What is the Cost of Fertilizing a Lawn?

Cost of fertilizing a lawn

By Size: Most lawn care companies charge for fertilization according to the size of the lawn. However, some companies may charge you according to the hours spent fertilizing your lawn. The average cost of lawn fertilization in the US, by size, is USD 0.03 per square foot. Here’s a breakdown of the cost of different-sized lawns across the United States:

• Small-sized lawn (4,386 sq. ft.) = USD 154
• Average-sized lawn (10,871 sq. ft.) = USD 380 
• Large-sized lawn (73,979 sq. ft.) = USD 2,589 

You can easily calculate the cost of lawn fertilization by calculating the size of your yard. To do this, you can multiply the yard size by 2, 3.5, and 5 cents per square foot and find out the exact cost it will take to fertilize your lawn. 

By Hour: The average cost of fertilizing a lawn by hour is USD 50, with homeowners paying anywhere between USD 30 and USD 60 per hour for lawn fertilization services. 

Many experts recommend that paying for lawn fertilization by the hour is more beneficial for homeowners, as compared to paying by the size of the lawn. Leading lawn care companies like Eden employee only the most skilled and quick workers, which makes it more feasible to hire professionals for fertilizing your lawn, by the hour. 

By Location: Your location of residence also plays a big part in determining the overall cost of lawn fertilization. There are several major factors that affect the overall cost. The cost of materials, transportation and labor varies greatly from state to state. 

Let’s check out the average cost of lawn fertilization according to your region:

Other Factors

The final lawn fertilization bill will include the cost of the type of fertilizer (whether liquid, granular, pre-emergent, post-emergent, or organic), the volume/weight of fertilizer required and if you hire professional lawn care services, or choose to fertilize your lawn as a DIY project. 

Let’s check out how the different factors affect the total cost of lawn fertilization:

Type of lawn fertilizer 

Fertilizer is usually made by combining three main chemicals that boost plant growth – nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Most fertilizers have these three chemicals in different ratios, while some may also include a herbicide to get rid of weeds. If you are unsure of the kind of fertilizer you need for your lawn, here’s a quick look at the types of fertilizers:

• Granular/Time Release – Time-release fertilizers release their chemicals slowly over time. This type of fertilizer is best-suited if you fertilize your lawn infrequently, or want to avoid over-fertilizing.
• Liquid – Liquid fertilizers tend to release their chemicals quickly into the soil. If you want a vibrant lawn quickly, you should use liquid fertilizer. You only need to make sure to know how much fertilizer you need to put.
• Pre-Emergent – Pre-emergent fertilizers are usually laid in the early spring, right before the lawn begins growing for the next year. This fertilizer often has herbicides to remove weeds before they grow. It is usually chemically bound to a traditional nitrogen-based fertilizer. 
• Post-Emergent – Similar to pre-emergent, this type of fertilizer also has herbicide mixed in it to prevent weed growth. However, this fertilizer may inhibit weed growth, it is recommended to use special weed and feed fertilizers to treat weeds that have already established their roots in your lawn. 
• Organic – Organic fertilizers are made from naturally occurring substances, like crushed seashells, blood meal, wood and powdered manure. Most people tend to use organic fertilizer as it is eco-friendly and does not harm the environment. This fertilizer is highly recommended for use is you are inexperienced with lawn care. As this fertilizer tends to decompose slowly, it is hard to over-fertilize with it. 

Volume of Fertilizer

Here’s a breakdown of the cost of different types of fertilizers and the average cost of fertilizing different-sized lawns.

For a lawn measuring 10,000 to 20,000 sq. ft., the average cost of a 10 to 20 lbs. bag of granular fertilizer is around USD 25, with homeowners paying as low as USD 18 and as high as USD 30.

For large-sized lawns measuring between 20,000 sq. ft. to 100,000 sq. ft., the average cost of 20 to 100 lbs. bag of granular fertilizer is USD 58, where homeowners pay as low as USD 30 and as high as USD 90. 

For small-sized lawns, measuring between 2,000 sq. ft. to 8,000 sq. ft., the average cost of 32 oz. to 128 oz. of liquid fertilizer is around USD 22, and homeowners pay as low as USD 12 and as high as USD 30. 

Conclusion

As we have seen, the average cost of fertilizing a lawn is around USD 380, with homeowners paying as high as USD 544 and as low as USD 88, depending on several factors. Though fertilizing a lawn is an easy DIY project, it can seem daunting if you have never done it. Apart from this, if your lawn is huge, it is highly recommended to hire professional lawn care service providers, such as Eden, for best results.