So you’ve planted your Grass seed and you’ve been faithfully watering the new plants. Now what? There are many decisions to make during seeding season so we asked the Lawn Coaches for some advice. This is what they had to say when it comes to choosing starter fertilizer:

Lawn Coaches on Starter Fertilizer

Lawn Coach, Brian Hiatt, explains how fertilizer helps your lawn, “Putting down the right amount of starter fertilizer will help to get the grass germinated faster, getting the new grass ready for the winter. A second round of starter fertilizer four weeks after the seeding would improve your results even more.”

Lawn Coach, Matt Stewart, talks about how fertilizer prepares your grass for the winter, “It’s important to give your seed fertilizer to allow it to have the strength to make it through the winter. It’s the seed’s best chance of survival.”

For more pro tips, see our post “7 Steps to Successful Seeding in Kansas City.”

What Kind of Fertilizer Should You Use?

New seed requires a different fertilizer than established lawns. Seedlings that are germinating need phosphorus and potassium to build healthy and strong roots. Nitrogen is used in the foliage part of the plant. The higher degree of nitrogen can always be added later but phosphorus and potassium need to be in the soil from the beginning.

TIPS: Always avoid the use of any of the “weed & feed” fertilizers with new seed.

These may work great for spring use on established lawns, but the chemicals used in these fertilizers can damage or kill your newly planted grass while it is attempting to establish itself.

Bonus Tip for Grass in Shady Areas!

Lawn Coach, Jason Clarkson, talks about shady areas – “I recommend a tall turf type fescue even for shady areas in the lawn. To help improve the quality of turf under those shady areas, thin the trees to allow more sunlight. Turf grass needs three things to grow; water, oxygen, and sunlight.”

We hope these tips helped you understand more about fertilizing new seed. If you have questions or need help seeding or fertilizing your lawn, give us a call at (913) 451-4664 or contact us online.

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