The first step in how to find the best organic fertilizer for your lawn is to decide between liquid and granular lawn fertilizers. What are the differences between these two forms of lawn feed?
Once you find the best liquid lawn fertilizers for your backyard you will notice the benefits of spraying lawn fertilizer but there are benefits to granular lawn fertilizers, too.
Liquid Lawn Fertilizer vs Granular: Which Is Best?
But which one do you choose? Don’t worry, we are here to help! In the following post, we will look at how each of these types of fertilizer are absorbed by your lawn and which one has the easier application.
Think about a couple of things when you are reading the advantages and disadvantages of both liquid lawn fertilizers and granular. For example, which type of fertilizer is best for your landscape, climate and available time?
Benefits of Liquid Lawn Fertilizer
1. Quicker Absorption
A liquid solution is easier for your lawn to absorb so if you are looking for fast results then a liquid lawn fertilizer is the way to go.
2. Even Spreading of Nutrients
As a solution, the nutrients are spread out equally throughout the liquid. This means that spraying your lawn with fertilizer also allows for a more even spread of all the necessary nutrients.
3. Customization Possible
Each lawn is different and when you are using a liquid fertilizer you can adjust the solution accordingly.
Most store-bought options are designed to work as general purpose fertilizers and applicable for a wide variety of climates and grass types but adding extra nutrients specifically for your lawn can yield even better results.
4. Foliar Application
Both liquid fertilizers and granular fertilizers can be ground applied but only the liquid form can also be absorbed through the foliage.
This is especially useful for a lawn because the grass sprigs can absorb the nutrients which lead to faster results.
Ground application of fertilizer is most effective in the growth stage but once the plants are already grown it takes longer for the plants to absorb all the nutrients through their roots. This is why spraying your lawn can show improvement in a matter of days vs. weeks with soil application.
Disadvantages of Liquid Lawn Fertilizer
1. Higher Cost
Liquid fertilizer is a quick release method which means that the nutrients are absorbed more quickly but they disappear more quickly, too. 
This is why you need to fertilize your lawn more often when using a solution which can lead to higher lawn maintenance costs.
2. Requires Spray Equipment
Some bottles are designed to connect to your hose for easy spraying but this is only true for the ready-to-use types.
Professionals will prefer using a specific spray tool for an even spread.
3. May Need Mixing
There are ready-to-use liquid fertilizers but many are concentrates which means you need to mix with water first.
Also, customizing the solution requires the extra step of mixing while granular fertilizer is always ready-to-use.
Benefits of Granular Fertilizer
1. Lower Costs
This is the more affordable for two reasons; the tools are more economical and spreading the grains do not need to be repeated as often as with liquid fertilizer.
2. Can Be Applied Year-Round
Since the grains are absorbed through the soil, it is less affected by the weather conditions. Liquid fertilizers have specific application times while granular fertilizer is more versatile thanks to its slow-release method.
3. Choice Between Slow Release and Quick Release
There are two types of granular fertilizer; one that is coated for slow release and one that is not coated for quick release. This difference gives you more control over the release of nutrients and also means that your fertilization times are less influenced by the climate.
Disadvantages of Granular Fertilizer
1. Uneven Spread
There is no way of knowing how the nutrients are spread throughout the grains so you also cannot know for sure how they are spread through your lawn. This is a less precise method.
2. Slower Results
Granular feed does not give you the fastest results, even when using the non-coated grains.
3. Careful Spreading
Aside from the uneven spread, you also need to pay more attention to watering the lawn and runoff.
Certain types of granular feed can burn foliage which means you need to water your lawn right after spreading.
Also, think about your landscape and where the runoff goes to. Certain types of fertilizer are not environmentally friendly so you want to avoid them entering the natural water system.
Conclusion of Liquid Lawn Fertilizer vs Granular
There is no single answer to whether liquid lawn fertilizer or granular lawn fertilizer is better. It depends on how fast you want results, your budget, and climate.
Generalizations that you can make are that granular feed is better for slow release of nutrients and year-round applications while liquid lawn feed is better for quick results and even spreading of nutrients, even when there already is foliage.
When you are making your choice, think about the growth stage of your lawn, how the weather conditions are for the next coming weeks and how much you are willing to spend.
