The Best Types of Organic Fertilizers for Your Lawn
The best time to fertilize your lawn is when soil temperatures are consistently reaching 55ºF, which is around March-April in the spring. But before you even think about which lawn fertilizers to use, remember to do a soil test to understand which nutrients your lawn needs going into the growing season. Knowing which nutrients your soil needs now will save you money and time when choosing the best spring fertilizer for your lawn.
Lawn fertilizers come in two different physical forms: granular and liquid. Granular lawn fertilizers are easier for DIY lawn-care beginners to apply, but liquid fertilizers require precision.
But there’s another distinction too. Organic lawn care is becoming increasingly popular amongst homeowners due to ongoing concerns about the environment. Organic fertilizers are chemical-free and considered a more sustainable option for eco-conscious lawn-care enthusiasts.
Here, we’ll go into more detail about some of the advantages (and disadvantages!) of organic lawn fertilizers and why you might consider using them on your lawn this year.
Related: When Is the Best Time to Fertilize Your Lawn?
What Is an Organic Lawn Fertilizer?
Organic fertilizers are made from natural substances specially selected to enhance your soil’s health. These materials derive from organic content, like plants, animals (and their manure), broken shells, and composted food.
Chemical fertilizers, on the other hand, are composed of inorganic materials that have been “synthesized” in an industrial setting from materials like rock fragments and nitrogen gas.
Types of Organic Fertilizers
You might be thinking that organic fertilizers sound pretty much like compost. You’d be right, after all — what’s the difference? Compost and organic fertilizer are both made from natural materials — compost is decomposed organic matter. The main difference is that organic fertilizer can offer nutrients to your lawn instantly, whereas compost is slow-release. It takes months for compost to fully relinquish its nutrients.
Consider compost as more of a soil amendment. You can make your own by following these basic steps:
- Include a mixture of green elements (kitchen scraps like vegetable peelings) and decomposing organic matter you find in your backyard, like dead leaves.
- Provide moisture to the pile.
- Use a fork or rake to mix up the pile occasionally.
Let the bacteria do the work. The compost pile will warm up, which in turn decomposes the organic matter. You can use compost to topdress your lawn after reseeding, which will help seeds germinate and retain moisture in the turf.
Compost or Organic Fertilizer?
As we mentioned, using compost as a soil amendment will serve you better. Organic fertilizer will help you quickly address a particular nutrient deficiency in your turf that the results of your soil test will show.
Which Is The Best Organic Lawn Fertilizer?
So this leads us to the question, what’s the best organic lawn fertilizer? Well, it depends on what your grass is crying out for nutrients-wise in the spring.
Let’s have a quick grass-nutrient recap. There are three macronutrients your grass requires high amounts of. They are:
Nitrogen — For a vibrant green color
Phosphorous — For healthy turf roots and stems
Potassium — For root health and lawn resilience to environmental stress.
The above macronutrients are abbreviated to their corresponding chemical element on bags of fertilizer: “NPK.” The number below each letter will indicate the amount of each macronutrient content.
Based on the results of your soil test, you’ll be able to see which macro and micronutrients (nutrients your turf needs in small amounts) your lawn is running low on. Lawn-care products called biostimulants can help address micronutrient deficiencies, acting as a vitamin supplement for your grass.
In addition, a soil test will also reveal your soil’s pH levels, which should ideally be neutral (around six-seven) for optimum grass growth. If you find your soil is too alkaline or acidic, you’ll also need to invest in corrective products to lower or raise your soil’s pH.
Fall and spring are the most important seasons for lawn fertilization. Testing your soil at these times will give your lawn a much-needed boost to cope with colder temperatures or a headstart in the growing season.
Related: Your Ultimate Winter Lawn-Care Guide
What Are the Benefits of Using Organic Fertilizers?
At the beginning of the 20th Century, synthetic fertilizers paved the way to increased crop yield and productivity. But, chemical fertilizer runoff and excessive application have led to environmental and soil pollution and a decline in soil quality.
Organic fertilizers don’t present a runoff risk to the environment, and any accidental excess application won’t burn or shock your grass. By using organic fertilizers, you’ll also reduce long-term chemical exposure, which studies suggest can cause chronic diseases like cancer. Organic fertilizers are safe to use around your pets and loved ones, allowing you to use your lawn straight after application.
Organic fertilizers take a little more time to kick in than their chemical equivalents but are a lot safer and more sustainable in the long run, improving soil quality and structure over time.
What Is the Best Organic Lawn Fertilizer?
For the best range of organic lawn fertilizers, look no further than Mirimichi Green. They’re well known in the lawn-care industry for developing eco-friendly bio-based products that are highly effective.
Mirimichi Green Organic Lawn Fertilizer & Biostimulant
This is the best organic lawn fertilizer for anyone starting out their eco-friendly lawn-care journey. Coming as easy-to-spread granules, Mirimichi organic fertilizer contains equal amounts of slow-release nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium your lawn needs to thrive. The iron and slow-release nitrogen will drive a deeper green color to your lawn, including beneficial fungi and bacteria to improve soil quality, nutrient uptake, and grass health.
Related: How to Get a Green Lawn Fast — 3 Easy Tips
Essential-G™ - Granular Soil Compost and Biochar
We touched on biostimulants — they’re basically substances and/or microorganisms that can be applied to your lawn to improve nutrition efficiency and your turf’s tolerance to environmental stress. Using Essential-G™ works to revolutionize your soil’s fertility and nutrient availability. Essential-G™ has application flexibility, so you can apply it any time during the year as long as the ground isn’t frozen. Accelerate grass seed germination and allow the activated carbon content (biochar) to drive grass root growth, reduce soil compaction and improve water absorption.
What’s the Best Liquid Organic Fertilizer?
For more experienced lawn-care enthusiasts, there are organic liquid fertilizer options out there for you. Below, we look at Release 901C™, the successor of Release Zero — providing your grass with essential macronutrients and minerals to help it grow.
Release 901C™ is a combined organic liquid lawn fertilizer and biostimulant. It contains 9% nitrogen to give your grass more of a green hue and 1% potassium, which will improve your turf’s resilience to stress. With a good balance of macro and micronutrients, Release 901C™ also has 10% liquid carbon to strengthen grass roots, improve water retention and aerate the soil. This fertilizer and biostimulant will enhance the performance of other turf maintenance products and is a highly effective organic liquid lawn fertilizer choice.
The Best Organic Grass Fertilizers
There are a few things you need to remember when it comes to using organic lawn fertilizers. Firstly, they are slow-release, and the distribution of nutrients isn’t necessarily equal. Chemical fertilizers do have the advantage of being able to immediately supply your lawn with nutrients if it requires a more urgent boost. But, organic lawn fertilizers will increase organic matter in soil and provide a consistent release of nutrients to improve overall soil quality. As a more environmentally friendly and safer choice, we don’t blame you for going organic with your fertilizer.
To improve the quality of your soil, discover Mirimichi Green’s eco-friendly range of biostimulants and fertilizers for your lawn.