market. Moreover, it contains active herbicides, and you can save both application time and money.
This product is specially made for winter hardiness, disease resistance, and stem strength in your lawn grass. Therefore, the healthy grass will be able to handle the hardship of the winter season better than other weaker plants.
Pros
+ This fertilizer is designed to apply to your lawn, particularly in Early FallÂ
+ It gives you four months of preventative pre-emergent control of broadleaf weeds and other crabgrassÂ
+ This product is safe for southern grass. However, it is not limited to Bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass, Bahia, and CentipedeÂ
+ It has nitrogen blended in, and it helps in the vigorous growth of luscious green lawnÂ
+ The ingredients here help to bring sturdiness to grasses and strengthen the root systemÂ
Cons
– This fertilizer doesn’t come with the sort of phosphorous that some lawns need in winter
Not just Phosphorous this fertilizer lacks sufficient iron too. Although this fertilizer has a very short amount of iron, it is still blended with many other beneficial ingredients, including Urea, Copper sulfate, Zinc sulfate, Manganese sulfate, etc. Also, you don’t need to use a fertilizer with iron and phosphorous all the time. So, you can grab it for sure.
Though we didn’t use all the fertilizers by ourselves, we can guarantee that you will benefit better by using these useful winter lawn fertilizers. We collected experience using fertilizers from real-time users. So, the information is almost all correct and proven. Still, we suggest you check them out in the online marketplace to get user reviews too.
FAQ
Q: What kind of lawn fertilizer is suitable for winter?
A: A fertilizer that is rich in nitrogen and contains a moderated amount of phosphorous and potassium is suitable for your lawn in winter. Because of the harsh climate, the growth of your lawn will be degraded in winter, and that’s why it needs all these three nutrients together. Besides, it should have other nutrients like Iron.
Q: Is winter fertilizer essential for a lawn?
A: Yes, for a lot of reasons, winter fertilizer is essential. In winter, the soil temperated can easily become lower than 14 degrees Celsius, and the root can’t grow the grass properly. If you feed the lawn timely, roots and grass will easily service even if it is too much colder outside.
Q: What is the right NPK for Winter Lawn fertilizer?
A: The ideal NPK for winter lawn fertilizer is 16-4-8. That means it should have a lot of nitrogen, some potassium, and a little phosphorous. It should have some other nutrients that are helpful for the lawn to service in winter.
Q: What is the best winter fertilizer for the lawn?
A: The Andersons Professional PGF Complete Fertilizer and Scotts Turf Builder WinterGuard Lawn Food are the best winter fertilizer for the lawn. These fertilizers come with the ideal amount of Nitrogen and other nutrients which keep the lawn alive and healthy in the cold weather.
Q: When should I apply winter lawn fertilizers?
A: You should apply winter lawn fertilizers at the beginning of the winter, especially when it is not snowing. It would be better if you manage to fertilize at least 2 weeks before winter hits. Please make sure the lawn surface doesn’t have a snow cover when fertilizing it. And also, it is better to apply fertilizer in the early morning.
Final Thought
Winter is really a very harsh time for your lawn. And fertilizer can be its life saver for sure. It is not very uncommon for people to find their lawn completely brown and die after winter is gone. A proper lawn care routine for winter is also essential to be followed. You can also follow some essential winter lawn care tips to keep it greenish and healthy in the cold weather.
So, buy the right winter lawn fertilizer and treat your lawn correctly in difficult times. It will help you to arrange a soil test before you choose the right fertilizer for your lawn. Also, you should always buy one from a popular brand that is reliable and trustworthy.
And here we are, taking our leave for today; we will soon appear to discuss another essential topic on the lawn. Please, don’t forget to inform us about your opinion. Thank you for staying with us.