What is the best fertilizer before winter?

Nitrogen will help restore your lawn's carbohydrate reserves, giving it fuel leading into the winter months and early spring growth. Potassium gives your lawn the nutrients it needs in preparation for winter and again first thing in the spring to fend off stressors, like cold weather and snow mold activity.

Should I fertilize right before winter?

The absolute best time to fertilize your lawn is just before the expected frost date. The goal is the same when you feed grass in late fall or winter as it is with dormant plants. You are feeding the roots to build a better lawn overall.

What should I put on my lawn before winter?

Aerate & Fertilize

After you've opened up your lawn, it's a good time to fertilize with Scotts® Turf Builder® WinterGuard® Fall Lawn Food. Fertilizing your lawn gives your grass the essential nutrients it needs as it prepares for winter. The grass roots absorb and store the nutrients during the winter months.

Should I put fertilizer down before winter?

The best time to fertilize your lawn is actually during the late fall, about a month (or even two) before your first frost, which can be earlier or later depending on your climate zone. For warm places, this time frame can be in November or December, although it's usually September or October in northern regions.

What is the best fertilizer to put down in the fall?

“Nitrogen applied in the fall is the most important lawn fertilization of the year,” says Robert Cox, Colorado Sate University Cooperative Extension Agent. “Use a high-nitrogen fertilizer, such as 25-5-5, or something with a similar formula.”

Winter Fertilizer? Should you apply fertilizer during winter or is it a waste of money?

What is the difference between fall fertilizer and Winterizer?

The composition of a fall fertilizer is a bit different than its winter counterpart. While both fertilizers contain potassium, winterizers usually contain a higher amount of this mineral to sustain your grass when the ground freezes.

Is fall fertilizer the same as Winterizer?

A winter fertilizer, aka fall fertilizer (whatever you want to call it, really), is a great way to feed your lawn one last time before you put it to bed for the year. Your lawn goes through a lot during the summer. Heavy use, shade, disease, weeds, insects, and ground compaction all take their toll.

When should I fertilize my lawn before winter?

Aerate & Fertilize

Just before your area's first expected frost date, head out to your lawn and aerate. If you've never aerated before or need a little reminder, check out How to Dethatch & Aerate Your Lawn.

What month do you put down winter fertilizer?

The best time to apply a winterizer is after the grass stops growing in the fall, while it is still green on top and active below the surface. In most parts of the North, this will be sometime in mid-to-late November, or even early December.

What are the best numbers for winter fertilizer?

In winter, look for a ratio of 1-0-1 or 1 - 0 - 0.5, with typical numbers of 21-0-20 or 19-2-13. This will provide an equal (or at least higher than normal) amount of potassium along with the nitrogen.

Is it better to leave your grass long or short for winter?

If your grass is too long, it's at risk for disease. The ideal grass height for winter is between 2 inches and 2.5 inches. This keeps grass short enough to resist disease spread, but not so short that it becomes overly stressed by cold temperatures.

Is December too late to fertilize lawn?

The best time to make late fall applications of lawn fertilizer is typically in November or the very beginning of December when the grass stops actively growing or has slowed down to the point of not needing to be mowed.

Why use winterizer fertilizer?

The last application of fertilizer during the growing season is often referred to as a “Winterizer” because of how it supports and protects your lawn during harsh winter weather. Most winterizer treatments include two (2) key components; Nitrogen and Potassium.

What temperature should I use my Scotts Winterguard?

My lawn is still growing. A: Your interest in Scotts Turf Builder Winterguard Weed and Feed is appreciated. This product can be applied anytime temperatures are above 60 degrees.

What happens if you fertilize in winter?

During the winter months, grass is likely dormant if you haven't been irrigating. When you fertilize too early in spring—meaning it's still winter— you're providing nutrients before the grass has broken dormancy. It won't be able to immediately take advantage of the nutrients you provided.

What is the best NPK for winter fertilizer?

An ideal NPK ratio for winterizing your yard is 16-4-8. Lots of winterizer formulas have a zero P number, but a fertilizer with a small P number can actually make a big difference in the growth and vitality of your lawn.

When should you not fertilize your lawn?

Fertilizing late in autumn can delay the hardening of the turf and make it more susceptible to winter injury. For this reason, weed-and-feed fertilizers are not recommended. The most effective time to kill weeds (late September) is not a good time to fertilize the grass.

Can I fertilize grass in November?

This is the time of year when grass plants recover from disease, heat, drought, and other summer stresses and starts to prepare for the dormant period ahead.

What is the difference between fertilizer and Winterizer?

The truth is 'Winterizer' is really just a marketing term the fertilizer companies came up with for the last fertilizer application of the season. There's really nothing special about that bag of fertilizer labeled 'Winterizer'. It's actually just fertilizer that is higher percentages of a specific macronutrient.

Should Scotts WinterGuard be watered in?

When using Scotts Turf Builder WinterGuard Fall Weed and Feed 3 you want to be sure the grass is wet from dew or water before application. Per the manufacturer, you should put this out when you are not expecting any rainfall for 24 hours. So you can water any time after that 24-hour period.

Is milorganite a good winterizer?

Research suggests that the microorganisms responsible for mineralizing the slow-release nitrogen in Milorganite remain active even in frozen soils. This means a dormant application of Milorganite in the late fall, or just prior to freeze up, will work to your advantage all winter and spring.

Is it worth fertilizing lawn in winter?

Common practice is to not fertilise in winter, as it is seen as a waste of time, or is often considered to hurt a lawn. This research for regions that do not usually get colder than minus 3° Celsius clearly shows that winter fertiliser greatly improves the green colour of many turf types.

Is 4 inches too tall for grass?

For the healthiest and most sustainable approach, Michigan State University Extension says 3.5 to 4 inches is most desirable. Lawns mowed at 3.5 or 4 inches out-compete weeds, tolerate grubs and look just as good as lawns mowed at 2.5 inches.

How high should the last mow of the season be?

When mowing your lawn for the final time of the year, a general rule of thumb is to lower the blades by half an inch. So, if your lawn care pro normally mows your lawn to a height of 2.5 inches, they should mow it to 2 inches during the final mow.

When should you stop mowing your lawn before winter?

While you might not need to mow as frequently, it is important to keep an eye on your lawn growing patterns and ensure it's mowed as needed before the winter. Your last cut of the year should fall about a week before the first frost.