Choosing the right lawn fertiliser is essential for maintaining a healthy, vibrant lawn in New Zealand’s varied climates. From early spring growth to winter preparation, fertiliser provides the nutrients grass needs to stay green, resilient, and weed-resistant. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the types of lawn fertiliser available in NZ, when to apply them, and how to get the best results for your lawn type.
These articles provide sound advice on the products used by the professionals. If you want to grow an amazing lawn, you need to use the right fertilser!
The Plant Company has seen some shocking examples over the years of “burning” on lawns caused by the wrong fertiliser being applied, and often at the wrong time. Therefore, it is important to make sure the right product is used in the right way. This is why we have developed the best lawn fertilisers in NZ!
The first point is that a newly sown (or about to be sown) lawn needs different fertiliser from an established lawn. A new lawn requires nutrients that will get the root system going while also promoting strong foliage so the plant establishes quickly and beats the weeds. The Plant Company has a proven product, new lawn fertiliser, which gives outstanding results and is the only standard fertiliser The Plant Company recommends to be used at or before sowing. It has a NPK ratio of 12.4:5.2:15 with calcium and sulphur also included.
For older lawns, it is more about maintaining the grass and ensuring it is not missing any vital nutrients. These are slowly removed with the clippings and through natural leaching, so the goal here is to replenish those nutrients. Fertiliser For Established Lawns is The Plant Company’s recommended product as it provides everything the lawn needs.
Both New Lawn Fertiliser and Fertiliser For Established Lawns are reasonably quick release products and need to be watered in after being applied. Failing to water them in could lead to minor burning, particularly during hot and humid weather. Applications at the recommended rates should be made in spring, summer (if you can water), and autumn. Please note: fertiliser should not be applied to lawns that cannot be watered or where rain is not forecast. The Plant Company also recommends that mowing is delayed until after the fertiliser has been watered in.
The Plant Company does not recommend using Controlled Release Fertilisers on established lawns as the fertiliser can be sucked into the catcher during mowing and lost. More information on options around using Controlled Release Fertilisers on a lawn can be found in the article, Controlled Release Fertiliser For Lawns.
The Plant Company makes fertilizing lawns easy by only having two main products. For a new lawn or anywhere fresh lawn seed has been applied, use new lawn fertiliser. This fertiliser has all the nutrients your new lawn seedlings need to get away quickly and strongly. It has a NPK ratio of 12.4:5.2:15 with calcium and sulphur also included. For established lawns or those that are at least 12-weeks old, use established lawn fertiliser. Once again, this fertiliser has everything needed to make the lawn lush and will also kill any moss present in the lawn.
Both New Lawn Fertiliser and Fertiliser For Established Lawns are reasonably quick release products and need to be watered in after being applied. Failing to water them in could lead to minor burning, particularly during hot and humid weather. Applications at the recommended rates should be made in spring, summer (if you can water), and autumn. Please note: fertiliser should not be applied to lawns that cannot be watered or where rain is not forecast. The Plant Company also recommends that mowing is delayed until after the fertiliser has been watered in to avoid wastage.
The Plant Company strongly recommends avoiding the use of urea or ammonium-based fertilisers on lawns as these often result in unsightly “burning”. Similar burning can also occur with over-application of any fertiliser, even those presented in this article. The general rule is little and often, watered in, to get the best result with little risk.
Over-fertilising a lawn is not only possible, but it's unfortunately quite common. While fertiliser provides essential nutrients for healthy grass growth, applying too much can have detrimental effects.
It can happen in several ways:
The consequences of over-fertilising a lawn:
What to do if you suspect the lawn has been over-fertilised:
Prevention:
By understanding the dangers of over-fertilising your grass and taking preventive measures, you can keep your lawn healthy and avoid harming the environment.
Controlled Release Fertilisers can be used on a lawn but are generally not recommended by The Plant Company if the lawn is mown with a catcher. This is because the fertiliser is often sucked up by the mower blades and blown into the catcher which tends to defeat the purpose. However, if the lawn is mown using a mulching mower, then a Controlled Release Fertiliser is both a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method of fertilising a lawn.
The Plant Company considers Controlled Release Fertiliser environmentally friendly because the nutrients are released over a long period rather than all at once. The rate of release is related to temperature rather than soil moisture which means the plants are generally being fed when they are most actively growing. Other fertilisers release nutrients as soon as they come in contact with water, so nutrients can be lost through leaching far more easily than with Controlled Release Fertilisers.
The Plant Company has a certified organic fertiliser that is perfect for using on lawns. It has a NPK rating of 2.5:3.5:3.4 with sulphur, magnesium, and calcium included. This organic fertiliser is typically used at 100 grams per square metre (i.e., a cup full) during spring and autumn. The Plant Company recommends watering the fertiliser in shortly after application.
Sheep Pellets and compost are sometimes used on new lawns and these are typically worked into the soil during cultivation. See the article, Preparing The Soil For A New Lawn, for more information on seedbed preparation.
The answer to the question about whether to use lime depends on your soil pH. The optimum pH for a lawn is 6-6.5. The best way to determine the pH is by using a pH Test Kit. This quick test will tell you whether a correction is necessary. Should the pH be lower than 6, use dolomite lime at the recommended rates. If it is above pH 6.5 you might want to consider using soil acidifying fertiliser at the recommended rates. In either case, apply the fertiliser and retest the soil after four weeks.
The question of how I can make the lawn look awesome often comes up when people are wanting to sell a property and they are looking for a quick remedy to darken up a lawn. A product that does within just a few days is Magnesium Sulphate. This solution, however, is only short term (2-3 weeks) and the lawn will revert to its original colour if the product is not reapplied.
If a more medium-term (4-6 weeks) remedy is acceptable, The Plant Company recommends using Fertiliser for established lawns which has been specifically blended to give the lawn all the nutrition it needs for the next 6-12 months. Don’t try and cut corners using urea or other ammonium-based fertilisers as often this leads to “burning” and terrible outcomes. That would be a disaster if the property is being prepared for sale. Fertiliser for established lawns is simply spread by hand across the lawn and then watered in.
The Plant Company has a certified organic fertiliser that is perfect for using on lawns. It has a NPK rating of 2.5:3.5:3.4 with sulphur, magnesium, and calcium included. This organic fertiliser is typically used at 100 grams per square metre (i.e., a cup full) during spring and autumn. The Plant Company recommends watering the fertiliser in shortly after application.
Sheep Pellets and compost are sometimes used on new lawns and these are typically worked into the soil during cultivation. See the article, Preparing The Soil For A New Lawn, for more information on seedbed preparation.
Controlled Release Fertilisers can be used on a lawn but are generally not recommended by The Plant Company, especially if the lawn is mown with a catcher. This is because the fertiliser is often sucked up by the mower blades and blown into the catcher which tends to defeat the purpose. However, if the lawn is mown using a mulching mower, then a Controlled Release Fertiliser is both a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method of fertilising a lawn.
The Plant Company considers Controlled Release Fertiliser environmentally friendly because the nutrients are released over a long period rather than all at once. The rate of release is related to temperature rather than soil moisture which means the plants are generally being fed when they are most actively growing. Other fertilisers release nutrients as soon as they come in contact with water, so nutrients can be lost through leaching far more easily than with Controlled Release Fertilisers.
The question of how can I make the lawn look awesome often comes up when people are wanting to sell a property and they are looking for a quick remedy to darken up a lawn. A product that does within just a few days is Magnesium Sulphate. This solution, however, is only short term (2-3 weeks) and the lawn will revert to its original colour if the product is not reapplied.
If a more medium-term (4-6 weeks) remedy is acceptable, The Plant Company recommends using Fertiliser for established lawns which has been specifically blended to give the lawn all the nutrition it needs for the next 6-12 months. Don’t try and cut corners using urea or other ammonium-based fertilisers as often this leads to “burning” and terrible outcomes. That would be a disaster if the property is being prepared for sale. Fertiliser for established lawns is simply spread by hand across the lawn and then watered in.
The answer to the question about whether to use lime depends on your soil pH. The optimum pH for a lawn is 6-6.5. The best way to determine the pH is by using a pH Test Kit. This quick test will tell you whether a correction is necessary. Should the pH be lower than 6, use dolomite lime at the recommended rates. If it is above pH 6.5 you might want to consider using soil acidifying fertiliser at the recommended rates. In either case, apply the fertiliser and retest the soil after four weeks.
The Plant Company has seen some shocking examples over the years of “burning” on lawns caused by the wrong fertiliser being applied, and often at the wrong time. Therefore, it is important to make sure the right product is used in the right way.
The first point is that a newly sown (or about to be sown) lawn needs different fertiliser from an established lawn. A new lawn requires nutrients that will get the root system going while also promoting strong foliage so the plant establishes quickly and beats the weeds. The Plant Company has a proven product, new lawn fertiliser, which gives outstanding results and is the only standard fertiliser The Plant Company recommends to be used at or before sowing. It has a NPK ratio of 12.4:5.2:15 with calcium and sulphur also included.
For older lawns, it is more about maintaining the grass and ensuring it is not missing any vital nutrients. These are slowly removed with the clippings and through natural leaching, so the goal here is to replenish those nutrients. Fertiliser For Established Lawns is The Plant Company's recommended product as it provides everything the lawn needs.
Both New Lawn Fertiliser and Fertiliser For Established Lawns are reasonably quick release products and need to be watered in after being applied. Failing to water them in could lead to minor burning, particularly during hot and humid weather. Applications at the recommended rates should be made in spring, summer (if you can water), and autumn. Please note: fertiliser should not be applied to lawns that cannot be watered or where rain is not forecast. The Plant Company also recommends that mowing is delayed until after the fertiliser has been watered in.
The Plant Company does not recommend using Controlled Release Fertilisers on established lawns as the fertiliser can be sucked into the catcher during mowing and lost. More information on options around using Controlled Release Fertilisers on a lawn can be found in the article, Controlled Release Fertiliser For Lawns.
Whether you need assistance finding the plant you’re looking for or you simply want to know more about who we are and what we do, we invite you to get in touch with us today. A member of The Plant Company team will get back in touch as soon as possible.
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