Having a healthy, green lawn is a dream for most homeowners around the world, right? A rich, green lawn is a joy to sink your bare feet into and it makes the landscape look so much better. The best fertilizer for new grass will keep the grass under your feet healthy and will reduce the incidence of weed or pests. Since there are several options on the market, the challenge is getting the right one for your new grass.
We realize that, which is why we have spent several hours poring over scores of fertilizers on the market. We have considered many in detail and believe that we have found the four best fertilizers that you can buy right now. Some of the factors that we considered when making this list include the type, coverage area, NPK, nutrients, application period, and weight. We will consider these in detail later in the buying guide. For now, let us review our four best options.
Extras: for cool-season grade climate type, high foot traffic tolerance
The first fertilizer on our list comes from one of the top fertilizer makers on the market today. The Scotts Turf Builder Thick’R is an excellent grass food that is formulated to help bring your grass to live and help them to build really strong roots.
With this fertilizer, the effects are that you don’t need to water the grass as often as with grasses that don’t use the fertilizer. It is excellent for cool season grasses and grasses that are planted where there is a lot of foot traffic.
Because of the prevalence of nitrogen in the fertilizer, it is expected that your grasses grow very quickly and give really fast results.
When applied, it should be applied infrequently as too much application can cause burning of the growing grass. It comes with phosphorus as well, which means that it works t help establish root growth in new grasses.
What we liked: This is the best fertilizer for new grasses. It is an affordable solution that can cover around 4000 square feet with a single bag.
What could be better: If this is applied indiscriminately, there is a chance that it burns the lawn.
Extras: 12 weeks application period
If you have pets, you are likely familiar with the sacrifices that you have to make for your pets. However, with the right fertilizer, you don’t have to give up fertilizing your lawn or new grasses to keep them healthy and green.
Well, the Pet Safe Lawn Fertilizer is an excellent fertilizer that is designed to meet the needs of the pet owner that wants to use a fertilizer. The fertilizer is an excellent option that comes with plenty of safety benefits. First of all, it does not contain phosphorus. This means that you should use it for lawns that have their root system but haven’t taken off in growth yet.
The manufacturer touts this as a high nitrogen fertilizer that will encourage plant growth and strengthen the root system of the plants.
Importantly, it is safe for your pets. It does not come with chemicals or substances that will affect the health of your plants. The only downside here is that it might take some time for you to see results.
What we liked: This is the best value option. It is a fertilizer that will help to strengthen the plant root system while remaining safe for your pets.
What could be better: There is no phosphorus in the fertilizer.
Extras: transition zone grass climate type, medium foot traffic tolerance
Scotts is a very popular name in the fertilizer world, and the Scotts EZ Combination Mulch, Seed and Fertilizer is a budget offering for anyone looking to grow grass quickly. Many benefits are derived when you choose a Scotts fertilizer, and this product is certainly no exception.
It is a 3.75 pound fertilizer contained in a package that is easy to store and use. The container can help you to cover a small area of 85 square feet, but that might be all you need to make your grass greener. It might not go a very long way, but it will certainly help you to feed the lawn effectively.
The fertilizer is made for people that want to apply fertilizer to a transition zone grass. However, where our top choice was made for grasses that have high traffic tolerance, this fertilizer is for those that have medium traffic tolerance.
Overall, it is an effective, cheap option that is easy to apply and will not cause burn in your new grasses.
What we liked: If you are on a budget and do not have a lot of grass to cover, then you will likely enjoy using this fertilizer.
What could be better: The fertilizer is quite effective, but there is no indication that it is safe to use around pets.
Extras: 1/4-inch recommended seeding depth
The last option on our list comes with plenty of benefits and it will help your grass grow effectively. The Fertilome New Lawn Starter is the easy application option and has a composition that will ensure that the grass will grow without plenty of fuss.
This fertilizer is for immediate use after you have planted the seeds or sown with grass seed. Therefore, there is a very little or no chance of burn.
The bag weighs around 20 pounds of weight, which might be a tad cumbersome to lug around, but application is pretty easy and straightforward.
With a bag of this fertilizer, it is possible for you to cover a space of around 5000 square feet. To get the best results, it is vital that or recommended that you seed to a depth of around 1/4”.
With this fertilizer, your grass seeds will get the boost of nutrients that are required to make them greener, stronger, and thicker. It will do this while helping with weeds and pests as well.
What we liked: This is an excellent fertilizer for new grass that comes with easy application. It can cover a space of up to 5000 square feet.
What could be better: The downside of this product is the price.
In the section above, we reviewed four of the best fertilizer for new grass on the market. There are many options on the market, and it can be quite difficult to know which of the options to select. We have chosen four of the best, and this can help you to narrow down your choices. Now, we realize that you might want to choose some other fertilizer instead of what we have discussed. Well, now in this buying guide, we will discuss some of the important features to consider when making a buying decision. We will also consider other important information that can help with making a choice.
Fertilizers are really important because not every season or land around you is ideal for growing grass or food all year long. However, if you have the right fertilizer, it is possible to get your grass to grow big, thick and strong all through the year.
Consider your new grass as a living thing. It will require nutrients like minerals, vitamins, and others to grow and stay alive. To illustrate, some people take supplements or multivitamin pills because they are not getting enough of the necessary elements. Well, your new grass is like that. Although there might be nutrients in the soil, these might not be enough.
Most of the fertilizers on the market come with different nutrients. Most will have phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen. These have several benefits and play specific roles.
Phosphorus, for example, is what targets the roots and makes them stronger and more resistant to damage. Nitrogen on the other hand promotes the growth of the leaves and new blades of the grass. Potassium is added to fertilizers because it works to keep the grass looking healthy and helps to fight off diseases.
One of the best ways to get the most out of the fertilizer is by choosing the correct grass for your area. For instance, if you live in a low-rain environment, you should choose grasses that will survive such environments.
Before purchasing a fertilizer, please, don’t forget to consider the following features:
Having your new grass growing strong and thick is something that everyone loves. It comes with plenty of advantages, including minimizing the issues with weeds and pests. Before you make a buying choice, it is important to know the type of fertilizers that are on the market. So, let us consider the types of fertilizers that we have.
By using a fertilizer for new grass, you have a very effective means of reducing the occurrence of diseases and pests that might affect the growth of the grass. It also ensures that you do not have to do plenty of maintenance.
Time Release Fertilizer – This type of fertilizers are excellent if you do not have plenty of time to spend maintaining the lawn or new growth. It is excellent because of the way it disperses the nutrients to the grass. It works by feeding the grass over a period of months. With this type of fertilizer, the gardener does not have to bother about periodically feeding the plants.
Gradual Release – This type is another form of fertilizer dispersion. It is similar to the time release fertilizer. In its case, it lets the plant roots to slowly get the important nutrients for growth. One major advantage of this type of fertilizer is that the elements required for growth do not leach away into the soil. Another thing that makes it a favorite of many planters is that it is very easy to apply. Due to the formulation, there is a reduced risk of burn as well. This is an excellent fertilizer for new grass that comes with easy application. It can cover a space of up to 5000 square feet.
An example of this type is the Scotts Turf Builder Thick’R.
Granular Fertilizer – This type is not constrained by time. It can be time or slow release, depending on what the manufacturer has decided in the formulation. Whether slow or time release, something that granular fertilizers have in common is that they are really easy to apply to the field and will work for most grasses.
Liquid or Soluble Fertilizers- This, as the name implies, comes in a form that is dispersed to the grass through a liquid form. It is a fast release type of fertilizer and will quickly have the nutrients of the fertilizer introduced to the roots of your new grass. An example is the Pet Safe Lawn Fertilizer.
It is important also, to note that the fertilizers are also available as organic of synthetic options. The synthetic options, as the name implies are made from chemicals. Their formulation requires that the fertilizer releases quickly and will work quickly on the grass.
Pros of Synthetic Fertilizers:
Cons:
The organic type is made from actual organisms or the by products like their waste. It is often rich in nutrients. This type of fertilizer is composed of organic plant food. Therefore, some of the things that you will find in this type of fertilizer include kelp, blood meal, and similar organic stuff. Organic fertilizers are often slow release fertilizers because it takes a longer time for it to work for your grass.
Pros of Organic Fertilizers:
Cons:
The type of fertilizer that you decide to use is up to you and the type of grass that you decide to grow. Whether you are thinking of choosing an organic or artificial option, realize that they both have their advantages. You can buy and test them, or you could read reviews such as these to know whether the fertilizer is right for you without having to spend your money.
While reading through our reviews, you likely noticed the numbers on the package. These numbers are known as the NPK ratio. What does it mean?
It denotes the percentage of the most important nutrients in the fertilizer. N is for nitrogen, P is for phosphorus, and K is for potassium. The number shows you the ratio of these three main nutrients.
For example, if the fertilizer has a 10-0-20 NPK, it means that it contains 10 percent nitrogen, 0 percent phosphorus, and 20 percent potassium.
So you have to realize the most important nutrients for your new grass and buy a fertilizer that will care for the grass accordingly. The nitrogen is important to making the grass green, phosphorus will enhance the growth of roots, and potassium is what will protect the plant from diseases.
The NPK of your product chosen is decided by the type of grass, the climate, and the kind of soil. Before you make a buying choice, ensure that you check the NPK so that you can get the best nutrient combination for your grass.
The application period of the fertilizer differs from products to products. For example, the Pet Safe Lawn Fertilizer has an application period of around 12 weeks.
As with several other products on the market, fertilizers are available in a wide range of sizes. Some are cheap while others are more affordable. Well, you need to decide which of the options will suit your budget the best. For example, the Scotts EZ Combination Mulch, Seed and Fertilizer comes as our budget option.
To get the best value for your money, it is good to buy a fertilizer that can help you to cover a large area while using little amount of nutrients. Most of the fertilizers that we have reviewed above come with the ability to cover from 4000 square feet to 5000 square feet of space.
You also should consider the weight of the package as it can affect how easy it is to use the fertilizer and get it out on the field.
Before you apply fertilizers to your grass, there are some things that you ought to keep in mind. There are several safety precautions to take. Here, we will provide some tips on how you can safely and effectively apply fertilizer to your grass.
Fertilizers can be harmful if ingested as they are. Therefore, you must take steps to protect yourself. Apart from ingesting them, these fertilizers can be harmful to the skin. If your skin comes in contact with some fertilizers, it might cause a burn. Therefore, wear protective clothing and gloves.
Regardless of whether the fertilizer is an organic type or synthetic, you should have a safe place to keep it away from children and pets. One of the best places to store it is the garage or shed.
It is also important that the fertilizer is kept somewhere that is cool and dry. If you live in a hot region, move the fertilizer somewhere cool and dry.
One of the things that occur when using fertilizers is that it might burn the soil or your plants. Since you certainly do not want to burn the plants or over-fertilize, you have to carefully apply the fertilizer and follow the instructions from the manufacturer.
You also have to keep an eye on runoff. When applied, the chemicals of the fertilizer lie on the soil. Therefore, ensure that pets and kids do not come in contact with it unto it has been watered.
You might be tempted to add the fertilizer immediately after you have planted the grass seeds. However, it is important that you confirm the nutrients that the soil contains before you decide to plant the seeds.
Therefore, after preparing the soil for planting, fertilize the soil with fertilizers that are denoted as starter fertilizers.
You can add these fertilizers to the soil before you lay the seed. Or you can decide to do it simultaneously.
After the fertilizer, that is the starter fertilizer has been added, you should not reapply it. If you apply it again, it is likely that you burn the grass. Therefore, it is recommended that you use a fertilizer that is organic and rich in nitrogen around 2 months after planting new grass.
You might be eager to see growth in your grass, especially after adding fertilizers, but it is important to be patient. Fertilizing often can burn grass, leach into groundwater, and cause other harm. Therefore, wait for some time before you add any other fertilizer.
Getting the right fertilizer for your new grass can be stressful and it is almost impossible to get the right one since there are so many options on the market. In this review, we have listed four of the best products you can buy. The Scotts Turf Builder Thick’R is the best fertilizer for new grasses. It is an affordable solution that can cover around 4000 square feet with a single bag. Pet Safe Lawn Fertilizer is the best value option. It is a fertilizer that will help to strengthen the plant root system while remaining safe for your pets. If you are on a budget and do not have a lot of grass to cover, then you will likely enjoy using Scotts EZ Combination Mulch, Seed and Fertilizer. Hope that this review will help you to choose the best fertilizer for new grass.
