Most homeowners want to keep their lawn looking awesome throughout all seasons; if you’re committed to your garden, you’re probably fertilizing your turf three or four times every year. It’s essential to know how long to wait and when to cut your grass after fertilizing to take full advantage of your product’s formula and make your lawn look as good as possible without wasting anything.
Many people choose to mow their lawn right after they’ve fertilized it, but beware of that; it could ultimately void all the work you invested into your grass when going through the fertilizing process. Experts recommend waiting 24 to 48 hours after fertilizing to be entirely safe and able to mow your lawn as usual.
If you’re trying to improve the look of your turf and are willing to time your maintenance sessions correctly, we’ll show you why you should wait to mow after fertilizing and how to better plan your maintenance sessions for a more manageable lawn care routine.
Why shouldn’t you mow the lawn immediately after fertilizing it?
When you fertilize your lawn, you’re applying new nutrients that will help the grass grow and remain healthy; on the other hand, when you mow the lawn, your grass will be focused on repairing the cut blades instead of taking in all the nutrients you just added. Remember that fertilizers use compounds like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that can take a long time to get absorbed by the grass. This process shouldn’t be interfered with to take full advantage of the fertilizer.
There’s also the possibility that you’ll remove much of the fertilizer if you mow right after applying it, as most of the formula will be on the surface of the grass blades. While waiting 24 to 48 hours is a general rule for most commercial fertilizers, it’s better to read and follow the instructions of the specific formula you’re applying to your turf.
Consider mowing before fertilizing your lawn
While many homeowners just turn on their lawnmowers right after fertilizing to do everything in one go, you’ll have to time your mowing and fertilizing sessions properly to make your turf look the part. If you need to do it all on the same day, some experts recommend mowing your lawn right before fertilizing.
We’d even recommend leaving the cut grass scattered on top, as the sheared blades of grass act as extra nutrients for the fertilization process. You can rake to spread them out, which will also help prepare the soil to absorb all the fertilizer as soon as possible and waste almost no product.
If you’re committed to having a healthy-looking lawn with lush grass, these tips will help you get started; remember to read your fertilizer’s instructions label to ensure everything goes according to plan. If you still need clarification, it’s better to contact a professional before doing anything.
