Liquid Vs Granular Lawn Fertiliser

Granular lawn fertiliser is fertiliser known as dry pellets or solid fertiliser, and as a solid, this fertiliser is spread onto your lawn.

Granular fertilisers are slow-release meaning they first must break down and dissolve in water in the soil before the lawn absorbs the feeding benefits.

Most importantly, granular fertilisers contain slow-release nitrogen which provides effective greening-up of your lawn as well as extended feeding.

Therefore due to their slow-release, granular fertilisers are also good for feeding lawns prior to spring growth, at the end of the growing season, and even mid-winter depending on the type of grass you have planted.

Granular fertilisers are easy to apply with either a hand or push spreader and are popular in areas that receive a lot of sun, or in hot climates as they don’t collect on the leaf foliage and cause burning.

In fact, granular fertilisers can be applied at any time of the day or year.

The use of granular fertilisers at low application rates also means you save money as they only need to be applied up to three times a year (twice in spring and once in autumn).

Benefits

• Cheap in bulk.
• Easy to store for long periods of time.
• Can provide slow-release feeding to your lawn.
• Less applications per year.
• Efficient for use prior to laying new lawn.
• Can be applied any time of day or year.

Drawbacks

• Certain nutrients may not contact the roots such as phosphorus – which works to make strong lawn roots especially heading into winter.
• Harder to apply evenly.
• Slow nutrient uptake.
• Can be bulky and hard to handle.
• Granular fertilisers break-down in damp environments.
• Granules need moisture to break down so not as effective in drier weather.
• Nutrients are slowly absorbed by the roots which takes a few days longer.

Pricing

Granular fertilisers can range in price – you can pay $27 for a 4kg bucket or $88 for a 20kg bag.

Liquid fertilisers are the fast response fertilisers – they deliver a quicker response from your lawn as the nutrients are immediately absorbed through to the leaves and roots, stimulating growth and vigour.

Liquid fertilisers are also commonly known as a ‘quick fix’ as they offer nutrients that provide for a rapid green-up of your lawn.

They are also able to provide a consistent application of nutrients as the components are suspended within a viscous form, which can be applied in an even manner. This means that all parts of your lawn receive the same amount of fertiliser.

Liquid fertilisers can be applied by applying the bottle to your hose, or if you use a concentrate product you need to use a spray applicator with the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

They need to be applied carefully when conditions are hot, usually in evening, to avoid burning leaf foliage.

As the nutrients in liquid fertilisers quickly reach your lawn’s leaves and roots, they are absorbed faster and need to be applied more often for the desired results. More frequent application of liquid fertilisers, in the long term, can be more costly.

Benefits

• Instant results seen in your lawn.
• Uniform application.
• Seasonal application variances available.
• Can blend with other liquid products.
• Easy to apply.
• Acts quickly to feed and green-up your lawn.

Drawbacks

• Must be applied more frequently than granular.
• May separate, or settle out when stored.
• Set-up or application processes may be expensive.
• More of a short-lived product than granular fertiliser.

Pricing

Liquid fertilisers can range from $22 for a 2L bottle to about $47 for a 5L concentrated bottle.

At first glance, it may seem that liquid feeds are better for your lawn due to their instant results. However, granular lawn feeds last a lot longer also making them attractive.

Often lawn lovers choose to use granular slow-release fertiliser about three to four times a year to maintain good lawn health for extended periods. But a liquid fertiliser can be incorporated into the lawn maintenance program to provide a quick feed and green-up during the year (say summer) when required.

If you don’t mind feeding your lawn regularly, you will get good results with liquid feeds. Otherwise, stick to granular lawn feeds.

Whether you choose liquid or granular slow-release fertilisers for your lawn treatment, be sure to always read the label and apply according to the instructions.

In short, there are three main elements required to properly feed and fertilise your lawn effectively and efficiently, they are: Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorus.

So, before choosing the best fertiliser you must understand what these three elements do:

Nitrogen (N) – gives your lawn its rich, green colour and creates strong, sturdy leaves.

Potassium (K) – works with N to make the roots and foliage stronger. It gives your lawn a greater chance of resisting drought, wear and tear as well as pests and diseases.

Phosphorus (P) – works underground making your lawn’s roots strong, especially heading into winter.

A good quality fertiliser contains all the main elements (NPK) that your lawn requires and is suitable for your lawn type.

Good quality fertilisers can either be liquid or granular depending on your budget and lawn’s requirements.

Always do your research first to find out what fertiliser is best for your lawn and ultimately that will lead you to the best quality fertiliser for your need.

In the end, only you can choose the right fertiliser type for you and your lawn. Budget and the type of lawn will play a part in your fertiliser choice as well as the nutrient (NPK) needs of your lawn.

To find the best fertiliser – whether it be liquid or granular – you can browse a range of top lawn fertilisers at myhomeTURF’s online store. if you are unsure what fertiliser is right for you, read myhomeTURF’s Concise Lawn Fertiliser Guide.

LawnPride Maintain Mini 26-2-9 + 3.4 Fe 20kg

Lawnpride Tracemaxx 5L

LawnPride Tracemaxx Hose-On 2L