In order to have a healthy, good looking lawn, it is important to have your lawn fertilized about four or five times a year. Having said that, one must consider the type of fertilizer being used, the climate they live in and the actual grass type before getting out the spreader or having a qualified company come out and fertilize your lawn for your.

As far as grass types, there are basically two types of grasses, cold-season grasses and warm-season grasses. Each grass has its own growing period so each grass will require its own fertilizing timetable. An actively growing lawn accepts fertilizers best.

Warm-season grasses – these types of grasses thrive best when the temperature is hotter, during the summer months. The best time to have these types of grasses fertilized is directly after they ‘green up’ in the spring. A homeowner should have their lawn fertilized again during the later summer months.

Cold-season grasses – these types of grasses often have two growing periods, after the lawns return from its winter dormancy and next during the early autumn after the droughts are gone (August) and temperatures have moderated themselves for a while.

Many lawn care companies offer to fertilize your lawn in addition to weeding it or getting rid of pests at the same time. Fertilizers could be administered at the same time as a weed killer. Many of the fertilizers on the market today, especially the industrial strength ones lawn services use, come with an additive like a moss controller, dandelion controller or multiple pest controllers. It will not hurt your lawn and be in your best interest to request one of these types of fertilizers if you are experiencing problems that need attention rather then pay for another service charge to have a lawn care service company come out to put down a weed killer.

Don’t be offended if a lawn care service doesn’t want to fertilize your lawn because it hasn’t ‘greened-up’ yet. It will not help the lawn if it is brown and still dormant from winter to fertilize it, it may actually cause problems for the lawn later on down the road such as excessive weeds or different types of grasses not wanted in your yard – think crabgrass. A lawn needs to be actively growing and that means green in order to absorb the nutrients provided in fertilizer, particularly those containing nitrogen.

Another time a lawn care service might not want to fertilize your lawn is in extreme cases of drought or when it is really dry. Some fertilizers might burn a dry lawn if they are not properly watered after their application to the grass. In order to work well, several fertilizers on the market now need a couple of days of good watering and in drought conditions this might defeat the purpose of the fertilizer.

A lawn care service will know what is best for your particular type of lawn and when the right time to fertilize it will be.