Best starter fertilizer for fescue seed – Top 6 reviews and buying guides

Kentucky 31 tall Fescue grass is becoming increasingly popular for lawns and fields because of its high traffic tolerance and low maintenance requirements. However, even with its low upkeep, the fescue grass may still require a little help in the form of fertilizer to get it going, especially in its early stages. Settling on one fertilizer can be quite a task, given the wide variety of options on the market, making it easy for a user to buy the wrong one or an ineffective choice for their grass. Solving this problem is the main aim of this review and buying guide. Reading this should give you a start on what to look for in a starter fertilizer as well as provide you with a few options for your new or potential fescue seed.

Comparison table

Fertilizer	Area covered	N-P-K ratio	Price
Scotts Turf Builder	14000 square feet	24-25-4	Check Price
GreenView 2129800	15000 square feet	10-18-10	Check Price
Green Up	5000 square feet	N/A	Check Price
Lesco Professional	12000 square feet	18-24-12	Check Price
Espoma LS7	N/A	N/A	Check Price
Voluntary Purchasing Group	Square feet	9-13-7	Check Price

 

Scotts Turf builder – Top Scotts brand pick

This fertilizer is the top Scotts brand pick because of its guaranteed high performance and wide area coverage, coupled with an impressive starter N-P-K ratio.

Specs

• Area covered: 14000 square feet
• N-P-K ratio: 24-25-4
• Weight 42 lbs.

This Scotts turf builder fertilizer has an N-P-K ratio of 24-25-4, making it a great starter, because not only does it offer a reasonable amount of Nitrogen, which is key to the growth of fescue, but it also offers phosphorous, which is essential for overall plant growth. It is great for grass plugs and sods because it should promote better and faster blade and root development. It is also said to grow new grass 35 percent quicker and 70 percent thicker, compared to on unfertilized soil in addition to improving seeding results. It is also very flexible for use on lawns and yards since it is safe to use on all grass types, ensuring equally great results.

This fertilizer, like most inorganic ones, requires great caution when applying because it can burn the grass and the soil if not properly diluted or done in extremely hot weather. It is recommendable to water it down immediately after application in addition to using it in the late afternoon, when the sun is going down to avoid burns on your grass.

Pros

• It is suitable for use on all grass types
• It offers a wide coverage area
• It is affordable
• It is of high quality

Cons

• It requires great care during use to avoid burns

Verdict

This fertilizer would be recommendable to a user growing different varieties of grass. It is best suited for a user who requires a reasonable amount of Nitrogen and phosphorous, and could do with a little potassium.

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GreenView 2129800 – Top GreenView brand pick

This starter fertilizer is the top GreenView brand pick because of its high quality and balanced N-P-K ratio.

Specs

• N-P-K ratio: 10-18-10
• Area covered: 15000 square feet
• Weight: 10 lbs.

This GreenView starter fertilizer has a well-balanced N-P-K ratio and is best used during fall or spring, when establish a new lawn, just after or before seeding. It is formulated specially to improve nutrient absorption and encourage root growth during the early stages of grass growing. It is only suited for one time use, and provides immediate release and fast acting nutrients to the soil. It is also designed to have additional time-released nitrogen that can provide continuous nitrogen feeding into the soil for about 8 weeks, which is very impressive for an inorganic fertilizer.

This inorganic fertilizer comes in a highly concentrated form that needs to be diluted, as instructed on the pack before use. This makes it very important for the user to be careful when handling it and also ensure that they get the ratios right before use, so as to avoid burning their grass and seeds.

Pros

• It has a balanced N-P-K ratio
• It can cover a wide area
• It is of high quality
• It is fast acting
• It has time-released nitrogen that can last for up to 8 weeks

Cons

• It may cause burns if applied in excess

Verdict

This fertilizer would a great starter for a user whose soil has a general nutrient deficiency since it has a balanced average N-P-K ratio. This also makes it suitable for a wide variety of grass types

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Green up – Top Jonathan Green brand pick

This fertilizer is the top Jonathan Green brand pick for its high iron and phosphorus content, both of which are great starter nutrients for fescue seed.

Specs

• N-P-K ratio: N/A
• Area covered: 5000 square meters
• Weight: 15 lbs.

This Green Up fertilizer has a high phosphorus formula, which is essential for seeding and sodding, making it a good starter fertilizer. This high phosphorus content ensures that your new seeds are able to build a vigorous, deep and healthy root system, which goes a long way in making the grass thick and reliable. It is also high in iron which translates in deep greening of leaves, facilitating better photosynthesis which results in a healthier and better looking grass lawn or yard. In addition to this, the fertilizer is known to show fast and reliable results in the form of faster growing grass and the formation of thicker lawns.

The N-P-K ratio on this fertilizer is unspecified which is rather unusual. This makes it difficult for a user to determine its use when all it has is a said high phosphorous and iron formula, because they do not know the exact quantity to measure beside their soil component and grass requirements. This is the factor that makes it best suited for users whose soils have phosphorus and iron deficiency.

Pros

• It contains iron
• It is affordable
• It covers a reasonable area for its weight and price
• It has high phosphorous
• It shows results quickly

Cons

• Its N-P-K is not specified

Verdict

This fertilizer would be a great pick for a user looking for a high iron and phosphorous solution for their seeding or sodding grass plants. It would also be ideal for a user whose main focus is the rooting system and leaves of their grass seedlings.

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Lesco Professional – Top Lesco brand pick

This fertilizer is the top Lesco brand pick for its affordability and high phosphorous ratio, which is essential for root development of young grass plants.

Specs

• N-P-K ratio: 18-24-12
• Weight: 50 lbs.
• Area covered: 12000 square feet

This 50 lbs fertilizer has the capacity to be used on over 12000 square feet of grass plantation, which is very impressive. It also has a high phosphorus formula to ensure that the seeding plants get the best root establishment, making them firm and strong. It also has slow release nitrogen, for up to 8 weeks, which is a great bonus for grass growth, ensuring thick and wide green leaves. It also has a reasonable amount of Potash that helps in hardening the grass turf and increasing the disease tolerance of the seedlings, which increases their chances of survival.

This is a strong fertilizer, so in addition to a little dilution, it is important that you water it down immediately after applying it to your lawn. Failure to do this would result in burns on the grass and the ground, which would be rather unsightly.

Pros

• It is affordable
• It has a high phosphorous formula for good root development
• It has a reasonable amount of nitrogen
• It is of high quality
• It has slow release (up to 8 weeks)

Cons

• It may burn your grass if not properly watered down.

Verdict

The high phosphorus content on this fertilizer makes it a great starter because it allows it to focus on root development, which is essential for plant growth. This makes it a great starter fertilizer for fescue seed.

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Espoma LS7 – Top organic starter fertilizer pick

This fertilizer is the top organic starter pick because of its efficiency and environmental friendliness.

Specs

• N-P-K ratio: N/A
• Area covered: N/A
• Weight: 7 lbs.
• It is organic

This Espoma fertilizer is fully organic with a high phosphorus formula which promotes healthy and strong root development, which is pivotal to the growth of grass seedlings. It is great for new grass sods and seeds because it promotes growth of a thick coverage with healthy leaves and strong roots. It is natural and long lasting in addition to not bearing the risk of burning the plant or soil. It does not have a specified coverage area since it is dependent on the amount that an individual decides to use on their land, though it is not advised to concentrate it on one spot,

The fertilizer is slow acting, because it is organic and depends on the micro-organisms in the soil to break it down into the nutrients for the plants. However, this becomes an advantage when viewed as creating a lasting reservoir for plant food, which could last through harsh summers or winters. It is also a bit expensive compared to the inorganic fertilizers in this list for its weight and potential coverage, since it does not need to be watered down.

Pros

• It is environmental friendly
• It has a high phosphorus formula
• It is organic
• It is suitable for all types of grass

Cons

• It is a bit expensive
• It is slow acting

Verdict

This product would be ideal for a user who has been in the market for a high phosphorus starter fertilizer that is natural. It also appeals to an environmentally friendly buyer and one who is conscious and suspicious of inorganic fertilizers.

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Voluntary Purchasing Group – Impressive starter fertilizer pick

This starter fertilizer is impressive because of its affordability and reasonable phosphorous and nitrogen formula.

Specs

• N-P-K: 9-13-7
• Weight:
• Area covered:

This fertilizer has an N-P-K ratio of 9-13-7, which is great for a starter. The reasonable phosphorus percentage is essential for root development, which is very important for new developing plants. It is specially processed to allow the establishment of new sods and can be applied at the same time as grass seed, which saves on time and labour. It also has a small percentage of potassium which is helpful in making the grass resistant to disease, which gives them a better chance of survival.

Like any other inorganic fertilizer, the Voluntary Purchase Group starter has a reasonable concentration and the user would need to water it down after use, to avoid burning the ground or the leaves.

Pros

• It is affordable
• It is very effective
• It is of high quality

Cons

• It requires great care to avoid burning

Verdict

This starter fertilizer would be a great pick for a user who has soil that is fairly fertile, and does not require high nutrient concentration. It has a reasonable amount of phosphorus, good for root development and nitrogen, for developing leaves.

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Factors to consider when choosing a starter fertilizer

• N-P-K Ratio

This information is typically found on the cover of any fertilizer and is the description of the percentage of Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium in the given pack of fertilizer. This description is available to help the user choose the pack that will best meet the needs of their soil and crop. For example, a fertilizer that has the ratio 20-16-26 implies that there is 20 percent Nitrogen, 16 percent Phosphorus and 20 percent potassium in that fertilizer pack, and would be best suited for a user whose soil and crop require that ratio.

There are fertilizers that only have one mineral. They are referred to as straight fertilizers and have an N-P-K ratio that has one value and two zeros. For example 0-20-0 would be the N-P-K ratio for a fertilizer that has only 20 percent phosphorous. It neither has nitrogen nor potassium.

• Soil Nutrient levels

Soil from different places and that has been used for different purposes ends up having a varied concentration of nutrients, depending on its former uses and location. The nutrients that are either available or lacking in the soil is one of the major factors that should be considered when picking out a fertilizer. It would be a bad decision to buy say, nitrogen fertilizer for a soil sample that is already saturated with nitrogen because this would not only be bad for your soil but your plants as well. A point of action would be to purchase a soil test kit or take a soil sample to a lab that does soil testing. This will help you ensure that you not only get the best nutrient for your plants, but your soil as well.

• Synthetic Vs organic fertilizers

There are two main types of fertilizers; synthetic and organic. Each has its pros and cons, making the decision between them determinable only by assessing your situation and resources. Organic fertilizers are plant and animal based, typically feeds and different types of compost. They are very eco-friendly and their effects last in the soil for a couple of years in addition to being great for soil warming and adding to natural soil properties. Their downside is that they take a while to take effect in the soil, typically a couple of weeks. This is because they depend on micro-organisms in the soil to break them down for use.

Synthetic fertilizers are more expensive than organic ones and are commercially available. They are preferred to organic ones by some users because they require less hassle and tend to show results pretty quick. The downside to going for a synthetic fertilizer would be that they may cause acid related effects to the plants and the soil in the form of barrenness and burns if not used appropriately. They would be an ideal pick for a large scale farmer who has all the necessary spraying equipment and trained personnel to ensure that it is used in the right ratios and amounts so as to yield the best results, while conserving the environment.

Final thoughts

Choosing the right fertilizer for your Fescue seed can be a bit difficult. This is why it is important to remember that phosphorus is very important for root development, which is the primary concern at the young planting stage, followed by nitrogen for overall plant growth and healthy leaves.