For our most recent round of testing, we chose 10 controlled-release fertilisers that claimed to feed plants all summer long. Our shortlist was made up of products from popular brands including Chempak, Garden Direct, Osmocote and Thompson & Morgan. Therefore, you may wish to consider what is more of a priority for your lawn. If you’re looking for it to be vibrant and weed-free for the summer, applying a combination of lawn feed and weed killer in preparation will work wonders. Children and pets should be kept out of the area during application, Once the area has been watered and is 100% dry, then re-entry should be allowed. Where to use The formula contains no phosphorus, and has an NK ratio of 14-5 meaning it’s high in nitrogen, with a reasonable amount of potassium too. As well as encouraging new growth, this A1 Lawn Food also acts as a lawn tonic and will improve the overall quality of the grass.

Some of the best lawn feeds are those which are designed with slow-release formulas, working in different phases to continue improving the health of the lawn for weeks after application. The Scotts Lawn Builder Lawn Food starts to revitalise the lawn in around seven days, then continues slowly releasing nutrients for eight weeks. Lawn grass can suffer substantially during the winter months, so it’s worth employing the advice of the well-known saying – the best form of defence is a good offense. Having a soluble formula also means that there is less likelihood of scorching – this happens when a high concentration of product is applied to one place and burns it and is more common with granules. For example, the Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Lawn Food will cover up to 400 m², whilst the Vitax Green Up Liquid Lawn Feed will cover 200 m², and the EverGreen Miracle-Gro Complete 4-in-1 Food 100 m².The powder simply needs to be diluted in a watering can for application. Either this, or it can be used with the Miracle-Gro Feeder hose attachment which needs to be bought separately – the attachment connects to your hose and allows the powder to be mixed with water as it comes out. Both methods work to create an even application of the product. However, if the health of your lawn needs a bit more help than just a bi-annual feed application, you will probably want to choose a product without weed-killing properties. Whether hoping to fix a sparse lawn or trying to revitalise dead grass, when lawns are in desperate need of attention, reliable and fast-acting products can make all the difference. Miracle-Gro is a well-renowned company for a reason, and their Water Soluble Lawn Food is easy to apply with a sprayer or watering can, often creating visibly greener lawns in just three days. Applied at the recommended a rate of 35 g /m², this 10 kg bag of lawn feed will cover approximately 285 m², suitable for most medium gardens.

Liquid feeds need to be diluted with water. They should be applied to the lawn using a watering can with a fine rose or a liquid-fertiliser spreader. Watering-in: If no rain falls within 2 days, water the lawn thoroughly so that the lawn food starts to work.The combined feed/weed formulas should only be applied twice a year; they will damage your garden if used more frequently. However, lawn feed alone can be applied more often: up to every two weeks during the growing season unless the weather is very hot and dry. As lawn feeds go, this product is especially fast-acting. Results are often visible even sooner than the ‘5 days’ quoted by Miracle-Gro. That said, there are cases where this product hasn’t worked for everyone. Whether that’s due to grass type or weather conditions, results can vary lawn to lawn. However, the best displays throughout the summer came from pots initially fed with a controlled-release fertiliser, then topped up with a liquid feed if they stopped producing healthy-looking growth. Our advice is to use a controlled-release feed, but give an additional liquid feed if your plants show signs of flagging. Q1: When can children and pets return to a lawn treated with Miracle-Gro® EverGreen® Complete 4 in 1? If you are using this to feed your roses, use 1⁄ 2 gallon (1.9 l) for small bushes or 1 gallon (3.8 l) for large bushes.