How To Use A Spreader For Your Lawn

Here are several tips and tricks you might not find on the back of your bag when it comes to using a spreader for various products on your lawn.

  • Use a broadcast spreader, not a drop spreader. Using a drop spreader will just streak your grass. Broadcast spreaders will save you loads of time, cutting your passes by more than half.
  • When spreading fertilizer, put the setting a notch or two above half. For example, if there are 20 notches on the spreader, 11-12 would be the setting. You don’t have to cover every square inch of turf to get good results, so if you think that’s too much, drop to a notch below half. With hand-held spreaders, if there are 5 or fewer settings open it all the way. If a hand-held spreader has 10 or more settings, put the setting a notch or two above half.
  • For pre-emergent herbicides, put the setting on or a notch above one quarter. (If there are 20 notches, 5-6 would be the setting.) On hand-held spreaders, if there are 5 or fewer settings lower the setting to 3, or even 2. If a hand-held spreader has 10 or more settings, put the setting on or a notch above one quarter. If your gut tells you the dosage is not enough– you don’t think it’s covering the zone that needs to be covered–then up it a notch or two.
  • If you’re using spreadable compost you can use a broadcast spreader open on full.

Don’t overthink the math on this. You can be off by a notch or two without fear of over doing it.

**Always wash your spreader after every use to prevent corrosion.