What Time Of Year Should You Fertilize Your Lawn?

Maintaining your lush and healthy lawn in Michigan requires proper care and attention and the knowledge of when it needs a boost. One of the best ways you can help your lawn throughout the year is through fertilization, and timing your lawn fertilization correctly can greatly enhance its overall health and appearance.

Fertilizer is important, as most soils won’t provide all the nutrients a lawn needs to thrive, making it an essential tool to help promote root growth. The three essential nutrients lawns require are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Nitrogen promotes leaf growth, phosphorus aids root development, and potassium improves stress tolerance. In this article, we will explore the best times of year to fertilize your lawn in Michigan, ensuring you achieve optimal results.

Spring

Spring is a crucial time for lawn care, and it serves as an excellent opportunity to kickstart the growing season. In Michigan, there are two ideal times to fertilize your lawn during spring, the first being around late March or early April. 

This period allows the grass to absorb essential nutrients and recover from the harsh winter months, with slow-release or controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer recommended. These fertilizers provide a steady supply of nutrients over an extended period, ensuring a sustained growth rate. 

The second application happens during late April or early May and contains a nitrogen-rich all-granular fertilizer, liquid pre-emergent, and liquid blanket weed control. This mixture ensures ​grass won’t run out of essential nutrients during a time of explosive growth. It will also remove any newly germinated weeds and help prevent the germination and growth of crabgrass and other seed-borne weeds later in the season. 

Summer

Summer in Michigan brings warmer temperatures and increased sunlight, which can pose challenges for lawn maintenance. Fertilizing during this season can help your grass withstand heat stress and maintain its vibrant green color.

The best times to fertilize your lawn in Michigan during summer comes in three parts and are spread between June, July, and August. Timing the applications allows the fertilizer to boost nutrients before the peak summer stressors while providing support during the hotter months. 

However, it’s also crucial to be mindful of drought conditions and watering restrictions that may affect the effectiveness of fertilization. Adjusting your watering schedule accordingly can ensure the fertilizer is properly absorbed by the grass. A time-released, all-granular fertilizer should then be used during June and July, followed by re-introducing more nutrients to maintain healthy growth as summer ends.

Fall

Fall is an opportune time for revitalizing your lawn after the wear and tear of summer and preparing it for the colder months ahead. Michigan's climate offers a favorable window for fall fertilization, typically from late August to early October.

During this period, a late-season fertilizer application will promote root growth and provide essential nutrients for winter resilience. Opt for a slow-release fertilizer with a higher ratio of potassium to promote strong root development and help your lawn withstand freezing temperatures.

September is a good time to apply that time-released, all-granular fertilizer again,  featuring a robust infusion of nutrients. This helps maintain healthy growth throughout the remaining growing season. 

Your final lawn care treatment can be done in October, using fertilizer containing a blend of macronutrients to prepare your lawn for winter.  This winterizing process will also help to reduce the chances of snow mold developing in the spring.  

Get Expert Help Fertilizing Your Lawn

Lush Lawn’s 7-step fertilization and weed control program is the staple of the services that we offer and will help maintain your lawn throughout the year. Our fertilization process provides Michigan lawns the nutrients they need, and you can start helping your grass today by contacting Lush Lawn and requesting a free quote.

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