If you plant a lawn instead of a rolled lawn, you can’t go wrong with fertilizing: the young lawn grasses are supplied with a normal slow-release fertilizer for about three to four weeks after sowing and then, depending on the product, from mid-March to mid-July in rhythm of two to three months. In mid-August, it is also advisable to spread a so-called lawn autumn fertilizer that is rich in potassium. The nutrient potassium strengthens the cell walls, lowers the freezing point of the cell sap and makes the grasses more resistant to frost.
How to properly fertilize your turf
The situation is somewhat different for turf: During the growing phase in the so-called lawn school, it is best supplied with fertilizer so that it forms a dense turf as quickly as possible. The manufacturer only knows how much fertilizer the turf of the lawn rollers still contains when they are transported to the installation site. To ensure that the new turf does not turn yellow immediately due to over-fertilization, be sure to ask your provider when and how to fertilize the green carpet after laying.
Some manufacturers recommend applying a so-called starter fertilizer that provides quickly available nutrients when preparing the soil. Others advise a so-called soil activator, which strengthens the root growth of the grasses. Depending on the product, it mostly contains rock flour for the supply of trace elements and special mycorrhizal cultures that improve the grass roots’ absorption capacity for water and nutrients. Terra Preta products are now also commercially available – they improve the structure of the soil and its storage capacity for water and nutrients.
With a spreader, the fertilizer can be spread evenly on the lawn
Basically, you should note that turf is always a little more “spoiled” than sowing turf, because it was fertilized in the growing phase. With a good water supply, weak growth and a patchy turf are unmistakable signs that the turf urgently needs a supply of nutrients. For further fertilization after the turf has grown, it is best to use an organic or organic-mineral lawn fertilizer with good immediate and long-term effects. In the long run, a grown turf is fertilized just like any other lawn.
