Best Spring Lawn Fertilizer in 2024 (based on our testing)

Spring is one of the busiest times in the lawn care calendar, and if you’re like me you can’t wait to get your grass to wake up, green-up, and look great. But don’t just throw down any old product – get the best spring lawn fertilizer you can. This buyer’s guide, freshly updated for 2024 and based on detailed composition analysis, careful research, and hands-on testing, will guide you to the best choice.

What Changed for 2024? (click for summary)

If you’re back after last season you’ll notice that our top recommendation has changed, and that we’ve pruned our list from 9 to 6 products. Products change, and our recommendations change the more we use, test, and trial products for you. Each fertilizer product on this page is excellent, and has been objectively rated based on 8 specific criteria we’ve determined to be the most important to evaluate (learn exactly what these are right here).

If you’re busy and you just want our quick recommendation, here it is: in our testing and analysis, the best spring lawn fertilizer for most homeowners is Sunday’s Spring Starter Kit. It is safe for kids and pets, easy to apply, includes both an early-spring and mid-spring fertilizer, along with natural broadleaf weed control to combat dandelions and other common spring weeds. Oh, and it’s phosphorus free (you’re welcome, planet!).

I told Sunday we’d made them our top choice, and they offered Lawn Chick readers 15% off if they use promo code LAWNCHICK2024 at checkout.

LawnChick.com is reader supported. If you make a purchase after clicking a link, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Our Favorite Spring Lawn Fertilizers for 2024

Here are the 6 spring lawn fertilizer products that passed our battery of tests and that we recommend to homeowners in 2024.

(click through the tabs and play with the drop-down menus to learn everything about them and make the best choice for you)

Spring Fertilizer Comparison Table

As mentioned, we use 8 scoring criteria in our evaluation of each fertilizer.

We know that everyone values different attributes when shopping for a product, and hope that sharing the top-rated fertilizer for each of these distinct categories helps guide you to the best spring fertilizer for your lawn.

Here’s a table which explains our winner in each evaluation area, and defines the criteria used for our evaluation.

We think this may help you narrow your choice and see which product best aligns with where you place your priorities when shopping for a fertilizer to use in your yard.

Top Fertilizers by Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation Criteria	Top Scoring Fertilizer
Effectiveness How well the product satisfies user expectations and how well it works to promote healthy lawn growth, color, and green-up.	9.3 / 10 We had a tie with great results observed from: Sunday Spring Starter Kit The Andersons PGF Complete 10-10-10
Ease of Use The simplicity of application and whether special equipment or skill is needed to get the desired result.	9.2 / 10 The Andersons Crabgrass Preventer plus Lawn Food took this category due to its easy single application of weed control + fertilizer
Value The overall cost-effectiveness the product offers consumers for the price paid, including coverage area (square footage) and the need for multiple applications vs a single application.	8.8 / 10 Lawnbright’s 2-Product Liquid Fertilizer Boost Pack came out with the top score in this category. Its winning formulation & organic nature let it edge out some tough competition.
Consumer Favorability A score based on a snapshot of recent (past 12 months) verified customer reviews, aggregated from a variety of reliable sources across the web.	9.8 / 10 All 3 of the products included in Sunday’s Spring Starter Kit consistently earned rave reviews. Sunday’s customers are their loudest advocates.
Nutrient Content The balance and type of nutrients provided (NPK ratio) and any additional beneficial ingredients (like iron, humic acid, etc.) which may yield improved results for the user.	9.3 / 10 Looking at the fertilizer composition alone, The Andersons Crabgrass Preventer plus Lawn Food had the right mix for us – the 26-0-6 is Phosphorus free, and 15% of the included nitrogen is slow-release.
Handling and Application Safety The immediate safety to the user and his or her children, pets and other family members. How safe is the product to handle, apply, and will the lawn be usable or unusable immediately after application.	9.5 / 10 While we have some long-term safety concerns, we scored Milorganite the highest in this category – during application it’s safe to handle and easy to apply, with no real risk of spray drift or skin irritation.
Environmental Impact The product’s eco-friendliness, including whether it uses natural or synthetic ingredients and the impact it may have on local wildlife and waterways due to inclusion of herbicides or concerns about runoff (particularly phosphorus) which can cause eutrophication of local waterways.	9.2 / 10 The Sunday Spring Starter Kit, which includes 3 natural products and phosphorus-free fertilizer was top-dog in this category. This aligns with the brand’s eco-friendly practices and mission, and they were the clear and easy winner in this category.
Long-Term Environmental Safety Evaluate the product’s long-term safety concerns, including concerns around the introduction of PFAS (forever chemicals), dangerous or persistent herbicides, and other health or safety concerns to the local environment that may result from sustained or consistent use of the product.	9.0 / 10 Once again, Sunday’s Spring Starter Kit came out as the top choice in our evaluation. The combination of natural products, no phosphorus, and an emphasis on building long-term and sustainable soil health while also delivering a great looking lawn today impressed us.

How Each Product Scored Overall (and what we used for our weighted scoring)

While scoring in individual categories is helpful, some buyers just want an overall score that looks objectively at our assigned ratings and helps rank the products based on our evaluation criteria.

Here’s that data, and after we share it we’ll explain the weighting system used to get there:

Fertilizer Product	Lawn Chick’s Overall Weighted Rating
Sunday Spring Starter Kit	9.19 / 10
Lawnbright Boost Pack	9.07 / 10
The Andersons PGF Balanced 10-10-10 Fertilizer with Micronutrients and 2% Iron	8.73 / 10
Milorganite 6-4-0 Slow Release Nitrogen Fertilizer	8.61 / 10
Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food	8.33 / 10
The Andersons Premium Crabgrass preventer Plus Fertilizer (26-0-6) with Dimension	8.32 / 10

How We Arrived At These Scores

We grouped our 8 evaluation criteria into 3 categories, assigning each category a weight. These were:

• Performance (40% of total score)
  • Effectiveness (30%)
  • Nutrient Content (10%)
• User Satisfaction (30% of total score)
  • Consumer Favorability (15%)
  • Ease of Use (7.5%)
  • Value (7.5%)
• Safety (30% of total score)
  • Handling and Application Safety (10%)
  • Environmental Impact (10%)
  • Long-Term Environmental Safety (10%)

When assigning these values, we tried to consider not only what Lawn Chick Owner Sarah Jameson values and prioritizes, but also what the general public and homeowners buying fertilizer are likely to value.

We felt that assigning Performance and Effectiveness the most total weight, and making 70% of the total score tied directly to results and buyer satisfaction made sense.

The inclusion of both immediate and long-term environmental impact under Safety at 30% of the total score seemed appropriate as well. It aligns not only with our own priorities, but — we believe — the evolving priorities of most consumers in this space.

Full Scoring Comparison of Our Favorite Spring Fertilizers

Evaluation Criteria	Sunday Spring Starter Kit	Lawnbright Boost Pack	The Andersons 10-10-10	Milorganite	Scotts Turf Builder	The Andersons Crabgrass Preventer
TOTAL SCORE	9.19	9.07	8.73	8.61	8.33	8.32
Effectiveness	9.3	9.1	9.3	9.2	9.0	9.0
Ease of Use	9.0	8.8	9.0	9.0	8.0	9.2
Value	8.7	8.8	8.2	8.5	8.5	8.3
Consumer Favorability	9.8	9.5	8.8	9.6	9.0	8.2
Nutrient Content	9.0	9.0	9.1	8.0	8.0	9.3
Handling & Application Safety	8.8	9.2	8.9	9.5	9.0	7.2
Environmental Impact	9.2	8.8	7.5	6.5	7.0	7.3
Long-Term Environmental Safety	9.0	8.9	7.8	7.0	7.5	7.0

For detailed analysis, review these products individually at the top of the page. Each item in our 8-point product review is a toggle and clicking on it will reveal how we arrived at that score.

Now, for those seeking the best results – we’ll share some of our best tips for selecting and applying your fertilizer this spring.

How to Choose the Best Spring Fertilizer for Your Lawn

There are dozens of fertilizers available on the market. So it can often feel overwhelming trying to choose one for your lawn.

The easiest way to narrow down these options is to focus on certain features. It’s also smart to familiarize yourself with the most common mistakes that buyers make.

Here’s a detailed guide to help you find the perfect spring fertilizer.

What to Look For When Buying Spring Lawn Fertilizers

The main factors that you should look for when buying fertilizers for spring are:

The Right Combination of Nutrients for Spring

Spring fertilizers consist of some combination of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Each fertilizer will have one or more of these elements in different proportions. You’ll be able to tell the amount of each nutrient by looking at the 3-part figure on the label. This is typically referred to as the NPK ratio.

Just to illustrate, a fertilizer label might have the description 25-0-10. This means that it contains 25% nitrogen, 0% phosphorus and 10% potassium. If you’d like to know the quantity of each nutrient, simply multiply its percentage by the total amount of the fertilizer.

For instance, to find the amount of nitrogen in a 40-pound bag, multiply the 20% by 40 to get 8 pounds of nitrogen.

So how do you know which nutrients your lawn needs? The best way is to use a lab-based soil test kit like this one to determine what your lawn is missing.

The Fertilizer Composition (how it’s made)

There are two main varieties of spring fertilizers, namely, organic and inorganic.

• Organic – this fertilizer is produced using natural ingredients. The greatest benefit it offers is that it’s eco-friendly, which makes it safe to use in areas with pets or kids. Better yet, most organic fertilizers release nutrients gradually. This gives your lawn ample time for absorption. However, they also tend to be more expensive than synthetic products.

• Inorganic – this is also known as synthetic, and it’s manufactured artificially using chemicals. With synthetic fertilizers, you’ll have the freedom to choose from a wider variety. Whether you prefer the lawn food to be in powder, granules or chips, there’s no shortage of them. The catch? These fertilizers have a higher risk of toxicity, especially if you apply an excessive amount. To avoid this, be sure to apply only the amount that’s enough for your lawn. You’ll also want to avoid fertilizing areas that are very close to water bodies; to reduce the risk of contamination/pollution.

The Form It Takes (how it will be applied)

Spring fertilizers can be classified further as either liquid or granular. Each one presents its fair share of benefits and drawbacks.

Here’s an overview of each type:

• Liquid – if there’s one thing that spring liquid fertilizers are good at, it’s the fact that they act fast. As soon as you apply, it gets to work instantly. This makes it a great option for lawns in severe distress. Sadly, the fact that it’s fast-acting can also be a disadvantage. It may take multiple applications to get optimal results. On the plus side, these fertilizers are very easy to apply. All you need to do is hook it to a hose or use a backpack sprayer to apply.

• Granular – granular fertilizers are more widely available than their liquid counterparts, and part of the reason is they’re shelf-stable for longer. They’re also (generally) cheaper, which makes them easier to buy in bulk for box stores. Most of these fertilizers also have slow-release formulas. This ensures that your lawn is getting a steady supply of nutrients over time. On the flipside, they require a little more work when it comes to application. First off, you’ll have to buy a fertilizer spreader (if you don’t have one already). Then after treatment, water your lawn lightly. This is necessary to ensure nutrients reach the grass roots.

Beginner Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Spring Lawn Fertilizers

Avoid the following mistakes when choosing your next spring fertilizer:

• Failing to do a soil test – before you think of buying a spring fertilizer, you should do a soil test on your lawn. This will reveal the specific macronutrients that are missing. In return, you can focus your search on fertilizers that are rich in the deficient element. In my lawn care cheat-sheet, I stress the importance of conducting the soil test early on; typically in March or early April. This gives you enough time to analyze the results and start your search for a suitable fertilizer. This is the soil test I use, which is also available on Amazon.
• Paying attention to the NPK ratio only – sure, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the most crucial nutrients for your lawn. But they’re not the only ones that matter. Check the list of ingredients to ensure that the fertilizer contains some key micronutrients as well. For instance, lawn food that contains a bit of iron makes your lawn greener. This one from The Andersons is incredibly complete and well-balanced.
• Going for the cheapest fertilizer you find – just because a fertilizer is low-priced doesn’t mean it’s a great deal. Some manufacturers keep their prices down by incorporating fillers and other unnecessary elements into their products. So before you choose a particular fertilizer, check the ingredient list and confirm that it’s good for your lawn.

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If you’re like many homeowners shopping for a fertilizer to use this spring, you might still have some questions.

Below I’ll try to provide some more information about choosing and using spring lawn fertilizer.

I’ll also help you out by explaining some tips, tricks, and things to consider when buying the best spring lawn food.

If you’re still on the fence, please explore my site. I have hundreds of in-depth articles on a range of topics about yard maintenance and lawn care, and I expect that you might find one that addresses your specific question or concern.

For now, here’s some further reading about spring lawn fertilizer products that might help as you make your final purchase decision:

Is a Spring Fertilizer Necessary?

Yes, spring fertilization is very important for a healthy lawn. Fertilizing in spring is crucial for two reasons.

To start with, it repairs any sections of your lawn that were damaged by the harsh winter season and provides the Nitrogen needed for grass blade growth and chlorophyll – the compound plants use to turn sunlight energy into sugars from water and carbon dioxide. It’s also a major part of amino acids, which are the building blocks of the proteins plants need to survive and thrive.

Secondly, spring fertilization equips your lawn with the nutrients it needs for the forthcoming summer season. The high temperatures and drought of summer can be brutal on lawns, and if you don’t nourish your yard in the spring, you’ll risk its health which can allow weeds to take over.

What is the Best Early Spring Lawn Fertilizer?

Early spring is the ideal time to energize your lawn’s grass and provide the nutrition it needs for a surge of growth. It’s also the time of year to apply a pre-emergent to block crabgrass and other annual weeds.

To save time, I recommend that homeowners consider a combination product that includes fertilizer and pre-emergent herbicide for a single application that will set your lawn up for a successful season.

Either of these two products are excellent choices for this:

• The Andersons Premium Crabgrass Preventer plus Fertilizer (26-0-6)
• Jonathan Green’s VERI-GREEN Crabgrass Preventer plus Lawn Food (20-0-3)

There are also organic options that you can try instead if you are hesitant to apply herbicides to your lawn.

The one thing to note with products like these is that in addition to blocking crabgrass germination, they will also block grass seed germination. If you’re planting grass seed this spring or overseeding your lawn, choose a product without pre-emergent.

Pre-Emergent Weed Control When Overseeding
If you plan to overseed your lawn at a time of year when you would normally put down pre-emergent, I recommend using this product,* followed 5 weeks later with one of the pre-emergent products listed on this page. This will allow your grass seed to germinate, but blocks crabgrass for up to 6 weeks, buying you (and your new grass) some time.

What is the Best Late-Spring Lawn Fertilizer?

When you choose a fertilizer for mid or late spring, you’ll want to choose something with nitrogen and potassium (the first and third number on the bag’s N-P-K rating), and something without phosphorus (the middle number).

That potash will help your lawn fend off disease and survive the heat and drought of the coming summer.

If you have issues with broadleaf weeds like dandelions, clover, and others in your lawn, then choose a weed and feed product like Jonathan Green’s Veri-Green Weed and Feed for your second spring fertilizer application. It will help to clear out those stubborn broadleaf weeds while providing nutrition in the right formula into the summer months. See my top picks for weed and feed products here.

If your lawn is already in good shape and you aren’t seeing weed issues, then choose their 29-0-3 lawn food with 4% iron for maximum greening, or go with Milorganite in late-spring. Either will provide a gorgeous late-spring lawn and support your turfgrass in the transition to summer.

A final option is to hit your lawn with a 15-0-15 liquid fertilizer as you transition to the summer, or follow your Spring fertilizer applications with a 0-0-3 heat stress prevention like Sunday’s Lawn Aid product monthly through the summer to keep your lawn defended against the heat and drought that can damage or destroy lesser lawns.

What is the Best Fertilizer for Lawns in Spring?

Based on my research and experience, the best spring fertilizer is one that has a N-P-K ratio of 15-0-6, 20-0-5 or something along those lines.

Essentially, it should have a high proportion of nitrogen (and I prefer part of that nitrogen to be slow-release). Not only does this boost grass leaf growth but it also causes your lawn to become greener.

A modest amount of potassium is also beneficial. This nutrient boosts your lawn’s resistance to disease, drought, and temperature changes. This is a vital nutrient for lawns and providing this in the spring will help your lawn prepare for the dog days of summer.

Healthy lawns may not need any phosphorus in the spring (and your state or municipality may actually ban the use of phosphorus), so unless you know your yard needs phosphorus after doing a soil test, or you’re planning to plant grass seed this spring, try to choose a fertilizer with “0” as the middle number of its NPK ratio.

And if you’re interested in taking the guesswork out of what to do next after you get your soil test results, consider Sunday’s subscription lawn-care plan. They test your soil for you and use local weather data to send you exactly what your lawn needs, when it needs it. It’s pretty fool-proof – you can Click Here for Your Instant Lawn Analysis and take 15% off your order with promo code LAWNCHICK2024.

How Can You Rejuvenate Your Lawn in Spring?

Apart from applying fertilizer, there are a couple of other things you can do to rejuvenate your lawn in spring. These include:

• Doing a spring yard cleanup – spring is that time when your lawn grass breaks dormancy and prepares to flourish in the warmer season. But to get started on the right foot, remember to remove all the debris that accumulated in the course of winter. Picking up sticks is a great start, but giving your whole yard a light rake to loosen and clear dead grass and debris will make room for new growth.

• Aerating the soil – before you can apply any weed treatments or fertilizers, aerate your lawn. You can use a modern aerator or the good old fashioned garden fork. This will help to loosen up any compacted soil. In return, water, air and nutrients will move more freely, resulting in a healthier lawn.

• Using a weed control treatment – the best way to deal with weeds is to stop them before they emerge. So look for a suitable pre-emergent herbicide for your turfgrass and apply it in early spring.

Should You Mow Before Applying Spring Fertilizer?

Yes, you should. If it’s been a while since you last mowed your lawn, you should consider mowing with a bagger to make cleaning up your yard’s surface a breeze.

Mowing leaves the soil more exposed, which in turn, allows the fertilizer nutrients to get into contact with your yard and get absorbed efficiently.

Is There Any Difference Between a Spring and Fall Fertilizer?

Perhaps you have a bag of fall lawn fertilizer left over, and are wondering whether you can use it in spring. The truth is, a fall fertilizer can work well for spring because it’s often rich in nitrogen and potash, which are the two nutrients I recommend for spring fertilization.

However, you should be mindful of the other ingredients incorporated in that lawn food. For instance, it may contain extra elements meant to ward off winter weeds. This may not work for spring as you’ll be looking to prevent the growth of annual summer weeds.

Similarly, pay attention to the soil analysis test that you did at the beginning of the year. If it reveals the need for a specific nutrient, or shows that your lawn is already at or above the recommended level of potassium, that fall fertilizer should probably stay in the garage until September.

Should you Choose a Slow- or Quick-Release Fertilizer for Spring?

Although both types of fertilizers nourish your lawn, I prefer and recommend a slow-release fertilizer for most homeowners.

With this type of product, your lawn has a decent amount of time to absorb nutrients and make the most of them. It also will help to reduce run-off into local waterways.

But more than anything else – if you’re new to lawn care, going with a slow-release fertilizer will prevent you from burning your lawn if you apply it incorrectly.

How Much Fertilizer Should I Put on My Lawn in Spring?

The amount of fertilizer to buy depends on two things: the size of your lawn and the type of grass in your lawn.

It’s important to note that most fertilizer recommendations are centered on how much nitrogen your lawn needs throughout the year. Here’s a chart to guide you:

GRASS TYPE	NITROGEN NEEDED (pounds per 1,000 sq ft)
Bahia Grass	2 to 4
Bentgrass	4 to 6
Bermuda Grass	2 to 6
Centipede Grass	1 to 2
Fescue	2 to 3
Kentucky Bluegrass	4 to 6

The amount of nitrogen indicated is for the entire year. So if you’re planning to do two applications in the course of the year, be sure to split the amount into two.

Many people like to fertilize four times annually, and in this case you’d divide the number above by 4 to arrive at the recommended fertilization rate.

The second factor you should be attentive to is your lawn size. It goes without saying that the bigger the lawn, the higher the amount of fertilizer you’ll need.

If you’re unsure of the square footage in your lawn, use my free tool to map and measure lawn areas using satellite imagery. It will give you a precise measurement so you know exactly how much fertilizer to buy: