Leftover lawn fertilizer? Use it, share it or store it

As temperatures cool and thoughts turn to the winter ahead, a common question for many homeowners is what to do with leftover plant food or fertilizer at the end of the growing season. There are three options — use it, share it or store it for next season.

Use it. Best practices for lawn care include feeding your lawn every other month beginning when the ground is no longer frozen and ending with that important last application in the fall. Fall feeding helps turf produce a deeper root structure that’s more capable of reaching deeply stored sources of water underground. Also, fall nutrients provide food stores to keep turf healthy during the coldest weather and ready to emerge restored next spring.

Share it. All living things need food to grow and thrive, including parks, community gardens and commemorative green spaces. Leftover fertilizer can be shared at the end of the season with family, neighbours, friends or community groups. Healthy green space makes a tremendous contribution to our environment. The healthier the plants are, the greater the contribution will be. Store it. Keep any leftover fertilizer sealed in its original container in a dry place for use next season. If moisture gets in, lumping may occur, but that can usually be fixed by breaking up any fertilizer clumps before placing it in the spreader next spring. All grasses have the ability to go dormant in periods when water intake is reduced and the grass turns brown as the plant focuses its energy on the roots. This can happen in the driest parts of summer and while the ground is frozen throughout the winter. Let your lawn rest during periods of dormancy and it will green up with fall or spring rains and when the snow melts.