NJ Lawns Community

First time homeowner here - I just fertilized my lawn for the first time using Scott's Turf Builder and now half my grass is turning yellow! I followed the directions exactly. Did I burn it? Is my lawn dead? I'm so stressed - please help!

Don't panic, Nate! Yellowing after fertilization is actually pretty common and often reversible. There are a few possible causes: 1) Fertilizer burn from applying too much or not watering it in properly. 2) Applying in hot weather (above 85°F). 3) Using the wrong type of fertilizer for your grass type. First, water your lawn deeply - about 1 inch of water. This helps flush excess fertilizer out of the root zone. Do this ASAP! Then wait 2-3 weeks before applying anything else. If it's fertilizer burn, the grass should recover. If it's still yellow after watering, you might have a different issue. What grass type do you have?

Adding to GrassGuru's advice - what kind of spreader did you use? Drop spreaders give more precise application, but rotary spreaders are faster. Either way, overlap is key. Also, did you water BEFORE applying? That helps prevent burn. And definitely check the weather - if it was hot and sunny when you applied, that could have caused the burn even with correct application.

Oh no, I think I know what happened! It was about 90 degrees when I applied it. I didn't water first either - I just spread it and hoped for the best. Should I water heavily now or wait? I'm so upset with myself!

Water NOW! Heavy watering - about 1 inch all at once. That will dilute the fertilizer and push it down away from the roots. Do this today if you can. The grass will likely yellow more before it gets better, but most of it should come back. In the future, ALWAYS water before applying granular fertilizer, and never apply when it's over 85 degrees. The best time is early morning in late spring or early fall.