Keeping a lush, green lawn is one of the primary goals of most homeowners. For that, you’ll need tools like the best organic lawn fertilizer.
Lawn fertilizer is what will help lawn-type grasses grow in thick and bright. Many of them also help to cut down on maintenance such as watering and mowing.
They work by providing nutrients to your lawn that it might otherwise miss out on.
Using an organic option also has clear benefits. For one, these fertilizers are often better for the environment than options with harsh chemicals.
They’re also safe for use around children and pets since they don’t feature dangerous ingredients.
In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about organic lawn fertilizer. With our recommendations and tips, you’ll find the right organic fertilizer for you in no time.
10 Best Organic Lawn Fertilizers
1. The Andersons 7-1-2 Innova Organic Fertilizer
The Andersons 7-1-2 Innova Organic Fertilizer is OMRI certified as a truly organic product. It is also a USDA BioPreferred organic lawn fertilizer.
The formula includes plant-derived compounds to fertilize your lawn. It omits the use of unwanted items such as manure, composted waste, biosolids, or animal parts.
This also means that you don’t have to worry about the fertilizer having a strong unpleasant scent.
The fertilizer is also easy to spread when you’re ready to use it. You can spread it with conventional tools – you don’t need to worry about extra tools that you might not have handy.
This option is also made up of low-dust and homogenous granules. In laymen’s terms, this means you don’t have to worry about the material burning your lawn rather than helping it.
Even better, you don’t have to focus too heavily on when you use the fertilizer. You can apply it in either hot or dry weather – it will work the same in both environments.
It’s safe for use around both kids and pets to help cut down on the danger of using fertilizer.
2. Wiggle Worm Soil Builder Pure Worm Castings
The Wiggle Worm Soil Builder is an organic option made from pure worm castings. This is a great choice not only because it’s effective but it’s odor-free and non-toxic.
Fertilizer made from worm castings is also a versatile choice. You can use the Wiggle Worm Soil Builder on your indoor and outdoor gardens as well as on your lawn.
You don’t have to worry about using a lot of this fertilizer to see results either. The company recommends that only a handful will help houseplant grow healthy and strong.
The fertilizer works to offer your plants and lawns both common nutrients they need as well as uncommon ones. This ensures that your plants receive the full gamut of nutrients they need to survive.
Each order of fertilizer comes in a 15-pound bag which is great even if you a large yard. However, you can also purchase this organic fertilizer in packs of two or four as well.
3. Espoma Organic Lawn Food Spring Lawn Booster
If you want to give your lawn a boost, you should consider the Espoma Organic Lawn Food Spring Lawn Booster. This organic fertilizer is made to help out as your lawn starts to grow.
The fertilizer is made up of three ingredients. This includes pasteurized poultry manure, feather meal, and gypsum.
The formula is also fortified with calcium to offer your lawn everything it needs in one bag.
Each bag of Espoma Organic Lawn Food Spring Lawn Booster is 30 pounds. According to the company, each of these bags feeds up to 5,000 square feet of lawn.
The organic lawn food is meant to give your lawn everything it needs to survive. It’s specially formulated to offer more than 2.5 times the nitrogen than conventional lawn care products.
As this is an organic fertilizer, it’s a choice that’s environmentally friendly. However, this isn’t all that this organic fertilizer has to offer.
It’s also a choice that’s safe to use around children and pets. This means that after application, you don’t have to worry about them coming into contact with harsh chemicals.
4. Scotts Natural Lawn Food
Scotts is a popular outdoor care brand and they aren’t left out of the organic lawn care options. Their Scotts Natural Lawn Food is a great organic lawn fertilizer option.
You have two bag size options with the Scotts Natural Lawn Food. One size will cover up to 2,500 square feet and the other covers up to 4,000 square feet.
This is also a very versatile choice when it comes to lawn care. After all, you can use it at any point during the year and on any grass type.
You can also walk on your lawn immediately after you apply the Scotts Natural Lawn Food. It won’t cause any issue thanks to toxic ingredients.
This also means it’s safe to use organic fertilizer around kids and pets. You don’t have to worry about them coming into contact with harmful ingredients for the sake of a lush lawn.
By adding it to your lawn, you’ll have a bed of full, green grass for your neighbors to admire.
5. Milorganite Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer
Milorganite Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer is a popular organic fertilizer. In fact, it’s often used on golf courses and has seen use in this area for decades.
Each bag of Milorganite Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer is 32 pounds. This is enough to supply for even larger yards since it covers up to 2,500 square feet.
The fertilizer also depends on non-staining iron for 4% of the formula. This saves you on maintenance efforts in more ways than one.
For one, it uses this formula to promote a green, grassy yard without promoting growth. This reduces the need for regular mowing.
You also won’t have to concern yourself with watering your yard regularly. This not only makes it easier to take care of your lawn but it reduces energy expenditure as well.
Alongside the inclusion of iron, the Milorganite Nitrogen Fertilizer depends solely on organic ingredients.
This formula is also made up of ingredients derived from recycled nutrients via a water reclamation process. This makes it a particularly environmentally-friendly choice.
6. Purely Organic Lawn Food
The Purely Organic Lawn Food is a choice that’s free of harsh chemicals. It also doesn’t rely on manure or odorous biosolids to get the job done.
Instead, the formula is plant-based. It depends on distiller grains and soy to get the job done.
There are a few reasons that this is such a good choice. For one, it isn’t likely to lead to a burned lawn.
Without the risk of your lawn burning, you can focus on getting that perfect, lush, green lawn.
Since the formula is made without phosphorus. This means that it meets most municipality regulations regarding phosphate use.
The formula is also friendly when it comes to pets and young children. You don’t have to wait for a re-entry period before your lawn is safe to walk on again after application.
Each of the Purely Organic Lawn Food bags weighs 25 pounds. This is enough to cover up to 5,000 square feet of lawn.
7. Simple Lawn Solutions Fertilizer Made Easy
The Simple Lawn Solutions Fertilizer Made Easy is exactly what it sounds like: a simple-use fertilizer for your lawn. In this case, you have the option of liquid fertilizer.
This fertilizer is a concentrate, meaning that you’ll have to dilute it before you apply it. It’s also a great choice for big yards.
The one-gallon bottle covers a grand total of 12,800 square feet of lawn. Alternatively, the 2.5-gallon bottle covers a lawn of up to 32,000 square feet.
The formula that the fertilizer uses puts an emphasis on lawns with nitrogen or potassium deficiencies.
A nitrogen deficiency can cause yellowing, reduced growth, and poor density in a lawn. A lack of potassium can cause wilting, a lack of extreme temperature tolerance, and prone to stress or disease.
Since this formula caters to these problems, you can rely on it if you find these symptoms in your lawn.
This formula is also reliable because of the addition of chlorophyll and sulfur. These elements help to boost growth in your lawn even more.
8. Coop Poop Lawn & Garden Food
The Coop Poop Lawn & Garden Food is an all-purpose food for your lawn and garden. It’s also completely organic.
The purpose behind the Coop Poop Lawn & Garden Food is to promote better root development and nutrient uptake. This will help your plants to create better foundations and retain the nutrients they need.
One of the ways that this organic fertilizer does this is by adding more calcium to the mix. This helps fortify the plant life it comes into contact with.
Aside from your lawn, you can use this organic fertilizer on other plant life as well. You can spread it in flower beds, vegetable gardens, and contained gardens for better growth.
To further help your plant growth, you’ll also need to keep your lawn pH controlled. This refers to having the right level of acidity for your lawn to thrive in.
The Coop Poop Lawn & Garden Food is pH controlled with organic material. So, you won’t have to worry about an imbalance causing an issue with how green and healthy your grass is.
9. Natural Alternative Early Spring Fertilizer
The Natural Alternative Early Spring Fertilizer is a completely organic and phosphorus-free formula. This means that it’s particularly eco-friendly.
Since the formula is phosphorus-free, you can also rest easy using it around lakes, rivers, and bays. It isn’t going to cause harmful runoff when it’s used.
If you want a thriving lawn, you’ll want to apply this fertilizer in the early spring. This way, it has time throughout the warmer months to offer a steady supply of nutrients to the lawn.
It isn’t just good for the plants themselves either. The microbes in the fertilizer feed the soil as well.
This means that as you use the Natural Alternative Early Spring Fertilizer, you are creating a strong foundation. This can help your lawn in future seasons as well.
This choice is also meant to give you a green lawn without uncontrollable growth spurts. So, you won’t have to expend as much time and energy on upkeep.
If you have a large yard, this also covers a lot of areas. One case covers up to 6,000 square feet in a single application.
10. Espoma Organic Lawn Food
The Espoma Organic Lawn Food doesn’t feature any harmful ingredients. Since it covers up to 5,000 square feet of space, you can use it if you have more space.
The lawn food comes in a 30-pound bag. However, they also offer a pack of two if you need to cover more space than 5,000 square feet.
The formula is made mostly up of two ingredients. This includes feather meal poultry and sulfate of potash to nourish your yard.
With these ingredients, the formula offers 2.5 times the nitrogen release than standard lawn foods. This is a slow-release as well, so it continues to release nutrients over time.
This makes the formula particularly environmentally-friendly. This also means it’s free from harsh chemicals that could hurt the lawn or other natural elements.
This also makes this a program that’s safe for kids and pets. Once you apply it, you don’t have to worry about them coming into contact with any harm-causing chemicals.
This formula doesn’t just help your lawn the year it’s applied either. It adds extra potash to the lawn for another year of spring greening.
Best Organic Lawn Fertilizer Buying Guide
When you’re ready to purchase purely organic lawn food, you have to know what to look for. Not every fertilizer is as promising as the last.
To help you out, we’ve broken down a quick buying guide with all the information you need to know.
Breaking Down the Nutrients
The main job of lawn fertilizer is to offer your lawn the nutrients it needs. There are certain nutrients that different fertilizers offer that serve unique purposes.
Nitrogen is one of the most common promises of lawn fertilizers. This element is best for plant growth and development.
This is also an important factor in promoting a vivid green coloring to your yard. This will give you the bright, healthy appearance you’re looking for.
Then, there’s phosphorus. This is an important element for root growth but many organic fertilizers use viable substitutes.
The final major element included in fertilizers is potassium which is sometimes referred to as potash. This aids in root development and increases resistance to disease and drought.
Lawn fertilizers often include a variety of secondary nutrients as well. This can include calcium, oxygen, carbon, sulfur, and more.
Helping with Maintenance and Energy Consumption
Many fertilizers also aim to help you maintain a green lawn with less work and energy consumption.
This can include the promotion of green grass with less growth and a lower need for watering.
While less active growth might sound bad, it really isn’t! It allows you to have a healthy lawn without having to mow it quite as often.
Slow-Release and Quick-Release
Fertilizers are also often marked as either slow-release formulas or quick-release formulas.
Quick-release fertilizers offer immediate nutrients. They usually last up to four weeks depending on environmental conditions.
Slow-release fertilizers are made to act overtime throughout the season. They last for about 12 weeks and provide nutrients to the lawn over time.
Granulated formulas are often slow-release options while liquid fertilizers are often faster acting.
What Is the Best Organic Fertilizer for Lawns?
All of the lawn fertilizers we’ve looked at in this guide are great options. Your particular favorite might vary based on your needs.
Overall, though, The Andersons Innova Organic Fertilizer is a great all-around choice. It’s slow-release, so you can rely on it all through the warmer seasons.
It’s also a low-dust option that won’t burn your lawn. This minimizes the risk of damage caused by using the fertilizer.
Additionally, it’s one of the options that’s safe for use around pets and kids. This saves you some stress when you use it with them around the house.
Is Organic Lawn Fertilizer Better?
In many ways, yes! There are quite a few benefits to opting for organic lawn fertilizer.
For one, organic fertilizers continue to improve the soil after they’ve lived their life. Once the plants take the nutrients they need, the fertilizer continues to feed the soil.
Organic fertilizers are also often considered more eco-friendly. After all, they lack the harsh chemicals of inorganic fertilizer.
Is Organic Lawn Fertilizer Safe?
Generally, yes. Most organic lawn fertilizers are safe to use because they lack the harsh chemicals in other, non-organic fertilizer options.
As such, organic fertilizers are often safe to walk on shortly after they’re applied. This also means they’re often safe for kids and pets as well.
What Is Natural Grass Fertilizer?
A natural grass fertilizer or, alternatively named, organic fertilizer is exactly what it sounds like. These options use natural ingredients rather than chemical ones to add nutrients to your lawn.
For example, an organic fertilizer may use seaweed to add potassium or feather meal to add nitrogen. This offers what your lawn needs in a more environmentally-friendly and safer manner.
Do Organic Lawn Fertilizers Work?
One of the biggest concerns about organic lawn fertilizers is whether they’ll work as well as their non-organic counterparts. In short, the answer is yes!
Organic lawn fertilizers are useful tools to help keep your lawn looking healthy and vibrant. By choosing the right one, you’re setting your yard up for success.
How Do You Feed Your Lawn Organically?
If you want to feed your lawn organically, you’re in the right place. One of the first things you should do is switch to organic fertilizer.
From there, you can also switch your lawnmower to its tallest height setting. Cutting grass too low can damage it.
Sharpen the blades on your mower too. By cleanly and effectively cutting your grass, you’re saving it from a lot of damage.
Finally, try topdressing with compost. This actually helps to add a lot of nutrients to your lawn.
How Can I Make My Grass Green Naturally?
There are a few different ways you can make your grass green naturally. For one, make sure to aerate and water your lawn correctly.
When you water your lawn, you should make sure it is deeply watered. Opt for deep watering over frequent shallow waterings.
When you mow your lawn, don’t throw your grass clippings away either. By leaving them on the lawn, you’re providing a natural mulch.
Another great step is what we’ve been looking at here: use natural lawn fertilizers. These offer a natural boost rather than fertilizing with harsh chemicals.
How Can I Improve My Lawn Without Chemicals?
Improving your lawn without the use of chemicals is easy when you know what to look for. This guide is actually a great place to start!
One of the easiest ways to make your lawn healthier and appear more attractive is fertilizer. By switching to organic lawn fertilizer, you’ve made a step to maintain your lawn without the use of chemicals.
On top of this, it’s a good idea to keep up with lawn maintenance. For instance, mow your grass as needed and make sure it has the water it needs.
Conclusion
The best organic lawn fertilizer doesn’t have to come at the cost of a long and tiring search.
With the information we’ve gone over in the buying guide and FAQs listed above, you know what to look for. Plus, you’re sure to find something that works for you among our recommended products.
That means that all that’s left for you to do is apply the natural lawn fertilizer to your yard and wait. Then, you can enjoy a lush, green lawn that you’re proud to show off.