If you want your lawn to look its best, you’ll need to make sure that it’s well-fertilized.
As lawn care professionals, we know that not all lawn care products and fertilizers are created equal. The reality is that some solutions are much safer than others. What’s more, proper use of fertilizer is required in order to keep your children and pets safe.
Here are 8 fertilizer safety tips to keep in mind as you’re investing in good lawn care:
1. Pay Attention to all lawn care fertilizer labels
It’s good practice to read your fertilizer’s labels and become very familiar with them—not only because they disclose all ingredients that the fertilizer contains but also because they provide instructions for applying the product safely.
2. The Terms “Natural” and “Organic” Don’t Mean “Safe”
With many foods, materials, and products, we assume that the terms “natural” and “organic” indicate that the products are safe. This might be true in some cases but not others.
Natural or organic-based fertilizers can still be harmful to children and pets, so be sure to follow your lawn care product’s instructions carefully.
3. Make Sure You’re Wearing Protective Clothing
While not all fertilizers cause burns or irritation when they come in contact with the skin, it’s wise to wear full protective clothing whenever you fertilize your lawn. This includes goggles, gloves, and any additional protection as you see fit whenever you engage in lawn maintenance activities.
4. Be Careful When Fertilizing
When it comes to fertilizer safety, a little planning and general tidiness can go a long way. Be sure to check the weather forecast before you fertilize, as wind and water can cause the fertilizer to drift or runoff from your lawn. Basically, for your lawn treatment, you want to make sure your lawn absorbs all of the nutrients the fertilizer provides.
5. Keep Your Lawn Clear After You Fertilize
Most fertilizers have what is known as a “re-entry” time. This is the point at which the product has fully dried or settled into the grass—making it safe for people and animals to use the lawn again.
6. Store Products Safely
Fertilizer-related accidents don’t only occur outdoors. It’s critical that you protect your family inside the home as well.
First, fertilizer products should always be kept in their original containers. This allows you to not only have quick access to their original labels in case of emergency but also prevent anyone from mistaking them for foods or ingredients. Also, be sure to keep all of your lawn care products far out of reach of small children or any pets.
7. Know What to Do in Case of an Emergency
Whenever a fertilizer-related accident occurs, be sure to call 911, your veterinarian, or the poison helpline right away. These are not typically incidents you want to ignore or troubleshoot. The sooner you can get professional medical assistance, the better.
8. Don’t fertilize too early.
Everyone wants to fertilize on the first sunny day of spring, but your grass is not actually using nutrients from the soil until it is actually green and growing. The Guelph Turfgrass Institute at the University of Guelph recommends waiting until the May long weekend to do your first fertilizer and lawn treatment.
9. Ask a Lawn Care Professional to Fertilize Your Lawn
You might not have the time or resources to fertilize your lawn properly and safely. What’s more, you might not want to risk keeping lawn care products in your home if you have small children and pets.
By leaving this task to a professional lawn care company, you’ll guarantee that your lawn is fertilized the right way.
Need lawn maintenance? Get in touch with the team here at LawnMart today. With our lawn fertilizer service, not only will we keep your lawns safe but we’ll also keep them looking lush and green!