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Whether organic or synthetic fertilizers are better for your lawn depends on your goals, budget, and plans for other lawn treatments. Organic fertilizer costs more but is likely to benefit your lawn more in the long run by improving the soil as well as feeding your grass. Synthetic fertilizers get faster results but don’t enrich the soil and may contaminate nearby bodies of water if you live on a shoreline. A hybrid fertilizer may be an option to give you the benefits found in both organic and synthetic fertilizers.

Properly preparing the soil for planting grass seed may include applying fertilizer several weeks before spreading the seed if you plan to overseed the lawn. However, in most cases involving a brand-new lawn, spreading a starter fertilizer along with the grass seed will give it the best chance of taking root quickly and growing strong.

You can fertilize right after mowing as long as you've collected the clippings. If you leave grass clipping, they can form a mat that prevents the fertilizer from reaching the soil. Plus, grass clippings are rich in nitrogen, so if you leave them and then apply fertilizer, you can end up with too much nitrogen in the soil.

If maintained correctly, natural grass should last between five and 15 years, or up to several decades, depending on your home’s climate conditions. You can extend your grass’ lifespan by treating it well, including regular mowing, weeding, watering, and preventative pest control. Consider hiring a local lawn care service to provide everything your grass needs to live a long, healthy life.