Spring is a popular time to fertilize lawns in the northeast. When lawns “wake up” from winter, they wake up hungry! February through April is an optimal time to do your first fertilization application. Many professionals choose to time their application to when the lawn begins to actively grow. It can also be timed around the first mow of the season. When applying fertilizer, you should use a spreader to do so. There are many reasons to use a fertilizer spreader. Besides ensuring that the fertilizer is applied at the proper rate, a spreader makes the job less labor-intensive for you. Valley Green sells several varieties of fertilizer at all of our northeast United States locations. Enjoy our article this week on reasons to use a fertilizer spreader.
Reasons To Use a Fertilizer Spreader
Believe it or not, grass can die from too much fertilizer. This is why it is important to use a broadcast spreader. Too much fertilizer in one spot will kill the grass and applying too little will not allow all the nutrients to get through to the ground. It is especially important to use a broadcast spreader on large lawns and wide-open areas such as sports fields. Spreaders come in a variety of sizes so it is best to pick one for the size of the area you need to cover.
Using a spreader is also safer than using gloved hands to spread fertilizer. Many homeowners choose to use items such as holed-out coffee cans to spread the fertilizer. Using a DIY method increases the chance that your skin may come into contact with the fertilizer chemicals. It also doesn’t guarantee that you will have the proper rate of spreading that an actual spreader will have.
A fertilizer spreader will also save you money. By using a spreader, you are saving money by not over-applying the fertilizer. If you haven’t used the fertilizer all winter, you’ll want to make sure that it is properly calibrated. If the spreader is not properly calibrated, it can spread more fertilizer than is actually needed. The spreader can be calibrated to apply the rate of fertilizer that you choose which saves a lot of time.
A spreader is also a wise investment because it has multiple uses. Besides spreading fertilizer, it can also spread grass seedduring spring and fall and ice melt during the winter. You will have to clean the spreader and calibrate it for the different applications of large and small amounts of seed and ice melt. Like fertilizer, grass seed grows best when it is spread evenly. Too much seed and the seedlings will not take root. Too little seed and your lawn will end up with bare spots.
