Spring feeding after green-up (warm-season)
Feed only once the lawn is fully and evenly green. A half-dormant lawn cannot use it, but the weeds can.
- When
- May 1 – May 31 (northern hemisphere) · Nov 1 – Nov 30 (southern)
- Material
- balanced spring fertilizer (e.g. 16-4-8)
- Rate
- 20–25 g/m² · about 4–5 lb per 1,000 sq ft
- For
- Warm-season lawns (Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine)
- Needs
- spreader
- Rule
- wm-spring-fertilize · Walheim; Scotts; Turgeon
Feed only once the lawn is fully, evenly green — a balanced feed wakes warm-season growth without feeding weeds on a half-dormant lawn.
Why wait for full green-up
A warm-season lawn that is still partly brown has few active roots. Fertilizer applied then mostly feeds the cool-season weeds that are already growing, or washes away. Once the lawn is fully green and has been mown two or three times, the grass can use everything you give it.
When
Usually in May in the northern hemisphere, November in the southern. A useful check is soil temperature: around 18 °C (65 °F) at 10 cm (4 in) deep means warm-season roots are active.
What and how much
A balanced spring fertilizer such as 16-4-8, at 20–25 g/m², about 4–5 lb per 1,000 sq ft. Spread it evenly in two passes at right angles and water it in.
Through the season
Warm-season grass is a heavy summer feeder. After this first feed, continue roughly monthly through summer; see summer feeding for warm-season lawns.
Sources
- Lance Walheim — Lawn Care For Dummieswalheim
- Scotts — Lawnsscotts
- A.J. Turgeon — Turfgrass Managementturgeon