Lawn Care Tips To Avoid Fertilizer Burn

Fertilizer burn is one of the most common mistakes made during lawn care especially in hot weather or with a new lawn. New grass needs time to adjust before being fertilized or else burn is a likely outcome. Liquid lawn fertilizer could be safer for a new lawn but it is also likely to cause a burn so take care to apply correctly. Take care that fertilizer is not applied to a lawn during the hottest parts of the day as this can also cause a burn. Homemade lawn fertilizer by those interested in creating their own care and nurture techniques is one of the most common problems that cause burns as it is not that easy to make unless you have professional experience.

A lawn can also be fertilized too often or with too much fertilizer at once. It should really be fertilized when it actually needs some extra nutrients. Inorganic fertilizers that may contain chemicals always need to be watered afterwards to ensure that it does not burn the lawn although more natural fertilizers do not need the same care and attention. Most lawns should be fertilized in May after the grass has grown somewhat and is more mature to avoid burn. Spreading fertilizer by hand does not give even results and may cause the grass to be burned in patches. If there is no rain, the grass may need watering shortly after applying fertilizer even if the instructions say differently. Incorrect application of fertilizer invariably leads to burn which is in fact dehydration as the salt from the chemicals in many fertilizers prevent grass from absorbing water. The grass appears yellow, white or brown and looks dried out or dying. Buy a good quality fertilizer and avoid adding extra nutrients or ingredients to the mix.

How to Care for a Lawn after Fertilizer Burn

How to care for a lawn after fertilizer burn is quite simple once you know how. If you think you may have inadvertently caused fertilizer burn, remove the extra fertilizer from the lawn then water the area profusely to try to dilute the chemicals. Try to remove as much fertilizer as possible before watering. Water the area a number of times throughout the day. Water the lawn every day for a couple of days afterwards. Being aware of the signs of fertilizer burn on a lawn can save a lot of time and care and knowing what caused it can help to prevent future instances occurring.