Why You Should Start Spoon Feeding Your Lawn
Want to know how the pros get that deep green, consistent color? It’s not just about what you feed your lawn — it’s how you feed it.
Spoon-feeding your lawn means giving it smaller, more frequent nutrient doses, and it’s a game-changer for growth and color. Using Humic Max 16-0-8 granules monthly for soil foundation + Golf Course Lawn 20‑2‑3 liquid bi‑weekly is the exact method I use to keep my own lawn looking like a golf course, and today, I’m showing you how to do it, too.
In this guide, you’ll learn the best products to use, how often to fertilize your lawn, and a few expert tips to get the most from every treatment.
Related: Top Tips for Fertilizing Your Lawn: Choosing the Right Lawn Fertilizer
What Does Spoon Feeding Your Lawn Mean? (And Why It Works)
If you use the Golf Course Lawn lawn-care schedule, you’ll apply lawn fertilizer at least once a month. The type of fertilizer you use depends on your soil test results. But if you’re ready to commit further, there’s a more comprehensive way to feed your lawn.
Spoon-feeding means applying fertilizer and nutrients more frequently, but in smaller, more manageable amounts. Instead of dumping everything on your lawn once a month, you're feeding it gently every couple of weeks.
It makes sense if you think about it. Most people eat several small meals or snacks per day compared to one large meal because it’s easier for your body to digest and make use of the nutrition in smaller amounts. The same goes for your lawn.
This method might take a bit more effort, but the payoff is worth it. You’ll see:
-
Deeper green color
-
More consistent growth
-
Healthier roots
-
Less stress on the turf
-
Reduced nutrient runoff.
By using a combination of granular and liquid products, you give your lawn the steady fuel it needs, without overwhelming it.
Related: When Is the Best Time to Fertilize Your Lawn?
What Products Do I Need to Spoon-Feed My Lawn?
To start spoon-feeding your lawn, you’ll need to use a combination of granular and liquid fertilizers.
🔹 Granular Fertilizer: Slow and Steady Feeding
Granular lawn fertilizers are solid, pellet-like substances applied to the lawn using a broadcast spreader. They break down slowly, feeding your lawn over time. Think of them as your lawn’s slow-burning fuel source. One application lasts weeks and sets the foundation for consistent growth.
🔹 Liquid Fertilizer: Fast-Acting Nutrition
Liquid lawn fertilizers deliver nutrients fast. You apply them with a backpack sprayer or hose-end sprayer, and the grass absorbs them through the leaves. Liquids are great for giving your lawn that instant boost between granular feedings.
Why Use Both?
Using granular and liquid fertilizers together gives you the best of both worlds. The granular feeds the soil, while the liquid keeps your lawn looking sharp between applications. Here’s the combo I recommend for next-level results:
Humic Max 16-0-8 — Lebanon Country Club Fertilizer
Why Humic Max? It’s pretty simple. As lawn fertilizers go, this one’s hard to beat. You may already be familiar with it from your monthly applications.
-
16% nitrogen: for fast green-up without excessive top growth
-
8.9% humic acid: boosts nutrient uptake and soil health
-
8% potassium (SOP): improves disease resistance without increasing salinity
-
Fine granules work great on short and tall grass
-
Safe for all grass types.
Why I love it: Humic Max is one of my go-to granulars. It feeds your lawn and improves your soil, making it the perfect monthly base for your spoon-feeding program.
Golf Course Lawn (20-2-3) Liquid Fertilizer with Kelp and Fulvic Acid
Golf Course Lawn (20-2-3) Fertilizer with Kelp and Fulvic Acid is a liquid fertilizer and biostimulant that enhances nutrient availability and plant uptake. I designed this fertilizer precisely with spoon-feeding in mind.
-
20 % nitrogen, 2 % phosphorus, 3 % potassium for a rounded nutrient profile
-
Includes seaweed (kelp) and fulvic acid to speed nutrient uptake and boost stress resistance
-
Delivers visible color and greening in just 2–3 days
-
Safe for all grass types
-
No need to water in — just spray and continue your day.
Why I love it: It’s an ideal foliar spoon‑feed that enhances both turf and soil biology, perfect for applying every 2–4 weeks to keep your grass lush, green, and resilient.
Why Use This Fertilizer Combo?
There’s a reason I pair Humic Max with Golf Course Lawn 20‑2‑3 — they complement each other perfectly to feed your lawn from the ground up.
Here’s how they work together:
-
Humic Max delivers a steady dose of nitrogen, potassium, and humic acid to improve turf health and soil quality over time.
-
Humic acid is a natural organic material that boosts nutrient absorption, improves soil structure, and helps your lawn retain water and nutrients longer.
-
Golf Course Lawn 20‑2‑3 brings rapid color, foliar nutrition, kelp, and fulvic acid to maximize uptake.
The result? A lawn that looks amazing above the surface and is building stronger roots, better soil structure, and long-term resilience underneath.
This combo feeds your grass little by little, just like spoon-feeding should. When used consistently, you’ll see richer color, improved drought resistance, and turf that can handle heat and stress without falling apart.
Top Tip: Incorporate liquid carbon products into your lawn fertilizer schedule for an even better result.
How to Spoon Feed Your Lawn
The secret to spoon-feeding success is consistency. You’re not blasting your lawn with nutrients all at once — you’re giving it smaller, more frequent feedings that it can actually use.
Here’s the simple monthly rhythm to follow:
🗓️ Week 1: Apply Granular + Liquid
Start the month strong by applying Humic Max (granular) and Golf Course Lawn 20‑2‑3 (liquid) along with any liquid biostimulants and growth regulators on the same day.
🗓️ Week 3: Apply Liquid Only
Fifteen days later, spray another dose of Golf Course Lawn 20‑2‑3 (along with your liquid biostimulants and growth regulator) — this keeps the nutrients flowing and your color dialed in.
You’ll repeat this process monthly through the growing season.
📌 Humic Max Spoon-Feeding Application Rate
-
Apply at the lower rate: 3 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. with a broadcast spreader.
-
This delivers .48 lbs of nitrogen, perfect for consistent growth without overfeeding
-
It works for all grass types.
Earthway spreader users: Set it to 13–14, which will allow you to distribute the fertilizer at the lower 3 lbs per 1000 sq. ft. rate. This application rate applies .48 lbs of nitrogen to your soil, which is approximately two-thirds of what most grasses need.
Other spreaders? Try these starter settings:
| Spreader Model | Setting |
|---|---|
| Echo | 2.5 |
| Scott’s AccuGreen 1000 | 6 |
| Scott’s AccuGreen 3000 | 6 |
| Scott’s EasyGreen | 27.5 |
| Scott’s EdgeGuard DLX | 3.5 |
| Scott’s Elite | 3.5 |
| Scott’s EdgeGuard Mini | 3.5 |
| Scott's Speedy Green Series | 4 |
Top Tip: If you're feeding a cool-season lawn during summer months, swap in Stress 12-0-24 instead of Humic Max using an application rate of 4 lbs per 1000 sq. ft. This will help your turf handle heat stress.
📌 Golf Course Lawn 20‑2‑3 Application Rate
Golf Course Lawn 20‑2‑3 also needs to be applied at the lowest rate, using a 4-gallon back sprayer.
-
Mix 6 fl. oz. of Golf Course Lawn 20‑2‑3 with 2 gallons of water.
-
Covers 1,000 sq. ft. using a backpack sprayer
-
Provides about .10 lbs of nitrogen per application.
-
One gallon covers ~21,000 sq ft; 2.5 gal covers ~53,000 sq ft
Monthly nitrogen total: You’ll be applying around 0.68-0.73 lbs of nitrogen between the granular and liquid feedings — a sweet spot for most lawn types.
The liquids provide consistent color and growth. In addition to lawn biostimulants, we also recommend adding Primo Maxx or Anuew EZ to the tank and spraying everything simultaneously.
Related: How Plant Growth Regulation Can Make Your Lawn Thicker and Greener
Spoon-Feeding Tips for Best Results
Here are a few simple tips to make sure every application counts:
💧 Watering
-
Wait a day to water in your granular. After applying Humic Max, give it 24 hours before irrigating. This gives Golf Course Lawn 20‑2‑3 and any liquid products time to fully absorb through the leaf blades.
-
Liquids need about 4 hours of dry weather to soak in before you water or mow.
🌤️ The Best Time to Spray
-
Spray early in the morning or late afternoon when the wind is calm and temperatures are cooler.
-
This reduces drift, improves absorption, and is just good spray practice all around.
🔄 Mid-Month Liquid Application
-
Around 15 days after your first treatment, do your second spray with Golf Course Lawn 20‑2‑3 (and any biostimulants or growth regulators).
-
No need to water this one in, just spray and let it dry.
Safety First: PPE Matters
While these products are safe for all grass types, you should still wear proper PPE:
-
Gloves
-
Eye protection
-
Long sleeves and pants
-
Closed-toe shoes.
A few minutes of prep keeps you protected and sets a great example for anyone watching your lawn-care routine.
Get Started with Spoon-Feeding Today
Want a lawn that looks like a fairway? You now have the formula. Spoon-feeding your lawn with the right combination of granular and liquid fertilizers will give you better color, healthier roots, and more consistent growth — all season long.
Good luck with your new spoon-feeding program, and enjoy cultivating a lawn that’ll make you the envy of your neighborhood.
Ready to level up your lawn? Explore our full line of pro-grade fertilizers, hand-picked to correct nutrient deficiencies and help you build a golf course lawn at home. And for more tips, techniques, and real-world results, subscribe to Ron’s YouTube channel — your lawn will thank you.
Ron Henry
Ron Henry is the founder of Golf Course Lawn, which is dedicated to helping homeowners achieve golf course-quality lawns. He holds a certificate in Sports Turfgrass Management from the University of Georgia. With expert knowledge in turf care, fertilization, and weed control, he shares practical tips and product recommendations to create lush, healthy lawns.