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Best Lawn Fertilizer For Summer

Best Choice
Scotts Turf Builder SummerGuard Lawn Food with Insect Control
4/5
Editor's Pick
Espoma EOSR30 Organic Summer Fertilizer, 30-Pound
4.5/5
Best Overall
Scotts Green Max Lawn Food
5/5

Looking for the best lawn fertilizer for summer? Look no further! Though choosing the right summer fertilizer is anything but easy, it is an essential part of your lawn care when you are planting grass seed, and especially if you are living in warmer climates. To keep your turf in optimal conditions, it is absolutely vital that you invest in the best lawn fertilizer for summer and we at Your House Your Garden are here to help you choose!

Applying the wrong fertilizer on warm season grasses could backfire and potentially kill your otherwise healthy turf and destroy grass seeds. You don’t want to end up with a burned lawn.

We bring you extensive gardening guides including learning about mulches, as well as caring for shade loving plants. In this article we will be looking at a list of best lawn fertilizer for summertime and to cool-season grass, and the importance of low nitrogen fertilizers. Keep on reading!

Top Picks for lawn fertilizer for summer

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Here is a detailed list of lawn fertilizers and slow release fertilizer suited for summertime. These are handy in avoiding fertilizer burn, as well as maintaining a lush lawn.

1. Scotts Turf Builder SummerGuard Lawn Food with Insect Control

Suited for all grass types and excellent in building deep roots, this summer fertilizer also works to kill pests and invasive bugs such as armyworms. It also protects your lawn from burning. This spectacular option strengthens your turf against potential droughts and long spells of heat and dryness.

This fertilizer also comes with easy instructions that are perfect for beginners. One packet is also ample for a 4000-5000 sq. ft of land. However, you may want to keep a close eye on the spreader settings.

2. Espoma EOSR30 Organic Summer Fertilizer, 30-Pound

This summer revitalizing best fertilizer is a blend of elemental sulfur and feather meal poultry manure iron oxide. Not only is it perfect for early spring or summer lawns, it also contains bio-tone microbes and a small amount of non-staining iron.

It is especially useful for organic gardening and will keep your grass lush green. In addition to all this, unlike other lawn fertilizers, this one is also environmentally friendly and safe. You can use one packet for 5000 sq. ft easily.

3. Simple Lawn Solutions Quality Liquid Fertilizer for Spring & Summer

Ideal for any type of grass, this liquid lawn fertilizer is an excellent choice that contains a blend of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. It also consists of fish and seaweed nutrients that helps your grass retain its bright green color, as well as grow strong through th0se hot and dry summer months.

It is an all-in-one, N P K summer fertilizer that helps strengthen grass and plant roots, although its sprayer mechanism can be somewhat difficult.

This ‘Simple Lawn Solutions’ liquid fertilizer is ideal for any type of grass in the summer.

4. Scotts Green Max Lawn Food

Struggling with a damaged lawn? This spectacular lawn fertilizer could transform your brown, damaged grass into a lush green lawn overnight! Its dual action formula sets it apart from other lawn fertilizers and you can see your garden restored in a matter or 2-3 weeks.

When it comes to its impressive components, it consists of 5.17% iron that transforms those unwanted brown or yellow patches into bright green again. It helps fresh, lush grass to grow and this is especially helpful against weed growth.

This fertilizer also comes packed with potassium and nitrogen that maintains grass health in the long run. The heavy nitrogen component helps new grass blades sprout from the ground and the potassium element keeps it strong and healthy.

However, this isn’t the best fertilizer for root nourishment as it lacks phosphorus. So long as your aim is to rejuvenate your yellow-brown turf, this is the perfect choice for you.

It also suits all grass types!

5. The Andersons Professional PGF

Looking for a complete nutrient-rich food package for your grass? This premium summer lawn fertilizer is extremely effective when there is high levels of heat and very little rain or moisture in the air.

A professional grade option that brings fast results, this powerful grass food will show results within just a week thanks to its blend of 16-4-8 NPK that are shredded and can keep your lawn nourished for up to 8 weeks at a time. The Humic DG element enriches your soil and improves its texture as well as health.

More importantly, it consists of a slow release nitrogen element that can sustain your lawn for 6-8 weeks, making it a great selection for professional use. However, it may not be the top pick for grasses that thrive with higher nitrogen doses.

6. Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Lawn Food

Premium quality and extremely affordable, this fertilizer comes packed with all the nutrients needed to take your lawn lush green and soft.

It contains large amounts of nitrogen and iron that helps create uniformity, softness, and lushness in your grass. What’s even more impressive is that a single bag of this fertilizer can be used to feed up to 7200 sq. ft of land. This is far more than other fertilizers. In addition to this, it also suits all grass types, but beware as pouring too much of it may result in your grass burning.

7. Scotts Summer Lawn Food, Turf Builder

One of the best fertilizers in the market is undoubtedly the Scotts Summer Lawn food which helps you grow lush grass with up to 50% less water and the effects can last for 6-7 weeks.

This is a 2-in-1 lawn food that maximizes the use of water and moisture levels in the soil and it is 100% safe for all grass types. It also helps nourish roots and strengthen them considerably.

8. Milorganite 32 lb. Slow-Release Nitrogen

A professional-grade fertilizer for summer lawns, it keeps your grass well fed for up to 10 weeks after application. It also does not require you to fertilize too often. It comes with an NPK ratio of 6-4-0. Additionally, it can cover up to 2500 sq. ft with one packet.

What sets this fertilizer apart is its ingredients. It is packed with heat-dried microbes from organically non-staining iron and rich wastewater. This makes it an excellent choice for shrubs, trees, grass, and even flowers. On top of that, its 4% iron component provides your lawn with a thick and deep lushness without uneven, excessive growth.

This fertilizer is non-burning and also does not contain salts, protecting your plants from heat damage without constant need of hydration.

It is also one of the more affordable options available!

9. 7-0-20 Summer Lawn and Turf Stress Granular Fertilizer Blend

This is a granular form fertilizer that consists of 3% iron combined with Bio-nitrogen and is one of the best lawn fertilizer for summer. This fertilizer works best for those looking to enhance the color of the grass and other vegetation. It also does wonders for grass growth. Its granular consistency ensures that it releases slowly and keeps the grass fed for longer.

One packet covers 6000 sq. ft and a larger 45 lb packet covers 15000 sq. ft.

10. Pennington 100536576 UltraGreen Lawn Fertilizer

This versatile fertilizer is fit for use on all lawns and it is especially useful against strong heat damage. Whether it’s hot or if there are drought conditions, this fertilizer will enhance leaf growth and leave behind a healthy lawn.

It also shows results very quickly and it offers long sustainability and extended feed for your grass up to 2-3 months. It also contains 5% iron that helps retain the lush color of your lawn. Additionally, it consists of 10.5% slow releasing nitrogen which helps with grass growth.

Why Fertilize Your Lawn in the Summer?

A healthy lawn requires proper care and this includes using the right type of fertilizer that will nourish grass roots and enhance plant growth especially during early summer and early spring. The harsh summer heat can leave your lawn looking dull, brown, and patchy.

You may also notice rapid grass burns due to direct heat and sunlight, but with adequate protection and plant nutrients injected into the soil using fertilizers, you can protect your turn even during peak summertime.

Fertilizer application also helps your lawn maintain moisture, density, and its lush green color. In fact, they can also reverse turf damages as well as seasonal stresses during those hot and dry periods.

On the other hand, unfertilized garden beds are more prone to damages from changing seasons, broadleaf weeds, and it also increases risks of soil erosion. Additionally, fertilizers provide adequate food and nutrition for your turf, without it your turf is more vulnerable against insects and diseases.

The Right Summer Fertilizer N-P-K Ratio for Your Lawn

The nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents of fertilizer products are indicated by the N-P-K ratio. A fertilizer, for instance, includes 8% nitrogen, 9% phosphorus, and 10% potassium if its N-P-K ratio is 8-9-10.

Fillers and other minor nutrients like iron, copper, and magnesium make up the remaining portion of the nutrients in the fertilizer.
For any plant to grow and thrive, it needs six essential elements: carbon, potassium, oxygen, phosphorus, nitrogen, and hydrogen.The final three nutrients are macronutrients that are present in soil.

Nitrogen is a year-round important macronutrient for maintaining lawns and growing evergreens. It is applied to encourage the growth of leaves and produce a more vivid hue. Nearly all lawn fertilizers contain a lot of nitrogen.

Phosphorus is essential for the formation of healthy roots in lawns as well as the growth of blossoms in blooming plants and shrubs.
In order to promote root development, phosphorus can be given to existing lawns or new sod in the spring at the start of the growing season.

By injecting potassium to fields in the fall, you may help your turf withstand bad weather like frost, snow, and torrential rain.

Avoiding Burning Grass When Using Best Fertilizer For Warm Season Grasses

There is a significant likelihood the grass has been burnt by exposing it to too much fertilizer. This is usually also evident when your turf develops yellow or brown patches after fertilizer application.

Usually, it’s simple to spot since the grass will look injured rather than just dull. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you may take to avoid this.

Possibly the simplest method is to use a slow-release fertilizer. Burn can be avoided by following the manufacturer’s recommendations, applying the fertilizer when the grass is dry, and providing enough water to activate the fertilizer.

Make sure your route doesn’t have a lot of overlap if you’re utilizing a spreader/granule combination. Overlapping passes will always overload or over-saturate some regions with fertilizer.

Varieties of Best Fertilizer for Summer Grass

Slow-Release Lawn Fertilizer

This product performs just as it should. This can be a great option if you want to cut down on the time you spend on yard work. In essence, this kind of fertilizer gradually distributes a fixed quantity of minerals into the soil.

Some organic slow-release products provide nutrients as they break down and degrade organically.

Most frequently, these fertilizers have a plastic resin or sulfur-based polymer covering that will break down in the presence of the elements and release nutrients when the artificial coating degrades.

Slow-release fertilizer costs more per pound than alternatives with a quicker action. The annual cost is approximately the same with slow-release solutions due to the infrequent application requirements.

Lawn Fertilizer Spray

Liquid sprays can directly nourish plant growth on the leaves as well as through the soil. Because nutrient uptake through leaves is significantly faster than those through soil, liquid fertilizer sprays typically produce results more quickly.

All types of liquid fertilizers work quickly. Nutrients are transferred over stems and foliage and deep into the ground to the roots when applied with a watering can or a basic hose attachment.

Water-Soluble

This substance, which is typically sold in dry powder form, is inexpensive and simple to store. It is the least popular option for grass care and is frequently sold for feeding indoor plants. N-P-K ratio fluctuations are thus more constrained with this option.

Liquid Concentrate

This product, which is typically marketed in bottles or jugs, is water-soluble and simply needs the user to combine a precise quantity of concentrate with water to operate. To benefit roots, either directly apply it to the soil or spray over foliage so it is absorbed by the plant’s leaves and stems for immediate results.

FAQs About the Best Lawn Fertilizer for Summer

You should put slow-release organic summer season fertilizers in your lawn in June and July. These come packed with beneficial minerals and key nutrients that protect your turf warm season grass blades against burns and brown patches.

The best fertilizer numbers you should use in the summer are 10-0-4, 6-0-0, and also 15-0-8. These NPK ratios will keep your summer grass healthy and free of burns.

The most drought tolerant cool season grasses are the tall fescue, fine fescue, and Kentucky bluegrass. These require minimal irrigation of only 1.25 inches of weekly water.

You should apply summer lawn fertilizer for warm season grass between June and August. Ideally, this should be done 6-9 weeks after the late spring fertilizing.

Abigail Clemente

Abigail Clemente

To say that Abigail is passionate about gardening and landscaping would be an understatement. Abigail came to Your House Your Garden team with an already exceptional portfolio as an experienced writer.

Abigail Clemente

Abigail Clemente

To say that Abigail is passionate about gardening and landscaping would be an understatement. Abigail came to Your House Your Garden team with an already exceptional portfolio as an experienced writer.