Step by step Guide
Step 1. Measure out your fertilizer.
Follow the directions on the bag carefully! Determine the size of your yard then measure out the right amount of fertilizer. The total amount of fertilizer you need to be calculated using ONLY the lawn area of your yard. DO NOT include areas that are covered by patios, walkways, driveways, sidewalks, garden beds, etc.
Never apply more fertilizer than directed on the label! You can burn your grass!
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Step 2. Fill the spreader
Use a drop or handheld spreader to help you to distribute the fertilizer more evenly.
Fill the spreader on the sidewalk, driveway, or other paved area where you can test and fine-tune the application rate. Sweep up any fertilizer that spills on your paved area and return them to the hooper.​ Never fill the spreader hopper when it's on the lawn!
Set the spreader settings to correspond to the amount of fertilizer you want to apply.Unless the instructions direct differently, use the spreader on the lowest setting.​
Green Tips
Fertilize the lawn when the blades of grass are dry. The granules tend to stick to wet surfaces, which will burn the grass blades on contact. Dry grass also makes it easier to sweep up any spilled granules in the grass.
Step 3. Apply the fertilizer
Spread fertilizer over the edges of the lawn first. Then move back and forth between the edges. To avoid missing strips, make sure to overlap the path of the wheels when using a drop spreader.
Turn the spreader off when you reach the end strips, when you come to a stop, or when you’re turning around to avoid uneven application.
Walk in a straight line so the wheel tracks from the first pass will give you a guideline to follow on the next one.
Move at your normal walking speed. Your speed affects the rate at which the fertilizer is applied.
If you have a spill, clean up the fertilizer as best as you can (you may want to try a vacuum cleaner) and flood the area with water to prevent the lawn from chemical burns.
Leave a 20-foot safety zone around wells and streams where no fertilizer is applied.
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Step 4. Watering
Water the lawn thoroughly after fertilizing. Watering in the fertilizer washes the nutrients into the soil where lawn roots can use them and where they won’t be washed away by heavy rain. Watering also gets the fertilizer off the leaves which may cause burning. A dry lawn is more likely to burn than a wet one.​
Step 5. Maintenance
Apply fertilizer every 6-8 weeks for the best results. Learn more about the Fertilizer Application Schedule.​
Dead Lawns do tell tales
Fertilizer is strong stuff. If it is applied too heavily, it kills the grass, which turns brown and takes weeks to recover.
Turf Tip
Fertilizer spreaders are made of metal. Fertilizer left in the hopper in amounts large or small will cause the mechanism to corrode and rust. Make it to habit to wash the spreader out with the garden hose immediately after you finish a fertilizer application. Once dry, give it a quick spray with WD-40 or similar lubricant to increase the life span of the tool and to make it much easier to use next time.
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How to apply Lawn Fertilizer in Concord, Maple, Woodbridge, Vaughan, North York, Markham, Scarborough, Newmarket, Kleinburg, Bradford, King City, East Gwillimbury, Brampton, Aurora, Etobicoke, Greater Toronto Area, Mississauga, Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Toronto Ontario