As the centre piece of your garden, it’s easy to see why so many people want a healthy and vibrant lawn throughout the year. While this is mostly done through regular mowing and weed management, it’s also important to give the lawn some added nutrients over the seasons.
However, if you’ve ever read the instructions for a lawn fertilizer, you’ll know exactly how complex the process seems. There are countless things to consider, picking the time and place to apply the feed, not to mention the fact that different feeds have varying effects on the lawn.
It’s easy to see why so many people don’t bother feeding their lawn with fertilizers, as the process just seems more hassle than its worth. However, with a little bit of knowledge, finding the best lawn feed is quick and easy, which is exactly what this buying guide is here to help you with.
You’ll know exactly what your lawn needs throughout the year and how to find a suitable fertilizer, resulting in a luscious green lawn that remains healthy year-round. Check out the handy buying guide for all the information you need to choose the right lawn fertilizer for your garden, along with some reviews of the top products currently available!
What Is The Best Lawn Feed?
Aftercut 3 Day Green Lawn Feed and Conditioner
- No Scorch Formula
- Thickens lawn growth
- Makes Grass Greener
- Treats 200m2
Aftercut 3 Day Green Lawn Feed and Conditioner is a fast-acting lawn treatment suitable for use from early spring to late summer. It’s a granule-based feed that contains added iron and magnesium to encourage healthy growth from root to tip, meaning both the foliage and root systems get all the nutrients they need.
As the name suggests, the fertilizer shows results in as little as three days! The grass immediately appears greener and more dense growth begins to appear after several weeks, so if your lawn is looking worse for wear after a long winter then this a great feed that gets results fast.
Being a general-purpose fertilizer, there isn’t any weed or moss killing ingredients, and you can use every month from February to September to encourage a healthy and vibrant lawn. With enough granules to treat an area of 200m2, you should have plenty of feed to last throughout the year!
Applying the feed is quite easy too. You can spread it by hand, using 35g of granules per square metre, although a lawn spready may make this process easier. That said, you don’t need to worry too much about using too much, as it uses a no-scorch formula so the lawn shouldn’t get damaged.
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Miracle-Gro EverGreen Complete 4 in 1
- Feeds Lawn
- Makes Grass Greener
- Thickens Lawn Growth
- Kills Weed and Moss
- Treats 360m2
Miracle-Gro produces some of the best-selling plant-care products around, so it’s no surprise they have many great lawn treatment products such as the Evergreen Complete 4-in-1.
This versatile lawn care product not only encourages thicker and greener lawn growth, it also works to kill both weeds and mosses, making it an all-in-one solution for easier lawn maintenance. Available in various size, a 12.6kg pack offers enough granules to treat areas up to 360m2.
A higher concentration of nitrogen ensures that lawns become greener and denser in less time, with results showing as quickly as seven days after application. It also features lots of potassium to help build root systems, so both the top and bottom of the lawn benefit from this feed.
As if that wasn’t good enough for your lawn, the granules contain weed and moss killing ingredients that will remove those pesky weeds in a few weeks. Simply rake them out when they are dead and watch the fertilizer restore growth and colour throughout the lawn.
It can be used from late spring to early autumn, making it a great treatment throughout the growing season, espiecally if your lawn is feeling the effects of a rough winter!
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Westland SafeLawn Child and Pet Friendly Natural Lawn Feed
- Organic Fertilizer
- Feeds Lawns
- Encourages New Growth
- Not Stains or Scorching
- Treats 400m2
SafeLawn is an organic lawn treatment that is completely safe for pets and kids, making it a great choice for lawns that see a lot of activity. All ingredients are 100% natural and chemical-free, so if you want to avoid using any herbicides or pesticides this is a good option.
The natural ingredients actively encourage newer lawn growth, resulting in thicker and greener grass only a few weeks after application. A microgranule formulation ensures that all nutrients are slow releasing for more efficient absorption, allowing for low-maintenance lawn care while minimizing the chances of scorching.
Better still, the granule mixture also contains grass seeds. These germinate in the gaps filled with moss and weeds, helping the grass become stronger and naturally combat their presence in lawns without needing any herbicides.
Once leaves and moss die off, these become a natural fertilizer that encourages friendly bacteria to break down the dead plant matter into additional nutrients. The soil improves over time, ensuring the lawn is healthy at both the roots and foliage.
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Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Lawn Food
- Water soluble fertilizer
- Thickens lawn growth
- Makes Grass Greener
- Treats 200m2
Water soluble lawn feeds like this one from Miracle-Gro are similar to liquid products, being a good general-purpose treatment suitable for most of the year. One key difference between the two is that water soluble products need to be combined with water first.
This means you simply add a scoop of the power into your watering can and then apply over the lawn. It’s a quick and easy way to feed the lawn and the results start showing in no time. After as little as five days you can expect lawns to start looking greener and healthier.
While a general-purpose treatment, it’s also suitable for newly sown lawns, and can be applied anytime from April to July. If applying new seeds in late summer/early autumn, the feed can be applied from September to October, although you need to wait a for new seeds to take root before using in autumn.
It can be used either once or twice a month depending on lawn condition, with lawns that are in bad shape benefiting from two uses per month until condition improves, after which you can drop back down once a month.
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Scotts Lawn Builder Lawn Food
- Slow release fertilizer
- Thickens lawn growth
- Makes Grass Greener
- No Scorch Formula
- Treats 400m2
This lawn feed from Scotts is a great option for gardeners looking for a product that is quick and easy to use and lasts for several weeks at a time. With this treatment, results appear as quickly as three days and the slow release nutrients will last for up to ten weeks!
This makes it a great low-maintenance feed, as you don’t need to apply it as often as most others, although you may still want to if you want your lawn to look better than ever or if its in really poor condition.
In any case, 8kg provides enough feed for up to 400m2, so expect to get plenty of use from it throughout the year, whether using frequently or every month or so. High nitrogen content means the grass becomes thicker and greener, while the low release formula means the lawn will have ample nutrients for months at a time.
It’s suitable for use from March to September, with the slow release formula preventing surge growth, which is a problem cause by fertilizers breaking down too quickly and causing a nutrient imbalance in soil that can damage long-term lawn health.
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Vitax 1L Green Up Liquid Lawn Feed and Weed
- Liquid feed
- Thickens lawn growth
- Makes grass greener
- Kills weeds
- Treats 200m2
Looking for a simple way to feed your lawn? Then look no further than this handy liquid lawn fertilizer from Vitax. Not only does it provide lots of nutrients, it will kill off some of the most common broadleaf weeds found in the garden, including dandelions, buttercups, daisies, and clovers.
If your lawn looks patchy, discoloured, and covered with weeds, then this liquid feed will provide a solution to all your problems. Just one litre offers enough treatment for areas up to 200m2 and it only needs to be used once per year, so expect it to last many years.
You can apply it from April to October, although because it should only be used once you will need to choose your timing well. It’s probably best to do this sometime in spring or early summer, as it works best when weeds are developed and the soil is moist.
It’s easy to apply with a watering can or spray gun, simply mix a small amount of the liquid solution with water and apply. You may want to test it on a small patch of the lawn to see how effective it is at killing weeds, with faster results indicating a good time to use throughout the garden.
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Buying Guide
There are lawn treatments available for every situation, whether it’s adding some nutrients during growing season or helping to remove weeds and moss while feeding the grass. Some are suitable for different seasons, while feeds can come in both liquids and granules, so finding the best option for your garden can be difficult.
The Different Types of Lawn Feed
There are many types of fertilizer products for your lawn, which can range from general purpose feed to specialised treatments. Any of these could be perfect for your needs, so it helps to know what options are available and what they offer!
General Purpose FertilizerÂ
This is your standard feed for a growing lawn, usually being applied throughout spring and summer during peak growing season. It doesn’t contain extra ingredients for killings weeds or moss, just standard nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
These are usually applied every 6 to 8 weeks throughout spring and summer. Doing so encourages healthy and dense growth, makes lawns greener, builds strong roots, and will help prevent moss and weeds from developing.
Fertilizer and Weed KillerÂ
Combining fertilizer and weed killer in one handy product, these are great for lawns that have minor weed problems, working to feed the grass while killing off these unwelcome guests on the lawn. While it’s usually recommended that you dewed a lawn before feeding it, these products can help kill off those tougher or less noticeable weeds you may have missed.
It’s a very convenient treatment and one suitable for low-maintenance gardeners. These are only typically applied a few times per year, usually around spring and/or summer during peak growing conditions.
Fertilizer and Moss KillerÂ
Moss growing on a lawn is usually a sign of poor lawn condition. It can be cause by many things, including compact soil, poor drainage, low soil pH, excessive shading, and a lack of essential lawn nutrients.
While using a fertilizer will prevent growth, it doesn’t help remove it, with moss being incredibly difficult to get rid of on a lawn – unless you have a good moss killer!
These products are combined with fertilizers for an all-in-one lawn treatment. Ingredients like iron sulphate kill off the moss while the feed helps to improve soil condition to prevent more moss developing and encourage more grass to grow.
It’s usually applied twice a year, once after spring when moss is likely to have grown and before winter to prevent more growth in the cold season. Once the moss is dead, you simply rake it out and watch it be replaced by healthy growth!
Lawn SandÂ
Lawn sand is another type of moss killer/fertilizer, which combines ingredients like iron sulphate to kill moss with ammonium sulphate to help stimulate new growth in the areas where the moss has overgrown.
It’s almost identical to other types of moss killers, with the main difference being it uses sand to carry the various ingredients, while other products use thicker granules or liquid solutions to apply the feed and killer.
New Lawn FeedÂ
Designed for use on newly planted lawns, this fertilizer comes with all the nutrients needed to establish a healthy new lawn. If you are planning on re-sowing all or part of the lawn, then a new lawn feed is a good choice as it will help it to establish and keep them healthy as they bed in.
Autumn FertilizerÂ
This is different from standard lawn feeds, which are applied from spring to summer, with autumn fertilizer being used to prepare the lawn for the upcoming winter. It’s typically the last feed of the year, being applied around early to mid-autumn for the best effects.
Rather than focusing on encouraging new growth, an autumn feed provides additional potassium content to help encourage strong root development. This is essential for a healthy lawn during the winter, as the colder temperatures can hinder root development, resulting in poorer growth come spring.
Choosing the Right Lawn Feed
The biggest challenge you’re likely to face when buying a lawn treatment is knowing what one is best for your lawn in its current condition. There are lawn fertilizers available for feeding lawns, killing weeds and/or moss, while some are designed for use in autumn to prepare it for winter conditions.
So, which one is suitable for your situation? One way to determine this is by thinking about the seasons and which lawn feeds work best for each one.
Spring and SummerÂ
The beginning of spring represents the start of growing season for your lawn. After a long and cold winter, it needs plenty of additional nutrients that have been absorbed from the soil over the weeks and months.
However, it will probably need some moss killer too, as winter is when moss begins to develop. The moss won’t start showing until spring, so by applying a moss killer and fertilizer combo during this time you can prevent most of the moss from growing.
The fertilizer restoes lost nutrients in the soil, ensuring new lawn growth develops much quicker, replacing any moss that may have attacked the lawn.
Don’t stop here though!
After the moss has all died out, change up your lawn feed to a general-purpose fertilizer and then apply this to the lawn around mid-spring. A good liquid lawn feed is recommended for this, as it’s easy to apply and works very quickly, ensuring strong and vibrant growth as you enter summer.
Once you reach summer, continue with general purpose feed, applying every six to eight weeks to maintain optimal lawn health throughout growing season.
Be mindful of extremely warm temperatures though! If summer gets excessively warm and there is a lot of drought, stop using fertilizer for the meantime as it may cause more damage than good. Grass stops growing it its too warm, so the nutrients will not be absorbed and could end up damage the lawn.
Only start applying long feed once the dry spot has passed. Make sure to wait until there was a good few days of rain to irrigate the dry soil and stimulate lawn growth, continuing with a general-purpose feed every six to eight weeks as before.
Autumn and WinterÂ
You won’t be feeding the lawn during winter as the weather is too cold for anything to grow. The fertilizer would just sit in the lawn and be no use, as any new growth will get killed off by the frost, so there is no point wasting your time and money.
However, it is recommended that you use an autumn lawn treatment before winter arrives. These products are designed to prepare the lawn for the cold months but work differently to standard lawn fertilizers.
For example, these products contain less nitrogen because the nutrient encourages top growth, which is useless during winter because frost kills off anything that grows beyond a certain length. Instead, the feed has a higher potassium content to encourage strong root growth over winter.
Doing so means that the lawn quickly recovers from harsh winter conditions come spring, ensuring optimal lawn growth for the new season. Because winter has negative impact on a lawn’s overall health, an autumn lawn fertilizer is probably the most important feed to buy for your lawn.
Liquid or Granule?Â
Another important thing to consider is whether the fertilizer is a liquid or granule-based product. Both have their benefits, so you may find that using both is one of the best ways to keep your lawn healthy and vibrant throughout the year.
Granular feeds are the most widely available and come with various functions such as weed or moss killers. These are highly versatile and suitable for use for most of the year, with the biggest advantage being that they release the nutrients slowly over long periods, meaning fewer applications are necessary.
Application can be trickier though, as you need to ensure you use the right volume of granules and evenly distribute then throughout the lawn. Get this wrong and you may underfeed sections of the lawn and cause burning in overfeed areas, so make sure to get it right.
Most granule feeds come with an applicator attachment for easier distribution, while you can also apply them by hand if preferred. It’s important to get the timing right too, as these feeds need to be applied on dry lawns but within a few days of rain, otherwise you need to water the lawn yourself.
Liquid fertilizers are a popular option, with most general-purpose feeds being liquid-based. The biggest advantage of these is that they are easy to apply and fast acting, making them a good option during growing season in spring and summer.
They don’t release nutrients slowly like granules though, so regular application is needed, typically every six to eight weeks. These are great for short-term treatments and giving an already healthy lawn a boost of nutrients, while their easy application makes them suitable for low maintenance gardeners.
For those that want the healthiest lawn possible, consider buying both liquid and granule feeds, as these can be used throughout the year, providing treatments suitable for each season. If you need to kill weeds or moss, a granule option is likely your best bet!
Last update on 2023-04-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
