With Halloween costumes and Thanksgiving dinner on your mind, it’s easy to forget about lawn and garden care. However, what you put your lawn to bed in the fall will determine the condition in which it wakes up in the spring, whether it’s sparse or thick, brilliant emerald green or… not quite green. Let’s discuss that important fall lawn fertilizer schedule.

Why Fertilize Your Lawn in Fall?

Like ourselves, lawns are stressed by the hottest and coldest times of year. After summer, your lawn has endured heat, drought, and trampling. Weeds, disease and insects have left it hungry and tired.

Sweater weather brings feasts and treats that can cause weight concerns for us, but thicker growth looks great on grass. A good meal before its annual sleep is the best thing you can give your lawn. 

Photosynthesis continues as air cools but soil remains warm. Plants begin to store energy in their roots. Fall lawn fertilizer will help to regrow roots that were lost in summer, and increase your lawn’s strength to better withstand winter conditions ahead.

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Understand Your Turf

The specific breeds of grass in your lawn will dictate whether to apply fertilizer in spring or fall. Fortunately, this decision is extra easy in Canada, as tropical turf doesn’t grow here. All the lawns that grow in our Southern Ontario service area are cool season grasses, like tall and fine fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, and perennial ryegrass. These grass breeds all call for fall fertilizer application.

So, knowing that autumn is when to apply fertilizer to your cool-season lawn, what exactly should your fall lawn fertilizer schedule look like? Read on.

When to Fertilize Your Lawn in Fall

The goal is to give your lawn enough time to absorb nutrients before winter dormancy. You know when the colour fades after the first frost that your lawn is dormant. Ideally, give 6 to 8 weeks for it to be absorbed.

At the least, your lawn should have 2-3 weeks after fertilizing to absorb nutrients so it can go on as late as the end of October, but keep an eye on long-term forecasts for the first overnight frost. If frost is less than 2 weeks away, consider skipping fall fertilizer this year. You can schedule it for September of next year instead.

According to Climate Atlas of Canada, the average first frost date for the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) is projected to be November 9th, from now until 2050.

After

Can You Use Fall Fertilizer in the Spring?

If your grass has started to discolour, it’s best not to apply fall fertilizer for this season. If you do miss your fall lawn fertilizer application, can you use fall fertilizer in the spring?

At ISR Gardening, we apply our own organic fertilizer product both in fall and spring, so there’s no difference to the formula, but it will be most effective in the fall.

Best Types of Fall Lawn Fertilizer

The best lawn fertilizer types for fall application are generally divided by warm season and cool season grasses. This division, however, is unnecessary in Canada. For lasting lawn health, the best fall fertilizer for lawns that we can recommend is slow-releasing organic granules.

Fall Fertilizer Application Tips

If you’re applying your own fall fertilizer for grass, how should the job be done? We have some tips to help you do the best job you can, or you can contact us about our Lawn Fertilizer Service.

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Fall Lawn Fertilizer Application Tips

The old saying, “If all else fails, read the instructions” doesn’t work so well for things that are only done once a year. You could fail for multiple years that way! Formulation technologies and laws change, so even if you always use the same brand, read the instructions.

Leaves and lawn cuttings can prevent fertilizer granules from reaching the soil. It’s best if it does reach the soil, so rake your lawn before applying fall fertilizer for grass.

The best time to apply fertilizer is the next day after a good rain, when the soil is moist, but not wet. If possible, look for a rain-free forecast for the next 24 to 48 hours after application, so the fertilizer doesn’t wash away.

For the most even application, keep a slow and steady pace while applying. For large lawns, use a rotary or broadcast spreader. For smaller lawns, a drop spreader is the right tool, and for really tiny downtown lawns, a handheld spreader will do the job.

Fertilizer that lands on hard surfaces will wash into the nearest storm sewer, and some products can stain your hardscape, so sweep any spills back into your lawn to prevent waste.

It’s a good idea to set your spreader to twice as many square metres (or feet) as your lawn has, and then go over it twice in two different directions to get the most even coverage. After you’re done, thoroughly clean your spreader. Removing remaining fertilizer residue will prevent spreader components from getting corroded. There may be other pre-winter maintenance recommendations in your spreader’s owner manual.

Book Your Fall Lawn Fertilizer Service Today

We believe that the best fall lawn fertilizer is slow-release organic granules, and we offer Lawn Fertilizer Service, which you can book for the appropriate time of year by contacting us. We can also assess your lawn for any additional problems and recommend the appropriate natural maintenance measures to grow the thickest, greenest lawn your property can produce!

FAQs

When Should I Fertilize My New Lawn In The Fall?

After seeding or overseeding, a lawn should be fertilized with a high-nitrogen product right after a good watering. Repeat this procedure about 6 weeks later. For a freshly sodded lawn, use an even N-P-K ratio such as 15-15-15 or 8-8-8, after waiting 30 days from the installation date. Some fertilizers can prevent germination, so do not apply it at the same time as seeding.

How Late in the Fall Should I Fertilize?

You should have at least 2-3 weeks after fertilizing before frost, so fertilizer can usually go on as late as late October, but keep an eye on long-term forecasts for the first overnight frost.

What Fertilizer Do You Put Down In The Fall?

We use slow-release organic fertilizer in our treatment services. You can read more about it here.