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Best lawn fertilizer

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  • Aug 19th, 2018 11:10 am
Jr. Member
Sep 17, 2008
190 posts
8 upvotes
Toronto

Best lawn fertilizer

Hey all, I'm looking to find the best lawn fertilizer that I can, and one that has been successful for others.

I've lived most my adult life in high rises and didn't need to take care or a lawn until now. My grass has started to dry out heavily in the front yard, and also getting lots of the weeds in the backyard.

I have been given so much different advice from friends and family, that I figured I would try here.

Any recommendations on a lawn fertilizer to bring back the lush green color I used to have? And a bonus would be a recommendation on a weed control/fertilizer for the backyard?

Thanks in advance
15 replies
Deal Expert
User avatar
Mar 22, 2007
29332 posts
10713 upvotes
Hamilton
You need to water, water, water and more water
hated on but respected.
Jr. Member
Sep 17, 2008
190 posts
8 upvotes
Toronto
I have been. To be honest I wasn't doing it as much as I should have at the beginning of the season, but since then I've been doing it frequently.
Member
User avatar
Dec 18, 2017
240 posts
137 upvotes
GVA
That name again is Mr. Plow. :)

I found Scott's Corn Gluten works really good as a pre-emergent week killer; i.e. weed seeds that haven't spouted yet. I put it down the last week of May and I barely have any crabgrass this year. It also gives a mild nitrogen fix which grass needs (only use a nitrogen fertilizer unless planting new seeds). I had my grass growing about an inch a day with this in June, but then we hit the heat wave in July and it has really slowed. The areas next to pavement have been scorched due to heat retention in the concrete and blacktop - water those areas even more! Also, pay attention to edges where pavement meets grass - this is the prime area that weeds will get a hold. Don't trim that close - let the grass overgrow the pavement a bit so weed seeds can't get in. Pull weeds by hand when you can. I go through mine weekly to keep things in check but I have a pretty small lawn in front and back.

If you already have weeds then you need a weed killer to kill the sprouted ones and the efficient killer has 2,4-D which can be difficult to find in some areas. Some folks go and get it down south across the border. This is because it has some side-effects on the environment that are considered nefarious.

When the weather starts to cool down and before the cold winter season, you should overseed to help build up the lawn. Winter comes and then your lawn goes into hibernation. You want your lawn to be as healthy as possible in the spring to head off any weed seeds hiding below. Apply the corn gluten before weeds start to emerge and you will be covered for about 6-8 weeks. Don't use corn gluten when lawn overseeding because it suppresses all seed germination, not just weeds.
Deal Expert
Aug 2, 2004
38392 posts
12018 upvotes
East Gwillimbury
Don’t cut your grass too short. Let the grass crowd out the weeds.

I wouldn’t fertilize at this stage. Wait a month and reseed the lawn for next season. Fertilize in early spring.

Get a Fiskars weed extractor and start pull out the weeds.
Sr. Member
Mar 19, 2013
728 posts
228 upvotes
Prince Albert, Sask.
Best fertilizer: Scott’s Turf Builder. Been using it for 35 years, excellent results. No other brand compares. A lawn maintenance program is needed to get the deep green look. Turf requires a minimum of 1 inch of water a week. Looking for deep green, Scott’s make a product with added iron. Will give you deep green, con, will stain concrete. I understand in Ont. you are restricted when it comes to weed killer. I live in Sask. have access to Killex & Par III. These are selective weed killers. They will kill a variety of broad leaf weeds, not your grass. For a total kill, RoundUp, kills every thing green, grass included. The weeds need to go first.
Deal Guru
May 1, 2012
10538 posts
11427 upvotes
Toronto
There is no such thing as best, they all have the requirements to feed grass. All you need to decide on is if you want added iron to green the grass.
Banned
Nov 17, 2014
942 posts
763 upvotes
Ontario
Horrible waste of resources. Let it go dormant, you aren't wasting water or spewing lawnmower fumes.
Sr. Member
User avatar
Sep 2, 2005
910 posts
634 upvotes
Toronto
i’m a fan of magic carpet fertilizer. mainly cause it’s pretty cheap. you can find it on kijiji
Jr. Member
Sep 17, 2008
190 posts
8 upvotes
Toronto
TheGreatGazoo wrote: That name again is Mr. Plow. :)

I found Scott's Corn Gluten works really good as a pre-emergent week killer
Lol .. I had a laugh when you sang the song haha. That's said, someone did recommend that to be before. But when I looked up the reviews online, they weren't too good. And I checked at a store that carried it, and the worker there didn't recommend it either. I'm conflicted.
Gee wrote: Don’t cut your grass too short. Let the grass crowd out the weeds.

I wouldn’t fertilize at this stage. Wait a month and reseed the lawn for next season. Fertilize in early spring.

Get a Fiskars weed extractor and start pull out the weeds.
Thanks, I do have one of the weed extractors, but the backyard has so many weeds that it feels like it doesn't do enough to stop them. I just end up with a massive amount of holes and they keep coming back. Was hoping there was a good weed killer I could use, and overseed at the same time.

As for the front, I do plan to properly fertilize for fall and overseed to set it up for the spring fertilizing. I just wasn't sure if there was anything I should try to do to it from now because it dried out so quickly.
Magoo61 wrote: Best fertilizer: Scott’s Turf Builder. Been using it for 35 years, excellent results. No other brand compares. A lawn maintenance program is needed to get the deep green look. Turf requires a minimum of 1 inch of water a week. Looking for deep green, Scott’s make a product with added iron. Will give you deep green, con, will stain concrete. I understand in Ont. you are restricted when it comes to weed killer. I live in Sask. have access to Killex & Par III. These are selective weed killers. They will kill a variety of broad leaf weeds, not your grass. For a total kill, RoundUp, kills every thing green, grass included. The weeds need to go first.
I will do some more research into the Scott's with the added iron. I definitely want to bring that green back, so this may be a front runner for me. I have used Scott's products in the past with good results, but when I went into one of the large department stores last month to enquire, they had so many different products. And to be honest, I left more confused than when I walked in. Partially because I didn't fully educate myself before going, but also because I don't think the worker really knew what they were talking about either.
Anikiri wrote: There is no such thing as best, they all have the requirements to feed grass. All you need to decide on is if you want added iron to green the grass.
I don't know, I'd like to believe this. And maybe you are right. But when I read reviews on the cheaper brands, more often than not the reviews talk about how they are full of bad fillers (twigs, garbage, ect). Or people will say it burned their lawn. But then I will talk to someone else, and that's all they recommend lol. Again .. conflicted.
zaius wrote: i’m a fan of magic carpet fertilizer. mainly cause it’s pretty cheap. you can find it on kijiji
I read about that one recently, and it intrigued me. But the reviews were limited, so I wasn't sure. I see that a few of the independent places that sell fertilizer and sod carry it. Good to know you had good luck with it.
Deal Expert
Jan 27, 2006
21844 posts
15620 upvotes
Vancouver, BC
mr_plow wrote: Lol .. I had a laugh when you sang the song haha. That's said, someone did recommend that to be before. But when I looked up the reviews online, they weren't too good. And I checked at a store that carried it, and the worker there didn't recommend it either. I'm conflicted.
There's really not too much of a conflict really. There's a narrow window of opportunity for corn gluten to work... if you are too early, the crows eat it all and if you are too late, the weeds have already started growing. If you can use it within the window of opportunity, then it may work for you. If you don't then it may still work for you but as a fertilizer as the corn gluten decomposes on your lawn.
Jr. Member
Sep 17, 2008
190 posts
8 upvotes
Toronto
craftsman wrote: There's really not too much of a conflict really. There's a narrow window of opportunity for corn gluten to work... if you are too early, the crows eat it all and if you are too late, the weeds have already started growing. If you can use it within the window of opportunity, then it may work for you. If you don't then it may still work for you but as a fertilizer as the corn gluten decomposes on your lawn.
Ah, good to know, thanks. That was never explained to me before. I will do so more research on the perfect time to use it and give it a try. From what I read before, it only prevents new weeds from growing though. Won't kill the old ones.
Deal Expert
Jan 27, 2006
21844 posts
15620 upvotes
Vancouver, BC
mr_plow wrote: Ah, good to know, thanks. That was never explained to me before. I will do so more research on the perfect time to use it and give it a try. From what I read before, it only prevents new weeds from growing though. Won't kill the old ones.
Exactly. And the window will change depending on what weed you are trying to prevent from growing in the first place....
Jr. Member
Sep 17, 2008
190 posts
8 upvotes
Toronto
craftsman wrote: Exactly. And the window will change depending on what weed you are trying to prevent from growing in the first place....
I'm hearing good things about par3 .. so I think I may give that a shot first (simply because of the amount of weeds in the backyard)
Deal Expert
Jan 27, 2006
21844 posts
15620 upvotes
Vancouver, BC
mr_plow wrote: I'm hearing good things about par3 .. so I think I may give that a shot first (simply because of the amount of weeds in the backyard)
Yep. Get it under control first before thinking of preventing it.
Jr. Member
Sep 17, 2008
190 posts
8 upvotes
Toronto
craftsman wrote: Yep. Get it under control first before thinking of preventing it.
Thanks for all the advice

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