Consumer's Guide to the Best Lawn Fertilizers

A healthy, lush green lawn gets some nutrition from its soil. But this is usually not sufficient. You need to supplement the nutrition with lawn fertilizer.

Depending on the fertility of your lawn and past maintenance history, your need for fertilizers can vary. A lawn with balanced nutrients will have different fertilizer requirements compared to one you have been cultivating for a long time.

But the single most important ingredient that a fertilizer must provide is nitrogen. While nitrogen enriches the soil, in high doses, it can burn your grass and create dead spots in your lawn. For proper care you must supply the correct amount of fertilizer. With organic fertilizers, there is little chance for causing burning - so it is preferred over synthetic fertilizers. The lawn fertilizer must also supply phosphorous and potassium. 'Weed and feed' products that combine weed control and nutrition are also available in the market.

Lawn fertilizers generally release nitrogen slowly to avoid burning. Some may be designed to release nitrogen in 3 weeks while other could offer an 8-12 week span. Fertilizers come in liquid and granule forms. Generally, both are convenient to use although many prefer the granular variety as you can have more control over how fertilizer much you supply.

You must read the label to understand the appropriate frequency of use and the method of application to your lawn. When buying a particular brand for your lawn you must take into account all the above aspects of lawn care. If you are unsure about what would fit your lawn's needs, get a recommendation from a nursery.

Some of the best lawn fertilizer brands available in the market are listed below.

• Milogranite Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer - It is organic, eco-friendly and does not leach into ground water. There is no risk of burning with this product. A 40lbs bag of fertilizer granules is available at most stores for $12. It is safe to pets and can be used all round the year on your lawn.

• Planet Natural's Natural Lawn Fertilizer - It is also organic and sold in granular form. A 40lbs bag sells for $30. It provides slow release nitrogen that can support your lawn for 5-7 weeks for each application.

• Scotts Lawn Pro Super Turf Builder with Halts Crabgrass Preventer - It provides weed control in addition to fertilization - it controls annual weeds like crabgrass, foxtail, barnyard-grass, fall panicum, oxalis and spurge. It works best when applied to the lawn in early spring. A 16lbs bag costs $30.

Keep in mind that it can take several years to obtain a proper balance of nutrients in the soil. It may take a lot of patience and work to care for your lawn but the results are guaranteed to be rewarding.