Winterize Fertilizer for Lawn -- Is it a gimmick?

[quantass]

I live in Ontario. Is winterizing my lawn with Vigoro or Scotts fertilizer a good idea for the coming Spring or is it just a gimmick for companies to make more money? I have fertilized my large lawn throughout this past spring / summer.

If it is a good idea would you recommend the less expensive Vigoro brand at Home Depot?

Thanks

[Wiseman]

Personally I think it's a gimmick.
I just fertilize in the spring.

[onlineharvest]

I live in Ontario. Is winterizing my lawn with Vigoro or Scotts fertilizer a good idea for the coming Spring or is it just a gimmick for companies to make more money? I have fertilized my large lawn throughout this past spring / summer.

If it is a good idea would you recommend the less expensive Vigoro brand at Home Depot?

Thanks

I don't have the expertise to say if it is a gimmick or not. I bought a small bag, was not that expensive, and apparently has a different formula (slow release?).

I live in a new subdivision with relatively new sod. All I can say is that those who apply fertilizer have a SUBSTANTIALLY better lawn than those that do not. Thicker, fuller, less or no weeds, GREENER, etc... So, by empirical standards, the advice of fertilization has worked thus far and I have no reason to doubt their claim on winterizing fertilization... :)

[eh97ac]

No Gimmick

Fall fertilizer is for the roots.
Summer fertilizer is for the grass

look at the numbers on the bag, they should be should be opposite between seasons

Summer 28-4-8
Fall 4-0-12

[nielboy]

It's no gimmick. My neighbours and I who use the winterizing fertilizer have far nicer looking lawns than those who don't.

Joe

[curls00]

Definitely no gimmick. In fact, the late-fall fertilization is probably the most important as it gives your grass the stored energy (roots) to get a very good jump on spring growth, creating a thick and green lawn. Most summer fertilizers are high in nitrogen which helps the leaves of the grass stay green, but the fall fertilizers don't have this and instead feed the roots so that the grass plants store the energy and really green-up and grow thick earlier and faster in the spring once they come out of dormancy.

In addition to fall fertilization, cutting the lawn pretty short before the snow flies is another good thing to do as it helps prevent snow mould as well as mole/vole problems (they like to nest under the snow in long grass as its insulation to them!).

[antman59]

Glad I actually used it then. I was wondering if their was anything to it the same as the OP. Interesting though is the my local HD was completely out of the Scotts stuff which is fairly pricey but had the Vigoro for around 13.99 a bag.

[quantass]

Would you recommend Vigoro brand to save money? Is the quality acceptable for Winterizing?

Or perhaps there is a more afforable place to shop for Scotts? My lawns are about 12,000 square feet combined

[mbg]

I live in Ontario. Is winterizing my lawn with Vigoro or Scotts fertilizer a good idea for the coming Spring or is it just a gimmick for companies to make more money? I have fertilized my large lawn throughout this past spring / summer.

If it is a good idea would you recommend the less expensive Vigoro brand at Home Depot?

Thanks

Fertilizer is a gimmick, period. Actually, it's more of a racket. Once you start, you have to keep going and the more you use it, the longer it will take to restore a naturally healthy soil if you need to do that in future.

[onlineharvest]

Fertilizer is a gimmick, period. Actually, it's more of a racket. Once you start, you have to keep going and the more you use it, the longer it will take to restore a naturally healthy soil if you need to do that in future.

Well, the process of fertilization is not that time consuming. I only have 4-5 treatments per year and fertilizer isn't expensive.

However, I recall one long drive in the far north, listening to one of the only radio stations around (CBC Radio 1), about how fertilization is affecting the quality of the soil long term. They were saying we're talking about HUNDREDS of years in the future, but your comment reminded me of that segment. Do you happen to have info on that, or a link?

[woof]

I apply fertilizer late in the fall and it does make a difference in that my lawn greens up in the spring much earlier than the neighbors. I don't use these so called winter fertilizers which are overpriced, but rather just a regular summer fertilizer high in nitrogen. Because I realize that a high nitrogen is not good for this time of year I use a fertilizer with a high percentage of slow release and I put it down very late October when it's fairly dry and cold so most of it won't really reach plant roots until the snow melts in the spring here in Winnipeg.

[nielboy]

Would you recommend Vigoro brand to save money? Is the quality acceptable for Winterizing?

Or perhaps there is a more afforable place to shop for Scotts? My lawns are about 12,000 square feet combined

I use Scott's because you can get the large bags for a good price at Costco. My Italian father-in-law swears by Vigoro though and he has as nice a lawn as I do.

Joe

[onlineharvest]

I use Scott's because you can get the large bags for a good price at Costco. My Italian father-in-law swears by Vigoro though and he has as nice a lawn as I do.

Joe


I've also been done well by 'So-Green' brand. To boot, you support a Canadian company...

[mbg]

Well, the process of fertilization is not that time consuming. I only have 4-5 treatments per year and fertilizer isn't expensive.

However, I recall one long drive in the far north, listening to one of the only radio stations around (CBC Radio 1), about how fertilization is affecting the quality of the soil long term. They were saying we're talking about HUNDREDS of years in the future, but your comment reminded me of that segment. Do you happen to have info on that, or a link?

Here is one:

http://books.google.ca/books?id=xsobnlXZBwQC&pg=PA1051&lpg=PA1051&dq=soil+fertilizer+salinity&source=bl&ots=xak5zUcLxG&sig=sPX4Hv98M8cOQ-gS67XdpL_LPeE&hl=en&ei=vCDzSp7_G4uNlAeJp4ixAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CBoQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=&f=false

...but this should be balanced with the recognition that this is a farmer's resource and farmers carry out soil fertility measures such as cover cropping and crop rotation. There is no such thing in a lawn of grass, which is essentially a monoculture crop grown with agricultural methods on a small scale.

On top of that, the lawncare companies come up with silly ideas such as "dethatching", which defies nature and I can only assume is meant to allow the artificial fertilizer to reach the soil... but the same thing contributes to erosion and evaporation.

[pkguy]

It isn't a gimmick just as green grass lawns are not natural they require consistent feeding with fertilizers. I fertilize my lawn at least 4 times per year, late fall, early spring, late spring and summer, sometimes another summer touch up. I have a great looking lawn, no weeds, nicest in the neighborhood even if I have to say so myself and I do !!!!
If you want a nice lawn you have to fertilize it and keep it weeded. BTW I buy the cheap Home Hardward fertilizer, no expensive Scotts or anything

[mbg]

It isn't a gimmick just as green grass lawns are not natural they require consistent feeding with fertilizers. I fertilize my lawn at least 4 times per year, late fall, early spring, late spring and summer, sometimes another summer touch up. I have a great looking lawn, no weeds, nicest in the neighborhood even if I have to say so myself and I do !!!!
If you want a nice lawn you have to fertilize it and keep it weeded. BTW I buy the cheap Home Hardward fertilizer, no expensive Scotts or anything

Being proud of having a great lawn having used fertilizer is like being proud of a great chest after getting implants.

[onlineharvest]

Being proud of having a great lawn having used fertilizer is like being proud of a great chest after getting implants.

Never heard that before....hmmm. You don't by any chance fondle your lawn? Like it oh naturale, eh? ;)