Best Fertilizer for Centipede Grass – Reviews and Buyer’s Guide [March 2022]

Centipede is a gardeners’ favorite for an exquisite natural green lawn. Gardeners love it for its inexpensive maintenance budget, excellent heat tolerance, and the minimal attention it requires. With all its glamour, this grass is climate-sensitive and soil selective. It needs a supply of delicately balanced nutrients and the right climatic conditions for it to flourish.

The most critical point while choosing the fertilizer, use one based on the soil test. Centipede grass doesn’t tolerate high-phosphorus land (>6 pH) and requires less nitrogen than other types of grass.

This article sheds light on the critical points in growing and nurturing a green centipede grass lawn. These points include;

• Selecting the best fertilizers for centipede grass  
• Determining the favorable climate for the growth of a centipede lawn  
• The type of soil that supports the growth of centipede grass 
• The major nutrients needed by centipede lawns to bloom

The Top Five Fertilizers for Centipede Grass

Parameter	Safer  brand	Scotts	Miracle-Gro	The Andersons	Simple Lawn Solutions
N-P2O5-K2O	9-0-2	32-0-10	30-6-6	16-4-8	16-4-8
Available sizes (pounds)	25	28	5	18	3
Naturality	Organic	Organic	Non-organic	Non-organic	Organic
Coverage in sq ft (per lbs.)	6,250	10,000	7,200	5,000	3,200
Frequency of use	3 times per year	Bimonthly	4-6 weeks	6-8 weeks	Monthly

1. Safer Brand – The Most Economy Fertilizer for Centipede 

Safer brand lawn restore reanimates your lawn via the supply of the essential nutrients needed for healthy and accelerated growth of grass. It promotes the development of thick turf with a robust and sturdy root system for firm anchorage. With only one application per annum, this environmentally friendly fertilizer permits the resumption of lawn activities after use. 
This product covers 6,250 square feet per application guaranteeing a green lawn within a week. Use it all year round, and it cushions the garden against extreme warm and cold conditions. Lawn restore, however, is made of chunks and therefore inconsistent during application.

Pros 

• One time application per year
• Suitable for all the four seasons 
• Protects the garden from diseases
• Environmentally friendly 
• Supports microbes in the soil

Cons 

• Not suitable for large tracks

2. Scotts – the Best All-Season Fertilizer for Centipede Grass

The southern turf builder is an all-season fertilizer meant to care and protect your lawn from the biting cold of winter to the harsh heat of the summer. Its formula enables your garden to tolerate everything mother nature throws at it. It is safe, both human and pet friendly.
Packed with essential nutrients, turf builder facilitates the development of strong and tough roots. It also promotes the soil profile, ensuring the roots do not choke on the excessive supply of water and kill the grass. Southern turf makes the centipede grass withstand stress from activities and quickly regain in form when denatured. It does not work with all types of grass.

Pros

• Supports root growth  
• Enhances soil profile 
• Shields against heat and drought 
• Improves water uptake by the plant 

Cons

• Does not work with all types of grass

3. Miracle-Gro – the Easiest to Apply Fertilizer for Centipede Grass

Miracle-Go provides instant nutritional relief to a starved centipede turf. This liquid formulation sips into the grass through multiple channels providing a quick solution. It is the easiest way to achieve a thick, green, and soft carpet of grass. 

Accompanied with the Miracle-Gro feeder, a packet of this fertilizer can service up to 7200 square feet of your lawn. This fertilizer contains Nitrogen and chelated iron, which ensures the lawns stay green even with an inadequate supply of water. It also protects the grass from attack by pests. The only drawback is its constant and repeated application for the best outcome.

Pros

• Green grass all-year-round 
• Easy application 
• Cover a larger application

Pros

• Green grass all-year-round 
• Easy application 
• Cover a larger application

4. The Andersons – the Best Fertilizer for Centipede Grass for Dry Seasons

This fertilizer is in the form of granules that cover a larger surface area than liquid, which is economical and better distributed. It improves the soil’s structure promoting aeration and water retention capacity. The fertilizer contains all the essential macro and micronutrients needed by centipede grass, all packed in one bag and supplied at a go.
It promotes root development and is also responsible for the strengthening of the stems for a steady, rigid looking turf. With humic acid, the fertilizer encourages the uptake of nutrients by grass, ensuring nothing goes to waste. Additionally, it supports dispensation by most stand-alone equipment. Unfortunately, its use is not encouraged during the rainy season.

Pros

• Granules cover a wide surface area 
• Revamps soil quality 
• Faster and efficient uptake of nutrients

Cons

• Suitable for dry seasons only

Buyer’s Guide

What are the required N-P-K parameters for centipede grass?

Centipede grass requires an adequate supply of the essential minerals needed for plant growth, that is, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and potassium. Of more importance is that these nutrients are in their correct proportions. Centipede grass needs enough Nitrogen and potassium with little or no phosphorus. Centipede grass mustn’t need as much Nitrogen as most other types of grass. That is why it’s critical not to overuse this element. The ideal formulation is 15-0-15, 18-0-18, or 16-4-8 if your soil has inadequate natural phosphorus supply.

Do I need to test the soil before fertilizing?

Yes, measuring your soil is immensely crucial in determining the nutritional composition and profile of your soil. This information will aid in determining the nutrients that need to be supplemented and hence the right choice fertilizer. The best gadget for measuring grounds is the Vivo Sun pH and TDS meter Combo. It is fast, portable, accurate, convenient, and with a wide range of thermal operations.

How and when to fertilize centipede grass?

For this, the proper fertilization schedule should be followed religiously. Fertilizing the grass too early or too late can affect its growth and proper development. The lawns should be fed with Nitrogen in mid-spring when the soil temperature is above 65 0F. ¼ a pound of Nitrogen should be applied over an area of 1,000 square feet four times a year. 

For the different seasons of the year, be sure to apply the correct dressing to your lawn with the recommended fertilizer for that season e.g. dry fertilizer for the winter and liquid-based fertilizer for the summer.

Should I water the lawn after applying the fertilizer? 

It is advisable not to turn on the sprinklers immediately after the application of the fertilizers. This is to allow the fertilizer time to be absorbed by the plant and leach into the ground as immediate sprinkling as the risk of washing off the fertilizers. For solid fertilizer, moderately spraying the lawn after an hour will help it dissolve and leach into the ground where it will be absorbed.

Are all fertilizers environmentally friendly?

I wish they all were but unfortunately not. Even though many fertilizers are environmentally friendly due to their organic nature, others are not. Most of the inorganic fertilizers dispensed as granules and powder are not human and pet friendly. This means their ingestion or coming into contact with delicate parts of the body could have hazardous effects. Be sure to consult the agrochemist on the best fertilizer for your lawn after reviewing the five explained above.

FAQ

Wrap up

To achieve that all year round all-season green look on your lawn, it is prudent to invest in the best fertilizer for centipede lawns. Selecting the correct type of fertilizer for use at the right time and in the correct region is instrumental in the lawn’s growth, development, and overall care. Reviewed above are some of the best fertilizers for your garden