It’s common knowledge that your lawn requires fertilizers since it offers incredible benefits to your grass; thus, making it critical to lawn care and maintenance.
However, your grass will not benefit from the nutrients provided by the fertilizer, if it’s not allowed to absorb them, hence the question can you walk on grass after fertilizing?
You should not walk on your grass for anywhere between 24 to 72 hours after fertilizing to allow the grass to absorb the nutrients.
This time frame applies to humans, pets, and kids and remember fertilizers can be harmful to pets and kids.
Staying off the grass for this duration gives fertilizer time to dry and be absorbed into the ground and the roots of the grass.
This ensures the grass makes the most of the fertilizer and your lawn is safe.
Can You Walk On Grass After Fertilizing?
No, you should stay off fertilized grass for at least 24-48 hours after fertilizer application before walking on it.
However, this timeframe could increase depending on different factors, including the type of fertilizer used and the weather conditions.
Read more: Grass Turning Yellow After Fertilizing
Liquid fertilizer is absorbed into the soil faster than granular fertilizer. However, it’s more challenging to determine when fertilizer in this form has soaked in completely.
Moreover, it’s much easier to tell when the fertilizer has fully evaporated during a sunny day. Don’t apply fertilizer when it’s rainy or before because the runoff will wash it away; instead, do it after the rains.
Fertilizer is particularly toxic to kids, pets, and pregnant women.
Read more: When Should You Fertilize New Sod?
How Long to Keep Pets Off Lawn After Fertilizing
It’s best to keep pets off grass after fertilizing for 24-48 hours for their safety. Pets tend to dig into the soil and are closer to the ground than adult humans, so they can easily be exposed to insecticides and herbicides.
Therefore, restricting their access to the lawn until the fertilizer is fully into the ground will keep them from licking any leftover fertilizer off their skin, fur, or paws. It will also protect pets who enjoy grass from eating grass with toxic chemicals.
Read more: Will baking soda neutralize dog urine on grass
Consider taking your pet elsewhere for a few days if they typically use the lawn as their bathroom. If they ingest fertilizer, take them the vet for medical attention.
How Long Should Kids Stay Off The Lawn After Fertilizing?
Your children should not go into the lawn for 24-72 hours after fertilizing because much like pets, kids enjoy playing in the lawn and are close to the ground.
This makes them more susceptible of coming into contact with fertilizer if you let them into the yard before it evaporates or gets absorbed into the ground than adults.
Encourage your kids to do other activities that don’t involve going to the lawn for the duration of this time.
Why It’s Best To Stay Off The Newly Fertilized Grass?
These are the compelling reasons why you should stay off your grass after fertilizing.
1. Allow The Fertilizer To Soak Into The Soil
Fertilizer will stick on your shoes, clothes, or body if you walk on newly fertilized grass before it’s absorbed into the soil.
This means your lawn doesn’t get the nutrients it needs to thrive, putting the work you did and money spent during application to waste.
It’s best to give the fertilizer time to soak in completely and the grass to benefit from all the nutrients in the lawn food.
2. To Avoid Exposure To Harmful Chemicals
You will be exposed to the chemicals in the fertilizer if you walk, work, or play on a freshly fertilized lawn and end up tracking these chemicals into your house or anywhere else.
These chemicals can contaminate your water, food, or even causes health issues to your kids or pets.
Paw-licking pets may suffer from nitrogen poisoning if they walk or play on a newly fertilized lawn. The same could also happen to small kids.
Continuous exposure of chemicals into the water supply will cause dire effects.
3. It’s Illegal In Some Areas
Walking on recently fertilized grass is illegal in certain localities like Fairfax County, Virginia.
What Should I do After Fertilizing?
You will have to perform post-fertilizing lawn care, mow, and water your grass once you finish applying fertilizer on your lawn. However, you must know when to irrigate or cut your grass to ensure the fertilization process doesn’t go to waste.
Post-fertilizing Lawn Care
Collect any used fertilizer bags from your lawn and keep them in a place kids and pets can’t access. In addition, sweep fertilizer that fell into your driveway or patio into a dustpan or use a paper towel to grab it and dispose them properly.
You can also clean fertilizer off your concrete surfaces using neutralizing products such as Bon Ami, Comet, and TSP.
1) Water Your Lawn
Wait for 24 hours before watering your lawn after fertilizing. Once that time lapses, conduct a good irrigation session of about 20 minutes to help break down and activate the fertilizer and start supplying your grass with nutrients.
Read more: When should you water your lawn after fertilizing
You are better off fertilizing your lawn when the weather forecast indicates there will be no rain for the next 2 days.
However, water it thoroughly 24 hours or 48 hours before fertilizing or time the application time between rains.
c) Mow Your Lawn
Cutting your grass at the right time after fertilization ensures the fertilizer does its job efficiently, helping your lawn look great. Wait for 24 to 48 hours following fertilizing before mowing your lawn lets the nutrients soak into the soil.
You will end up losing some fertilizer if you mow too soon, especially using a lawnmower that has a grass catcher as it will suck up the lawn food.
How to fix fertilizer burn on grass?
Fertilizer burn on grass can be fixed by watering your lawn thoroughly, just be careful not to overwater.
How long does it take for grass to recover from fertilizer burn?
Generally, grass should recover from fertilizer burn within 7-14 days but badly burned grass might not recover.
Conclusion
To sum up all.
Can you walk on grass after fertilizing?
Typically, 24 – 72 hours is the recommended time frame to wait after fertilizing your lawn before you walk on it.
The safety precautions after fertilizing your lawn are just as important as the application. You need to stay off freshly fertilized grass and also keep your children and pet in the house or other parts, other than the lawn.
In addition, store leftover fertilizer after use, water the grass after 24 hours, and clean up the fertilizer you may have dropped on the patio, sidewalk, and driveway.
References
- Home & Garden Information Center – Clemson University- Fertilizing Lawns
Hey there, I’m Derek Schew, a writer for Lawnholic.com, where we cover everything and anything related to lawns. As someone who’s spent countless hours tending to my own lawn, I’m passionate about sharing my knowledge and helping others achieve the perfect yard. From lawn care tips to product reviews, I’m committed to providing our readers with the most accurate and up-to-date information available. So whether you’re a seasoned lawn enthusiast or just getting started, I invite you to join our community and discover the joys of a lush, green lawn.