Lawn fertilising: spring nitrogen, autumn potash

What the price depends on

It’s priced per square metre. A large, even lawn is covered quickly with a spreader, while a plot with flower beds, paths and trees needs hand work along the edges. It also matters whether the fertiliser goes on in one pass or two. Labour rates are in the table.

The fertiliser itself is paid for separately, bought by you or by the handyman, whichever you agree. Lime, overseeding or watering after application are separate lines in the offer too.

Rather hand the job over? More here: lawn mowing in Warsaw.

What lawns are fed with, and when

In spring, when the grass starts growing, the lawn needs nitrogen: that’s what gives colour and density. In summer, if the lawn is mown and watered often, it gets a balanced feed. In autumn you use a fertiliser low in nitrogen and high in potassium, which helps the grass through winter. The bag usually says outright which season the mix is for.

Granules are the most common, many of them slow-release: nutrients come out gradually and it’s harder to scorch the grass. Liquid feeds act faster but also run out sooner. Organic options such as compost or pelleted manure work more gently and more slowly.

Fertiliser doesn’t fix everything. If the lawn is thick with thatch and puddles sit on it after rain, the roots are short of air, and scarifying or aeration comes first; that’s a separate service. Moss in the shade often points to acidic soil, where liming helps and extra nitrogen doesn’t.

Mineral fertiliser irritates skin and eyes, so it’s handled with gloves. Until the granules have dissolved after watering or rain, keep children and pets off the lawn. Store leftovers in a closed bag out of children’s reach.

How the job works

1. The handyman assesses the lawn from photos or on site: colour, density, moss, puddles, when it was last fed.
2. They pick a fertiliser for the season and work out the dose for the area from the instructions on the pack.
3. Long grass is mown before application.
4. Granules go down with a spreader, usually in two crosswise passes at half dose each, so there are no stripes.
5. Edges by paths and beds are done by hand, and granules on the paving are swept back onto the grass.
6. If no rain is forecast, the lawn is watered so the granules work into the soil.

Common mistakes

• Scattering by hand and by eye, so the lawn greens up in patches.
• Spreader passes that overlap, burning the grass in stripes at the joins.
• Feeding dry soil in a heatwave and not watering afterwards.
• A nitrogen-rich spring mix put down in autumn, sending soft grass into winter.
• Iron-based granules left on the paving, where they leave rusty stains.

What to prepare

• Photos of the whole lawn and close-ups of the trouble spots: bare patches, moss, yellow areas.
• A rough idea of the area, even just an estimate.
• What it was last fed with and when, if you remember.
• A lawn cleared of toys, hoses and garden furniture.
• A tap and hose in case it needs watering afterwards.

Frequently asked questions

How to order

Describe in the app the size of the lawn and what’s wrong with it, and add photos. Say whether you have the fertiliser or the handyman should bring it. Handymen near you will send offers with their own price and timing. Pick one by reviews; only that person sees your address.

You pay the handyman directly and they issue the invoice. They stand behind their own work: missed strips or granules left on the paths, they’ll put right. The soil, drought, pests and a lawn neglected for years are not on them.

Look after lawns and know when to feed nitrogen and when potash? Create a tradesperson profile and get garden jobs from people in your area. Everyone here works for themselves, and the business form is your call.