Applying fertilizer treatments should be done when conditions are right so your lawn can utilize them efficiently. Because of this, it's important to know whether you should fertilize it before or after it rains in Tennessee. Typically, you want to avoid fertilizing your lawn before heavy rain because the treatment can be washed away. It's best to wait until after it rains when the grass blades are dry and there will be sunlight in the coming days. These conditions provide an ideal environment to ensure maximum fertilizer effectiveness! However, you can always sign up for a professional lawn fertilization program because experts know when to treat your grass and yield the best results.
Don't Fertilize Your Lawn Before Heavy Rain
If there are reports of heavy rain in your area, it's best to avoid fertilizing your lawn beforehand. Heavy rain results in nutrient runoff, which means the fertilizer treatments will be washed away. Water is generally a good thing when it comes to fertilization because it helps break down the nutrients from the treatments so they can be absorbed by the soil. So, if it's forecasted to rain lightly, you can get away with fertilizing your lawn.
However, if you're expecting a heavy downpour, the rain can be problematic. The flow of water might be so heavy that the treatments will run off and become ineffective. Not only will the fertilizer be unutilized, but it also has the risk of ending up in nearby bodies of water and causing nutrient pollution. It can also be a waste of money if you apply fertilizer and your grass cannot maximize the nutrients.
It's okay to apply a fertilizer treatment to your lawn after it rains.
Ideally, you want to apply fertilizer treatments to your lawn after it rains. However, you'll want to wait for the puddles on your lawn to sink into the soil and the grass blades to dry. It's also a good idea to fertilize your grass if it is sunny for a few days after it rains. Timing your fertilizer treatment this way boosts its effectiveness.
The moist soil paired with sunlight will provide ideal conditions for your grass to absorb and get the most out of the fertilizer treatments! The fertilizer treatment can dissolve in the leftover rainwater and work its way into the deeper parts of the roots, which means it won't stay too long sitting atop the soil. This will also help in preventing the treatment from burning your grass! Waiting for some sunshine is also crucial because pairing that with the nitrogen from fertilizers will help it photosynthesize and become stronger and lusher.
Enroll in a professional lawn fertilization program to make your life easier.
If you want to make your life easier and more convenient, you can enroll in a professional lawn fertilization program! When you work with lawn care experts, you can rely on them to treat your grass with nutrient-packed fertilizers multiple times a year to maintain its optimum health. They know how to adjust their schedule if there is rain in your area to ensure your lawn can maximize the fertilizer treatments! Pros will also use the proper type of fertilizer that works best for its specific needs to provide good results for your turf.
You'll want to utilize weed control treatments with your fertilizer applications to ensure your grass can maximize the nutrients rather than compete with weeds.
Call us today to sign up for our lawn fertilization service!
It's time to take any guesswork out of fertilizing your lawn during different weather conditions and let our professionals look after it. Here at Picture Perfect Landscapes, we offer a lawn fertilization service that runs from early spring to winter to ensure your grass has enough supply of vital nutrients to stay healthy and beautiful throughout the growing season. Our team offers this service to commercial and residential properties, as well as HOAs, in Memphis, Midtown Memphis, East Memphis, TN, and nearby areas. Give us a call today at (901) 246-7656 to sign up for our lawn fertilization service.
FAQs
Ideally, you want to apply fertilizer treatments to your lawn after it rains. However, you'll want to wait for the puddles on your lawn to sink into the soil and the grass blades to dry.
Is it better to fertilize before or after rain? ›
If you would rather not waste your time and the money you've invested, it's best to fertilize when no rainfall is expected for two days, or spread the fertilizer before it rains if you're anticipating only light rainfall. The light rainfall can substitute for watering in the fertilizer after application.
Is it okay to put fertilizer on wet grass? ›
You can usually apply most non-liquid granular fertilizers to wet grass, but not saturated ground. If there are ponds or heavy rain, it's best to wait until the ground processes the water before applying any type of fertilizer. If there's light rain, it's okay to spread dry granular fertilizer.
When not to fertilize a lawn? ›
When Should You NOT Fertilize Your Lawn?
- Don't fertilize when it's winter or early spring. Your lawn needs an extended period to recover from the cold weather. ...
- Don't fertilize when it's raining. ...
- Avoid fertilizing your lawn in the sweltering heat. ...
- Don't fertilize without knowing your grass type.
If a granular fertilizer remains on the soil surface because of a lack of rain, some of the material may actually volatilize into the air. It probably would be best to wait until the weather pattern changes (hopefully soon) and it begins to rain before fertilizing the lawn.
What is the best time of day to fertilize a lawn? ›
Late afternoon or early evening (when there's still light, of course) is the best time of day to apply lawn fertilizer. Applying it in the heat of a scorching afternoon can cause the sun's rays to burn your grass—and when your goal is "lush and green," burned grass blades simply won't cut it.
What happens if it rains a lot after I fertilize my lawn? ›
How much rain is too much after fertilizing? Here's the deal: rainfall after fertilization is absolutely not a bad thing. In fact, it's good! Water helps fertilizer fully absorb into the soil.
Do you water grass immediately after fertilizing? ›
At Master Lawn, we typically say to wait 24 hours before watering your lawn after fertilizing. But it is important to make sure that it does receive a good watering session soon after that 24 hour waiting period. Watering helps the fertilizer to activate and to break down and begin feeding nutrients to the lawn.
Should you mow before or after fertilizing? ›
Before you start feeding your lawn in the spring with a nutrient-packed fertilizer treatment, you'll first want to mow it. Mowing your lawn first will trim down overgrown grass blades and remove any debris that may potentially block the fertilizer from getting to the soil.
Is morning dew enough for fertilizer? ›
Early morning is a good choice so you can take advantage of the morning dew, which will help the fertilizer soak into the soil.
Recognizing Over-Fertilization Lawn Symptoms
If you've overapplied to the entire lawn it might not be enough to burn it but you might notice symptoms such as brown or yellow tips on the grass blades. You might also notice that you're not getting new growth as you should be.
How do you know if your lawn needs fertilizer? ›
Signs That Indicate Your Lawn Could Use a Fertilization Treatment
- If your grass is growing slowly, it could benefit from a fertilization treatment. ...
- Your Grass Needs a Fertilizer Treatment if It's Turning Yellow or Fading. ...
- An increased presence of weeds and pests indicates your grass requires a fertilization treatment.
Late summer or early fall is the best time to overseed lawns. Soil and atmospheric temperatures are most favorable for optimum seed germination and growth. With adequate moisture, fertilizer and sunlight, the new seedlings will be well established before cooler fall weather sets in.
How long can fertilizer sit before rain? ›
Often, it is best to play it safe with your investment. This means fertilizing two days before rain arrives. The Southwest Florida Water Management District places the necessary time period between fertilizing and rainfall at 36 hours. Thus, you need not worry if rain comes a few hours before two full days have passed.
Will fertilizer burn wet grass? ›
While you can apply fertilizer now, as it won't do any harm, it's likely to be far less effective than if you wait a bit. Knowing when to fertilize a lawn is critical. Applying a foliar fertilizer to wet grass is not advisable since it can cause nutrient burn, also known as fertilizer burn.
Can you just throw fertilizer on grass? ›
If you're going to spread fertilizer on your lawn then you really shouldn't do it without a spreader. There are two types of spreaders: broadcast and drop. Drop spreaders are for more targeted applications, while broadcast spreaders are good for covering a large area quickly.
Should you water your lawn before or after fertilizing? ›
Fertilizer and Water
A day or two before applying fertilizer, water your lawn thoroughly. After grass dries, apply fertilizer. Then lightly water again. This second watering is vitally important, because it washes fertilizer off grass blades and into soil.
What happens if you don't water after fertilizing? ›
Why Water After Fertilizing? Watering after fertilizing washes the fertilizer off of the grass blades and into the soil, where it can get to work nourishing your lawn. It's also important because if fertilizer sits too long without being watered in, it can burn the grass.
Should I mow before fertilizing? ›
Before applying fertilizer to the lawn, it's important to mow it first to clear away any thatch. This allows the fertilizer to make better contact with the soil.
Does fertilizer go bad if wet? ›
Nutrient Leaching: When dry fertilizers get wet, some of the nutrients may start to dissolve and leach out. This means that the fertilizer's effectiveness can be reduced, as it may not deliver the same quantity of nutrients as it was designed to.
