What organic products can I use to fertilise my lawn?

It is early morning, you are holding a cup of tea, and you are looking at a lawn that is going brown around the edges. If you would rather sort that out without reaching for something synthetic, there are a handful of organic options that genuinely work, and most of them are cheaper than the bottle you were about to buy.

Why go organic on a lawn

Organic fertilisers feed the soil rather than just the grass. They release slowly, they improve the structure of the soil as they break down, and they encourage the microbes and worms that do the long term work. A synthetic feed gives you a fast green up and leaves the soil no better than it found it, which is why the same tired patch needs feeding again a few weeks later.

The trade off is honest: organic is slower. You are not going to see a change overnight. What you get instead is a lawn that holds up better through a dry summer.

The options worth knowing

Compost

Whether you make it or buy it, compost is the backbone. Spread a thin layer across the lawn, water it in, and let it work down. It improves the soil structure and feeds slowly, and a thin top dress once or twice a year does more for a struggling lawn than most bottled products.

Well aged manure

A classic, with one condition. It has to be aged or composted first, because fresh manure is strong enough to burn the grass. Poultry, cow and sheep are all good. Spread it thin and water it in.

Seaweed and kelp

Seaweed based tonics carry micronutrients like magnesium and potassium, and they help the grass handle stress rather than pushing growth. That makes them useful going into a hot spell or after heavy wear. They smell like the beach for a day and then they do not.

Blood and bone

An old favourite that has earned it. Blood meal brings nitrogen for green leaf, bone meal brings phosphorus for roots. Follow the rate on the bag, because it is easy to overdo and a lawn will tell you loudly when you have.

Coffee grounds

Worth saving if you drink a lot of it. Grounds carry nitrogen and they bring worms up, which aerates the soil for free. Sprinkle them thinly rather than tipping the plunger out in one spot, because a thick layer mats down and sheds water.

Pelletised organic lawn food

If you would rather one bag that does the job, a pelletised organic lawn food is the straightforward answer. Look for poultry manure, sea minerals and composted plant matter on the label. Brunnings and Neutrog are the two ranges we keep for this.

Things worth getting right

• Test the soil first. Knowing your pH takes the guesswork out, and it is a cheap kit.
• Go easy. Organic is forgiving but it is not immune. Read the rate and stick to it.
• Water it in. Every one of these needs watering in to get down to the roots rather than sitting on top drying out.
• Be patient. Organic works over weeks. If you want a result by Saturday you are going to be disappointed by Saturday.

Shop related products

• Neutrog Seamungus Liquid Concentrate 1L. Seaweed and fish, for feeding and soil conditioning at once.
• Brunnings Blood and Bone Based Fertiliser 5kg. The nitrogen and phosphorus option.
• Seasol Seaweed Concentrate 1L. A tonic rather than a fertiliser, good before and after stress.
• Brunnings Garden Compost with Seaweed 25L. For top dressing.

Did you know we also keep pelletised organic lawn food, bulk compost and soil test kits in store, and not all of it makes it onto the website. Give us a ring on (08) 8536 4333 to check what is on the shelf.

It is all in the garden centre, and if you can tell us roughly how big the lawn is we can work out how much you actually need.

Keep reading

• Neutrog Rapid Raiser, what it is and when to use it
• What is the cardboard weed barrier method
• Do I need acid loving potting mix for blueberry bushes

Cheers,
Candeece

My lawn has a very green stripe where I lost concentration with the spreader.