Fertilizing lawn

[Japonicathehorseygirl]

Can anyone recommend how to apply weed and feed type products without ending up with stripes and burnt patches? Lawn is about 500 square meters and prone to moss and clover. Every year I put stuff on the lawn looks worse after due to uneven application. Have tried the cheap trolley things but have had to bin two and return one due to wheels falling off

I do it by hand now but use a few plastic flowerpots stacked/rotated inside each other as a makeshift shaker . Tape up some holes if the flow is too fast.

I sometimes weigh the m sq. quantity on my digital kitchen scales to remind myself how much I'm supposed to be applying per metre.

I tend to sprinkle sparingly as it's easier to rectify than over-application. You can always go over it again in a couple of weeks if you've missed a bit.

Just seen your area is 500m2 so I'd probably persevere with the wheeled application!

My top tip is applying it before heavy rain/ thunderstorms. That way it gets properly watered in and reduces the risk of scorch. That and I'm too lazy to stand there with the hose or ensure the sprinkler has reached every bit.

I'd also avoid mowing directly prior, again to avoid scorching the freshly cut grass. Although it probably works better on shorter grass if you can factor that in.

Hopefully some other tips are forthcoming for larger lawns!

Thanks Ginger, will try the plant pot sieve for filling in the gaps

Please consider keeping the moss and clover for the bees, insects and environment. They are so good for wildlife and putting weed killer on the lawn is so bad for the environment. The bees are starving.

I feel bad now! I never had any clover in my lawn prior to starting the weedkiller but I do kill the moss My planting is super bee-friendly and I have bee hotels, trees, laurel and a wildlife pond (new this year). Hoping this brings the balance back. Lots and lots of bees in the garden this year 🐝

Neighbours either side have extremely overgrown untreated lawns. I've worked hard on creating a wildlife corridor along the fences with a mixture of evergreen an perennial climbers including ivy.

I have a small patio near the house but console myself that at least the garden isn't a concrete paradise.

We hire a spreader for not very much...and a scarifier - marvellous things for big lawns, it's made such a difference

Thanks for all the tips and just to mention we only have a proper lawn as part of garden so a big area is left much more natural for insects etc
Chris is that a rotary spreader or a drop spreader? I have had major problems with the drop ones and nervous about investing in a rotary one

I can't remember the brand but it looks like this one

It has levers to set the speed/flow, open/closed function for when refilling (we didn't know this and the feed all fell through the first time!!! We stillhave a very healthy patch of grass in that area!!) and it spins to ensure even spread

We've been happy with it and rehired a few times now,