To keep the grass in your lawn green and healthy, fertilizing it is absolutely necessary. Fertilizers help in providing the important nutrients required by the grass to grow.
However for the fertilizers to be effective they need to be absorbed properly by the grassroots. There are many reasons why we shouldn’t do activities immediately on our lawn after fertilizing it. In this article, we will share how long you should stay off the grass after fertilizing it.
Reasons to stay off the grass after fertilizing
- Fertilizers have dangerous chemicals in them
Doing any activity in the grass after fertilization will make you prone to the hazardous chemicals present in the fertilizers. This could especially be harmful to your kids and pets. The chemicals in fertilizers can be dangerous when it comes in contact with bare skin. They can also be very dangerous when ingested through water or any other source accidentally.
- Let it be absorbed into the soil
Walking or any activity after fertilizing your lawn can reduce the quantity of fertilizers being absorbed by the soil. This can be due to the fertilizers sticking to your footwear or machines being used.
How Long Should I Stay Off Grass After Fertilizing?
You need to wait at least 48 hours before any activity is done over the grass. Although this can depend on the type of fertilizer being used. But the standard time is to wait at least 48 hrs after fertilizing your lawn before allowing access to the lawn to your kids and pets.
Things to do after fertilizing your grass
- Watering – You will need to water your lawn after 24 hours of fertilizing your grass. The watering should be done for 20 minutes which should be enough. This will help the fertilizers in breaking down and let the nutrients get absorbed by the grassroots.
You should avoid excessive watering as it will lead to the fertilizers washing away with the water. This can also be harmful to the environment as the fertilizers have toxic chemicals which can contaminate the nearby water bodies. - Mowing – After fertilizing your lawn wait for at least 48 hours before mowing your lawn as mowing too soon can lead to the fertilizers getting carried away due to the mower. This period will also provide enough time for the nutrients to get absorbed in the soil.
In The End
Fertilizers are an important part of lawn maintenance and shouldn’t be avoided if the grass in your lawn is not growing properly. Since fertilizers are toxic one needs to be careful after applying it to their grass. Access to the lawn for pets and kids should be completely avoided.
If any human skin comes in contact with the fertilizers then it should be washed thoroughly. Or if your pet or kid shows signs of vomiting or uneasiness after fertilizing your lawn then you should immediately contact a doctor or vet for animals.