The Burning Question:

Why is it important to use a fertilizer spreader?

Occasionally a garden center will get a call from an unhappy customer. They bought a bag of lawn fertilizer, spread it on the lawn, and found to their dismay that some patches of the lawn were burned, while other areas grew faster and taller than the rest.

Experience has taught us that there's usually one common element in these mishaps: a proper lawn fertilizer spreader was not used. Some people will have spread the fertilizer on carefully by hand: this is especially not a good idea when using weed & feed or insecticide formulations, where contact with the skin should be avoided. Others might have employed a home-made device like a coffee-can shaker. The result is usually patchy, inconsistent growth, often with burned areas.

To get a consistent, healthy lawn growth, you need precise fertilizer application with consistent overlays, no missed areas, and no over-fertilized spots. Nothing beats a good quality lawn fertilizer spreader for this task.

Every bag of high quality lawn fertilizer should carry detailed instructions to help you get top results from its application, using a spreader. Here are some of the key points:

1. Measure the lawn area to be covered by multiplying the length of the lawn x the width, in meters (approx. one normal walking stride). Subtract the area of any buildings, driveway, etc, to get the total number of square meters (m2) you need to apply fertilizer on.

2. Buy the number of fertilizer bags you need to cover your lawn area (coverage is usually listed on the front of the bag in square feet or metres). Most lawn and garden centers will also rent you a fertilizer spreader for a very reasonable charge.

3. Adjust the spreader settings as per instructions on the back of the bag. (While you're there, read the rest of the label, too!) Fill the spreader away from the lawn.

4. Apply the fertilizer in a criss-cross pattern, spreading one half the total in each direction. Avoid misses or overlaps, and shut off the spreader when turning corners or stopping. If any is spilled, remove it or spread it with a broom and water heavily.

Lawn fertilizer quality does make a difference.

Many homeowners find the task of choosing a lawn fertilizer a bit intimidating. The numbers can be confusing... do you need a 7-7-7 or a 24-4-8? Are controlled release nutrients really worth the extra cost?

The answers become easier to grasp when you look at fertilizers from a lawn's point of view. The nutrient that contributes most to green growth is nitrogen... and since lawns are mostly green, they need a lot of it. On a bag of fertilizer, the nitrogen content is represented by the first number (the other two represent phosphorus and potassium content). A 7-7-7 formulation does not contain enough nitrogen to support healthy turf growth over a long period of time. However, increasing the content of "regular" nitrogen would increase the risk of burning the lawn. That's why "controlled- release nitrogen" was developed. Controlled-release nitrogen sources like Vigoro's IBDUŽ spread the nutrient release precisely over a 10-12 week period, regardless of temperature or moisture fluctuations. A higher content of "controlled-release" nitrogen will ensure consistent feeding over a longer period of time and virtually eliminate the risk of burning.

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