Scotts Fertilizer + Grass Seed

Of the many factors driving innovation at Scotts, none is more important than the consumer. Innovation begins with our thorough understanding of consumers’ emerging interests, their lawn care and gardening habits and, most importantly, unmet needs. [company-name] is dedicated to selling the best product.

Scott’s “Super” line of lawn fertilizers is simply said, their best fertilizer! It contains more essential nutrients than regular Turf Builder and is ONLY available at independent retailers like [company-name]. You will not find this premium product at ANY of the mass merchants. Moreover [company-name] employee’s are trained experts who are ready to answer your Lawn & Garden questions.

Customer Response to Scotts SUPER Bonus S:
“I was paying $58.00 to a professional company every 2 months to have a nice lawn. My neighbor was doing NOTHING to his and it looked better than mine. I decided to try the Scotts Bonus S. Cost was about $60.00, but if you could see my lawn now, you would think I had it re-soded. We are in drought conditions here, and can water only one day a week. I now have one of the best looking lawns in the neighborhood. Weeds are on the run, and the grass is as green as I have ever seen it. Two yearly application is all that is recommended, so I’ll be saving money too. Oh yea, my neighbor is using Bonus S too now.” – Kevin Rieg, South Florida

Having issues with fertilizing your yard?

Maybe your not using your spreader correctly! Check out this video to learn how!

Scotts Seasonal Lawn Care Tips & Products

SPRING

Early Spring

Clean up. Walk over your lawn and gather any twigs, branches or other debris that has appeared over winter. Dispose of trash, and add small twigs and leaves to your compost pile. Then, rake out dead grass. It can also go on the compost pile, unless it contains weeds.

Repair bare spots in Northern lawns. Fix bare patches in cool-season turf using Scotts® EZ Seed®. Water newly seeded areas daily for at least a week, but ideally until grass reaches mow-able height. Avoid mowing until grass is at least 2 inches tall or the same height as surrounding lawn.

Prevent weeds in the North. For Northern lawns where crabgrass has been a problem in the past, apply Scotts® Turf Builder® Halts Crabgrass Preventer with Lawn Food in early spring. Follow label directions, and only use this product if no spring seeding projects are planned.

Feed the grass. If crabgrass wasn’t a problem, apply Scotts® Turf Builder® Lawn Food to Northern lawns around the time of the first mowing. This will give nourishment to plant roots for strong growth.  With all lawn fertilizers, follow label directions carefully for best results.

Mow high. Adjust the mower deck to cut grass at the highest possible setting for your lawn’s type of grass. Tall grass sinks deeper roots (which can seek out moisture) and crowds out weeds. Most turf types thrive with a 3- to 4-inch blade height, which usually corresponds to a mower’s highest setting. Choose a middle setting for Zoysia grass and Centipede grass, and the lowest setting for Bermuda grass and creeping bentgrass. The rule of thumb for mowing is to remove only one-third of the total grass blade length at a time.

Edge beds. In early spring, soft soil makes edging beds a cinch. Using a sharp garden spade or half-moon edger, cut a 2- to 3-inch deep, V-shaped trench along beds to keep grass out. Maintain this edge with a string trimmerthroughout the growing season, recutting only as needed. If you’re refreshing existing trench edges in spring by digging out soil or mulch that has filled the trench, toss weed-free material onto planting beds as mulch or add it to your compost pile.

Apply mulch. Wait until soil has warmed to refresh mulch for the growing season. Shredded mulch provides a polished finish to planting beds, which you’ll get when you use any variety of Scotts mulch. Scotts mulches provide vibrant year-long color and help prevent weed growth by blocking access to the sun. Add a 2- to 3-inch layer around (but not on top of) your plants.

Late Spring

Overseed. Thicken a thin lawn by overseeding. If you have a cool-season grass type (Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine fescue, or tall fescue) use Scotts® Turf Builder® Thick’R Lawn™  which combines grass seed, fertilizer, and a soil improver into an easy-to-use product you apply with a spreader. If you have a warm-season grass type (bermuda, zoysia, centipede, or bahia) use the appropriate Scotts® Turf Builder® Grass Seed product for your grass type, and get your grass off to its best start by using Scotts® Turf Builder® Starter® Food for New Grass. Water newly seeded areas daily for at least the first 2 weeks.

Wipe out dandelions. Kill these pesky weeds with Scotts® Spot Weed Control For Lawns, which attacks weeds without harming grass. It’s a good way to kill dandelions because it avoids the pitfalls of hand-digging, which include disturbing grass roots and unearthing dormant weed seeds.

Go after grubs. Late spring is the time that hibernating grubs in the lawn begin to crawl toward the surface to chew grass roots, before turning into beetles and flying off to find mates. Apply Scotts® GrubEx®to deal with awakening grubs and new grubs that will hatch in coming weeks. Definitely treat for grubs if you had a problem last year or know that a neighbor is having a problem with grubs.

SUMMER

Early Summer

Feed. Feeding in the early summer helps strengthen the lawn so it can better withstand heat and drought conditions that commonly occur during the summer. Scotts® Turf Builder® releases its nutrients slowly over time, making it the go-to fertilizer for all grass types.

In the North, use Scotts® Turf Builder® Lawn Food.

Treat for grubs. If you had a grub problem last year or know that a neighbor is fighting grubs, this is your last chance to fight them this season by applying Scotts® GrubEx®. These pests munch their way through grass roots, resulting in dead patches in late summer.

Mow high. Taller blades help grass develop deeper roots that are better at seeking out water underground. Tall grass also helps to shade soil and cool it, which means you’ll need to water less. Continue to mow high all summer long.

Let clippings lie. When you mow, leave the grass clippings. They will break down and help to feed your lawn.

Watch for weeds. Spot-treat any that appear using Scotts® Spot Weed Control For Lawns, which kills weeds without harming grass.

Mid-Summer

Water deeply. Use a screwdriver or small trowel to check how deeply water is penetrating the soil as you water. The goal is to water long enough to reach a depth of 4 to 6 inches.

Feed. Keep feeding your lawn every six to eight weeks. For a lush lawn with deep green hue, try Scotts® Green Max™ Lawn Food. If your lawn is under attack from bugs like ants or ticks, use Scotts® Turf Builder® Summerguard® Lawn Food with Insect Control, which both kills and protects against listed insect pests.

You need to temporarily stop feeding, however, if grass goes dormant during summer heat and drought. Wait until rains renew growth before feeding again.

Late Summer

Water in the morning. As summer heat builds, your lawn will lose less water to evaporation if you time waterings for between 6 and 10 a.m.

Work on weeds. Continue to spot-spray weeds using Scotts® Spot Weed Control For Lawns.

FALL

Why Seed & Feed in the Fall?

Fall is the best time to seed and feed your lawn. Fall comes with a mix of warm soil and cool air, perfect for planting grass seed and allowing time for new grass roots to develop before winter sets in. It is also a good time to feed and build stronger, deeper roots for winter, resulting in a thicker, greener lawn next spring.

Preparing Bare Spots

Summer brings a lot of activity to your lawn, so by the time fall rolls around, it’s safe to say that it probably has a few bare patches from pets, heavy traffic, and kids playing. So, it’s time to give your green space a little TLC by patching up those bare spots.

Using a hand rake or other tool, loosen the top layer of soil to give the new seed a better chance to nestle in and begin to build strong roots. Next, apply Scotts® EZ Seed® Patch and Repair over the entire bare spot, following label directions. This combination of high-performance seed, absorbent growing material (to help keep seeds from drying out), and continuous-release fertilizer guarantees grass to grow anywhere*. Just be sure to choose the right seed for your grass type.

Finally, give the newly seeded patch a deep and thorough watering (stop if you see the water start to puddle). In order to keep the seeds hydrated so they can grow to their full potential, the patch will mostly likely need to be watered daily, or whenever EZ Seed begins to turn light brown. Try to keep kids, pets, and lawn mowers off of the newly planted seedlings until they are at least 3 inches high.

Overseeding a Thing Lawn

If your lawn seems thin, fall is a great time to thicken it through overseeding before winter arrives. First, pick up Scotts Lawn Soil® to help add nutrients to your existing soil and to create the best environment for the new seedlings. Then, choose the right Scotts® Turf Builder® Grass Seed for your grass type and make sure you have a spreader on hand. These premium quality seeds have been specifically developed for different regions and grass types, and are covered with a WaterSmart Plus® coating to provide nutrition and protection, and to keep the seedlings moist.

Now that you’ve chosen your seed and spreader, mow the lawn at the lowest setting and bag or compost the clippings. Rake the lawn to remove debris and loosen up the soil so it will be easier for seeds to take root. Fill and adjust the spreader according to the instructions on the seed bag, then apply the seed to your lawn as directed.

Before watering, give the new seedlings the extra nutrients they need for fast growth by applying Scotts® Turf Builder® Starter® Food for New Lawnsover the entire lawn (again, follow label directions). Water thoroughly. Be sure to water each day until the seeds are established and the new grass has grown high enough to be mowed (about 2 inches). If you can, avoid walking on the new grass until it’s time to mow.

Feeding Your Lawn

The difference between a “so-so” lawn and a truly beautiful lawn both now and next spring is the one-two punch of a pair of fall feedings. Fertilize your lawn (regardless of grass type) in early September and again 6-8 weeks later with Scotts® Turf Builder® WinterGuard® Fall Lawn Food, Not only will it help build strong, deep grass roots for a thicker, better lawn come spring, but it also provides nutrients to help repair damage from summer heat, drought, and activity. Use a spreader and apply the food to your lawn on a calm day with very little wind. Be sure to follow label directions.

WINTER

While your lawn may not require as much care in the winter as it does in spring, summer, and fall, you don’t want to ignore it completely. To ensure it will be in good shape come springtime, you’ll want to take the following steps.

Aerate & Fertilize

Just before your area’s first expected frost date, head out to your lawn and aerate. Aerating your lawn will give it a chance to breathe before the grass goes dormant, and help relieve any compaction that has built up during the warmer months.

After you’ve opened up your lawn, it’s a good time to fertilize with Scotts® Turf Builder® WinterGuard® Fall Lawn Food. Fertilizing your lawn gives your grass the essential nutrients it needs as it prepares for winter. The grass roots absorb and store the nutrients during the winter months. Then, in the spring, your lawn taps into those stored nutrients giving it a head start, making it green and lush. By having a properly cared-for lawn, you’ll also help prevent weeds, pests, and diseases from moving in once it warms up.

Keep Your Lawn Clean

There’s a good chance that leaves have piled up on your lawn during fall and because of that your lawn could suffocate before winter. Leaves that are left on the lawn could also become too wet, which can invite disease. If the leaves are not too thick or wet, mulch the leaves with your mower into dime-sized pieces to recycle the nutrients back into your lawn. If the leaves are too thick, wet, or matted down, rake them up and remove them.  Also, be sure to remove lawn furniture and debris from your lawn, as well as any spare logs from next to the fire pit.

Avoid Too Much Lawn Traffic

When your lawn is frosted or dormant, try to avoid walking on it too much. Even strong grass can become weak if the same path is walked over too many times.

Prepare While You Can

Finally, make sure you have your winter lawn care plan in place well ahead of time. Once there’s a chill in the air, keep an eye on the forecast and leave yourself enough time to put your plan into action before the first frost arrives.