As the song goes, “It’s so good to touch the green green grass of home,” dear lawn owners that like to take care of their lawn, welcome to this article where we talk about the fertilizers you need to buy to keep that lawn green green and your house neat.
First off, thank you for taking care of your lawn. If you are beginning to take care of it, good job, it’s never too late, and welcome to the civilized world of civilized adults that take care of their lawn. This might also be somebody’s first time owning a lawn or being responsible for a lawn and we would like to welcome you folks to the club.
So, long-time lawn fertilizer users know how important they are for the health of the grass. If you didn’t, now you do. Good lawn fertilizer and a combination of little care and little time are what make my next-door Tony’s lawn look so amazing and green. The whole block smells great due to freshly cut Bermuda Grass when Tony mows the lawn every Saturday at noon, sipping Samuel Adams. I got a Tony, I hope everyone has a Tony, and if you are the Tony of your neighborhood, then Tony, you are breathtaking.
If you are here, then it would be fair to assume that you have heard about Scotts. If you haven’t and stumbled your way here, Scotts (The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company) is publicly traded on NYSE and headquartered in Marysville, Ohio. This company was founded more than 150 years ago.
Since then, the “Scotts” has been a household-trusted name for fertilizers and pest control.
The proud legacy of Scotts is still going on strong today. It is one of the most preferred fertilizers in the US of A.
Before we move on to the different Scotts lawn fertilizers, let’s take a look at our “know before you buy” section, which has do’s and don’ts using the lawn fertilizer. If you are well versed in that section, feel free to scroll down.
Know Before You Buy
If this is your first time dealing with lawn fertilizers, then you should know that it can get a little overwhelming. You will expect grass to grow tomorrow, but that’s like going to the gym for a day and returning home and searching for the six-packs. It’s a natural process. It’ll take its time. Yes, it takes time even after you use the fertilizers.
There are mainly two types of lawn fertilizers. One is liquid fertilizer, and the other is granular fertilizer. That is based on its physical attribute. Based on the chemical attribute, there are also two types of fertilizers; organic fertilizers and synthetic fertilizers.
Organic fertilizers are the ones with have organic matters and natural ingredients such as blood, bone meal, or other living organisms.
Synthetic fertilizer or chemical fertilizer is the one with chemical substances on it.
If this is your first time, then I suggest you use the granular chemical fertilizer. However, if the lawn is in pretty terrible shape, then go for the liquid fertilizer. They act rather quickly but also need a spreader.
The spreader is the device that you use to spread the fertilizers on your lawn. With granular fertilizers, you can just spread by hand, although more effective if the spreader is used. With liquid ones, they are a necessity.
Moving on to the next point. You need different fertilizers for different seasons. You cannot use the same fertilizers all year round and expect great grass in your lawn. There are fertilizers for different seasons because the need for the grass changes according to the season.
In the summertime, your grass needs to grow rapidly and give that beautiful color of green. However, in winter, it needs extra nutrients to survive the harsh cold, and the roots need strengthening so that they come out in full force coming spring.
Don’t forget the pest control too, mostly in summertime. You can do everything right, but the pesky pests are out to get you and your grass. So, we need to look for the formula with insecticide property built in.
Finally, see if the fertilizer you are using is child and pet-friendly. What happens with the fertilizers that aren’t kid or pet-friendly is that they cause rashes and burns in the skin of a child/pet. There have been instances where the fertilizer caused an allergic reaction that was very nearly fatal. So we better watch out for that.
So that concludes our “know before you buy” section.
Here are the different Scott lawn fertilizers and what the users and Amazon are saying about them.
A little disclaimer here, please take Amazon reviews with a grain of salt just because they may or may not be real people or people that are writing negative or great reviews for their benefit.
Best Scotts Lawn Fertilizer for your beautiful Lawn
1. Scotts Turf Builder SummerGuard Lawn Food with Insect Control
Scotts Turf Builder SummerGuard is the lawn fertilizer from Scotts used when summer is right around the corner, and it’s a growing season. This is infused with the primary nutrients needed for the grass’s root system after surviving a harsh winter. Strong roots give way to alive and lovely grass come summer, grow in full potential, and are capable of withstanding heat and drought.
Turf Builder SummerGuard is available in two packets. One that will cover 5000 sq. ft will set you back about twenty-six bucks whereas, the bag with 15000 sq. ft coverage ability will cost you $65.99. It is a granular fertilizer.
The good thing about this Scotts fertilizer is that it can be used for any type of grass. Additionally, it also has an insecticide capability to it and prevents the insects and common lawn pests from arriving with the first rays of summer.
Scotts Turf Builder SummerGuard Lawn Food with Insect Control
Pros
- Rich in a nutrient that keeps the grass ready for summer.
- Great for warm-season grasses.
- Insecticide character, tough on insects.
- It can easily be applied to a wet or dry lawn.
Cons
- This fertilizer isn’t pet/child friendly.
- Multiple applications are needed.
What do users say?
The product is quite popular. Among the good reviews, a gentleman from Oregon writes he is pleased with the results. He lives in a part of Oregon, where the lawn is blasted by sunlight all through the summer and snow all through the winter. He is most happy with its insecticide ability and has gotten a thick, green lawn.
Among the bad reviews, there are plenty that says; they burned their lawns. Everyone claims they used the correct amount, but the lawns burned all the same. The manufacturer does caution that the burn-in lawns might occur if used excessively. However, they are a tiny percentage of reviewers but concerning nonetheless.
2. Scotts Turf Builder Winterguard Fall Lawn Food
Scotts Turf Builder Winterguard Fall Lawn Food is the granular fertilizer you apply at the beginning of the fall. This lawn food comes with rich nutrients like nitrogen and preserves the grass from the harsh conditions of the winter.
Additionally, they help the grass grow downwards. As the result, it aides the root growth leading to great green grass in the growing season coming spring. This slow-release formula is also uniquely capable of repairing the damage done from lots of activity on the grass by reinforcing deep roots.
If you have a child or pet and are causing damage to your lawn, this lawn food repairs the grass and is child and pet-friendly.
The 5000 sq. Ft. packet will cost you less than $25 and the 15,000 sq. ft package will cost less than $50. It comes in granular form and works on any type of grass.
Scotts Turf Builder Winterguard Fall Lawn Food
Pros
- It can be used for repairing grass.
- It also works as a weed killer.
- Child and Pet friendly.
- Great for cool-season grasses.
- Weed preventer.
Cons
- May cause burning in some areas.
- A large amount of usage can disrupt nearby vegetation.
What do reviewers say?
One 5-star giving shopper Ashley from the SoCal region is happy that her lawn recovered, previously destroyed by having a lawn party. The grass came stronger than ever before, says Ashley. To top it off, she is also happy that her pet enjoys quality time in the grass, and she is not worried about it.
However, one one-star reviewer suggests that quality control at Scott’s is down in the gutter as Don’s healthy lawn with Kentucky bluegrass became infested with weeds and dandelions. In the same vein, one-star reviewer Kevin’s lawn burnt in patches in just a week of using the product adding new weeds and dandelion into the mix.
The lesson here is that we should stick to the instructions given in the package and figure out if the soil is the right kind for that particular fertilizer.
3. Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food
Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food is the all grass type and all climate lawn food from Scotts and can be called the ultimate lawn food.
The best thing about this Scotts fertilizer is that it greatly increases the lawn’s ability to absorb nutrients and water, encouraging root development. This is designed so that you can use this in any weather and any climate.
This is your safe bet if you are struggling with what to use on your lawn. It is a granular fertilizer and is safe for your pet/child.
There is a downside to this formula, though. The formula is made that it quickly releases itself onto the ground, and if there is scorching sunlight in the sky, then it may burn a patch of ground. Hence, it would be best if you waited for sundown to spread this fertilizer.
Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food
Pros
- All-purpose fertilizer.
- It can be used as a starter food.
- Works in all weather.
- Child and pet friendly.
- Suitable for insect control.
Cons
- May cause grass to burn if used in sunlight
The large mass generally seems happy and content with its all-season, all-grass formula. Among the five-star reviews, there is one from a user named “Saltmine,” that claims the product did well in her lawn with Bluegrass in Los Angeles. With lots of other five-star reviewers like her, she is happy about the green grass that grew, thanks to this fertilizer.
As with the cases with 1-star reviewers, the complaints about burning patches or entire lawns persists. But one-star reviewer Tiffany has a piece of excellent advice for first-time users of the product. The recommendation is to first apply in a small patch in the backyard or some corner and see the effects before committing to using the product on the whole lawn.
4. Scotts Green Max Lawn Food
his formula is recommended when you need to repair a patch of burnt grass and want a quick result or give a new life to the lawns’ grass. This quick release formula aids the grass’s rapid growth and having a lush, green lawn. It is generally used in the growing season.
It will take about three days to see the results.
This formula can be used with another fertilizer. This product is also child and pet-friendly.
Scotts Green Max Lawn Food
Pros
- Works for all grass types.
- Child and Pet friendly.
- Great for golf courses.
- Suitable for insect control too.
Cons
- May cause burning in the case of uneven watering.
The five-star reviewers are happy about the fact that their lawn got a darker shade of green in just a couple of days. Mohamed, a five-star reviewer, is pleased that his yellowish-looking Fescue grass lawn has recovered very well.
On the other hand, the one-star reviewers are furious that this product is a dud. Morgan, who gave the product a one-star review, claims that she had high hopes for this product as she is a frequent user of Scotts weed control products. However, she was disappointed to see that the product did absolutely nothing for her lawn.
Our Verdict
After going through Scotts products and finding out how people are reviewing them on Amazon, Scotts seem to have solutions for your problem. However, if you still don’t find yourself committing to a particular product, then please go ahead and explore other options by other companies such as Espoma and Jonathan Green or try some organic fertilizers. They also do have nice fertilizer products and deserve your attention.
However, as I told you earlier, you do have plenty of choices available at Scott’s. If you are satisfied with the Scotts products and this is your first time, Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food may look like an ideal choice for any season.
Hence, go ahead and make a decision. You are now educated enough on lawn fertilizers and Scotts products to know what suits you the best. I am sure you will now make the right call for your lawn.
Some Frequently Asked Questions.
Q. What is the lawn fertilizer?
A. Lawn fertilizers are the supplements that we add to the soil, which provide the essential nutrients that help the grass grow and keep pests and lawn insects at bay. They strengthen the roots and help the grass get healthier and more robust.
Q. Should I fertilize my lawn?
Of course, if you are looking for a luscious green lawn, you should fertilize it properly and use insecticide.
Q. When should I fertilize my lawn?
Proper fertilization timing is one of the most important things. The lawns are fertilized in spring for the best results. However, there are fertilizers available for nearly every weather now. The experts do suggest that the temperature should be around 55-degree Fahrenheit. Therefore, early to mid-spring is a sensible choice.
Q. Can I fertilize my new lawn?
The lawn community’s consensus is that you should not fertilize the new lawn, especially if you have just planted the grass seeds. Let the grassroots get hold of the soil properly and then only fertilize after about three months using whatever fertilizer is suitable for the condition.
Q. Are Scotts fertilizers any good?
Yes, Scotts is in the lawn fertilizer business for a very long time, and most importantly, they have a wide variety of lawn fertilizers for every season and your every need. If you are new to this, Scotts also provide a lawn care plan to help you on this journey as they have excellent customer service.
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