Repairing a Lawn That Has Been Overfertilized
It is impossible to use too much fertilizer. If a lawn or any other plant is over-fertilized, it can result in a variety of issues and potentially result in plant death. Not only may you overfertilize your lawn by applying too much fertilizer, but you can also overfertilize it by not giving it enough water after fertilizing or by letting fertilizer build up in soil with poor drainage. There are various ways to fix overfertilizing your lawn based on the advice of lawn care experts, depending on when you become aware of it.
Take Out Any Extra Fertilizer
If you unintentionally spilled a large amount of fertilizer in one location or area, take immediate corrective action. Rake it up as much as you can and remove it, or if collecting it is not an option, spread it out as much as you can, and then heavily water the area to dilute the fertilizer.
Watering
More water applied to your grass will aid in dilution and wash away additional fertilizer. Even if you already see some browning or yellowing of the grass, water will still help it recover and bounce back. This solution works best when applied right away after over-fertilizing. Use a sprinkler to water your lawn and soak the grass thoroughly every day for a full week, or until you see the grass start to recover.
Delay Mowing
If you’ve overfertilized your lawn, the basic rule of not mowing your grass short is extremely crucial. As photosynthesis occurs more frequently with longer grass blades, more nutrients are absorbed by the grass, which causes the excess nutrients in the soil to be excreted by the grass as it grows. As a result, if you’ve overfertilized your lawn, skip a few days of mowing and let the grass grow.
Reseed
You’ll need to reseed the dry places if the overfertilization is severe enough to cause the grass to die. First, properly water the area as mentioned above to remove the extra fertilizer. Top soil should be added to the bare places, worked into the soil with a cultivator, and then raked. Until the grass takes hold, evenly distribute grass seed across the area, gently cover it with straw to maintain moisture, and water it every day if it doesn’t rain.
For lawn care services in McMinnville, OR, make sure to contact Ortega's Landscaping at (503) 420-5671 today to schedule an appointment with us.