After scarifying and spiking my lawns this autumn, what should I feed them
with to ensure a healthy and attractive lawn next year?
Alistair

I like using 6x pelleted fertiliser. Its organic and you can put it in a spreader or just chuck it about by hand.

www.6-x.co.uk

Jess

On 11/7/2009 6:42 AM, Alistair Macdonald wrote:
After scarifying and spiking my lawns this autumn, what should I feed them
with to ensure a healthy and attractive lawn next year?
Alistair



I go to a local hardware store with a little calculator. I buy whatever
off-brand pelleted fertilizer they have that provides the greatest
amount of nitrogen (first number in the NPK ratios) per dollar. I take
the N-number as a percentage, multiply it by the weight of the bag, and
divide by the price. This gives me pounds of nitrogen per dollar.

I use this not only on my lawn but also on my shrub and flower beds.
While the phosphorus and potassium are important, low nitrogen in the
soils is what limits plant growth in much of southern California.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

On Nov 10, 12:26*pm, Phisherman wrote:
On Sat, 7 Nov 2009 14:42:56 -0000, "Alistair Macdonald"

wrote:
After scarifying and spiking my lawns this autumn, what should I feed them
with to ensure a healthy and attractive lawn next year?
Alistair

A slow-release nitrogen fertilizer, any brand, is good. *Best to get a
soil analysis and pH.

Where you are located will have a bearing on what to fertilize with
and when. For more northerly locations with cool season turf grasses,
you want a fertilizer with a low nitrogen content for fall application
- it the root system you want to encourage growth in now, not the top.
Save the high nitrogen formulation for the spring and the primary
growing season. For more southerly locations with warm season grasses
a more balanced formulation may be appropriate.

And it never hurts to apply a light layer of screened compost over the
lawn at any time. It is particularly beneficial after aerating.

On Nov 7, 9:42*am, "Alistair Macdonald"
wrote:
After scarifying and spiking my lawns this autumn, what should I feed them
with to ensure a healthy and attractive lawn next year?
Alistair

Feed them what is indicated in a SOIL TEST
Most times you can obtain one for a very reasonable fee through your
extension service.

Thanks to all my advisers. I think I've got a good grip on the subject now.
"Alistair Macdonald" wrote in message
...
After scarifying and spiking my lawns this autumn, what should I feed them
with to ensure a healthy and attractive lawn next year?
Alistair