By Deirdre Mundorf | Published Jun 29, 2022 9:25 AM
Fertilizers are formulated primarily with nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, three nutrients that work together to help keep your grass green, thick, and resistant against drought, fungus, foot traffic, and other potential threats. However, too much fertilizer can turn grass yellow or brown, making it look as if it has been burned.
This condition is called fertilizer burn—and it’s one of the most common fertilizer mistakes home gardeners make. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to reduce or minimize fertilizer burn and bring back your green lawn.
So, what is fertilizer burn? Fertilizer burn is a lawn care and gardening mistake that can cause plants or grasses to become scorched or burned. It can occur when a lawn or plants are over-fertilized, as well as when fertilizer is applied over wet plants or grass. The “burn” is caused by the salts in the fertilizer pulling too much moisture out of the grass or plant.
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Fertilizer burn is an appropriately named term—grass and plants look as if they have been scorched by fire when afflicted with fertilizer burn. Rather than a healthy green color, these plants will have brown or yellow streaks or splotches on them. With fertilizer burn, you may also notice patches of dead grass.
Depending on the level of damage done to your grass, you may be able to reverse the effects of fertilizer burn and help your lawn grow back lush and green. The important thing to remember when fixing fertilizer burn is that you need to reduce the amount fertilizer left in the soil. Once the amount of fertilizer present in the soil decreases, it will stop causing additional harm. Follow the steps below to learn how to reverse fertilizer burn.
Learning how to prevent fertilizer burn in the first place is the best way to keep your grass healthy. Use these suggestions to ensure your lawn isn’t negatively impacted by fertilizer.
Fertilizer burn doesn’t mean your grass is ruined for good. The tips and solutions shared above can help you save your grass, return it to a healthier state, and prevent fertilizer burn from happening again. When working with fertilizer, remember that you should never allow the water to run off. Chemicals in fertilizers can threaten animals and other plants in the area.
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