If you are new to using fertiliser on your lawn, keep reading for detailed, helpful advice. This will help you to better understand what fertiliser is, how to choose the best lawn feed, and when to feed your grass.

When should I feed my lawn?

As mentioned in our Fertiliser Guide, we recommend feeding your lawn twice a year to give it the nutrients it needs to grow as best it can in the UK. The best time to apply fertiliser is when your grass is actively growing. The best time of the year to fertilise your lawn is from March – to October, when temperatures have started to increase and your grass is actively growing. Between November and February, your lawn is considered to be in a state of dormancy. This means that it grows extremely slowly, if at all.

If you’re interested in finding out more about the best times of the year to use fertiliser in the UK, our blog on when to start applying fertiliser will help.

Feeding your lawn at different times of the year

Fertilising your lawn in spring will help refresh and revitalise it after the winter season and boost the level of nutrients within your soil. An autumn feed will help to give your lawn a long-lasting feed for the winter months ahead; this will ensure that your lawn is prepared for the challenges that the winter weather may bring.  

Did you know different lawn fertilisers for different purposes

Just like our grass seed mixtures, each and every one of our fertilisers is different from one another. While this can sometimes make it a little difficult to choose the one you need, it does ensure that every time you use a fertiliser, you are using one that is specific to that time of year and will give your lawn a tailored feed that is most beneficial.

To help you understand when to feed your lawn with our range of fertilisers, we are going to break them down into seasonal products.

Pre-Seed Lawn Feeding

If you plan to sow a new lawn from scratch, consider using our QUICK RELEASE: Pre-Seed fertiliser. It is designed to give your new seedlings the best possible foundation for growth while ensuring that any new grass grows strong and healthy.

Aside from providing a much-needed boost of nutrients, pre-seed lawn feed will also help accelerate the growth speed, meaning that your lawn should grow thick and fast and leave you with a beautiful green lawn sooner rather than later. For best results with this fertiliser, you should spread it at our recommended rate of 70g per m2 using a spreader or by hand (remember that you must cover your hand with a protective glove).

Like all our other granular fertilisers, you should water this in completely before sowing your new lawn.

Spring / Summer Feeding

When the temperatures pick up during spring and summer, so will the activity and use on your lawn. Ensuring your lawn is ready for wear and tear in the months ahead will help ensure your grass remains thick, healthy, and green for longer!

Our spring/summer fertilisers differ from our autumn /winter fertilisers because they contain a higher nitrogen level in their NPK breakdown. The higher nitrogen levels in our spring/summer fertilisers are crucial for feeding at this time of year. Nitrogen will help accelerate the speed of growth in your grass, meaning that the grass blades will sprout quicker through the soil’s surface, allowing the grass to generate energy for more root growth and improved disease prevention.   

Our Spring / Summer Lawn Food Options:

There are a few fertiliser types: our QUICK RELEASE: Spring/Summer fertiliser or our SLOW RELEASE: Spring/ Summer fertiliser - both of which are granular fertilisers.

We also have fast-acting spring/summer liquid fertilisers that will feed your grass instantly: 

• Make it Grow Spring/Summer for a nutrient boost that literally makes your grass grow better.
• Make it Green Spring/Summer that enhances the health of your grass, resulting in a healthier and vibrantly green lawn!

Granular Lawn Feed Benefits:

SLOW RELEASE: Spring/ Summer

• Works over 16 weeks
• Strengthens and thickens up your grass
• Provides a long-lasting feed of nutrients to sustain your grass all summer long

QUICK RELEASE: Spring/ Summer

• Works over 6 weeks
• Promotes instant greenness and immediate health
• Quickly works to revitalise your lawn in a short period of time

While both spring/summer fertilisers will help improve your lawn’s health and appearance, we recommend a slow-releasing fertiliser if you are on time with applications. A slow-releasing fertiliser works over an extended period to give your lawn a steadier, longer feed.

Liquid Lawn Food Quick Release Benefits:

Make it Grow Spring/Summer Liquid Fertiliser

• Fast-acting, all-rounder spring/summer nutrient boost for your lawn
• Dual-action liquid fertiliser
• It can be used on grass leaves and/or roots
• Quickly repairs and revives grass that looks tired and worn out

Make it Green Spring/Summer

• Fast-acting spring/summer lawn nutrient boost
• Quickly feeds your lawn so it grows greener and healthier
• Noticeable difference in only a few days after applying!

Autumn / Winter Feeding  

While spring/ summer fertilisers will focus on quick growth and greenness, our autumn/winter fertilisers will focus on improving the strength and health of your grassroots. During the winter, the climate is much more challenging, and while your lawn will typically get less use in the winter, it definitely faces a few more challenges from Mother Nature. Colder temperatures, ice, frost, and snow contribute to your lawn’s challenges over winter.

Our autumn/winter fertilisers are higher in potassium, phosphates and magnesium; these ingredients will help to strengthen the roots and stiffen the leaf blades, which will help to protect that grass against severe weather conditions.

For autumn/winter feeding, we have our granular SLOW RELEASE: Autumn/Winter fertiliser or our QUICK: RELEASE: Autumn/ Winter fertiliser to choose from. On top of that, we also have our Make it Strong liquid fertiliser.

SLOW RELEASE: Autumn/Winter

• Works over 16 weeks
• High potassium and magnesium levels
• Strengthens grassroots and leaves to provide winter protection

QUICK RELEASE: Autumn/Winter

• Works for 6 weeks
• High in potassium and phosphates, low in nitrogen
• Stiffens leaf blades and strengthens roots to protect against diseases and frost.

Make it Strong - Quick Release Autumn/Winter Liquid Fertiliser

• Strengthening winter lawn feed for use in autumn
• Helps your lawn resist winter cold/frost and common lawn diseases
• Nutrient-rich liquid fertiliser that preserves the health of your lawn until spring

Top Tip – Always choose a seasonal fertiliser; never use a spring/summer feed during winter and vice versa. This could cause your lawn more harm than good.

Organic Lawn Feed

If you want an organic approach, we also have fertiliser to tick that box. Our REVIVE: Organic 365 fertiliser can be used all year round, unlike our other fertiliser products. Because it is made up of only organic matter, a much lower nitrogen level is within it, so it minimises the risks of scorching your grass after application.

• Provides a 20-week feed for your lawn
• 100% organic feed for your lawn
• Nourishes the soil and improves its tolerance against drought and disease.

To learn more about fertilisers, head to our help and advice pages.