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If you recently purchased your first home, you are likely aware that you now have responsibilities to tend to your property that you may not have had to deal with before. One particularly large responsibility could be maintaining your front and back yards. In order to keep their yard looking great, many homeowners turn to regular lawn fertilization. But if you have never spread fertilizer on your yard before, the options available to do so could be confusing. It might be best to consult with a professional lawn fertilization company, but if you want to try it yourself, here's a quick guide to the three most common types of fertilizer spreaders that are used today.

Drop Spreader

A drop spreader is a great choice for many suburban homes. It allows precise placement of the fertilizer as well as ease of use. All you have to do is push it along the grass and the spreader will do the rest. One tip to keep in mind is to slightly overlap on each new pass so that your entire targeted area is completely covered. If you accidentally dump too much fertilizer, spread it out with a broom or rake and give that section some extra watering attention.

Rotary Spreader

This type of spreader can be used on a regular sized yard if you are careful but it is designed mostly for larger lawns. A rotary spreader will shoot out the fertilizer in a much larger radius than the drop spreader so don't try to use this to fit the fertilizer into any tight spaces or near your house. A good rule of thumb is to start at the perimeter of your yard and work your way in. This will cause overlap as you move to the center of the yard, ensuring the entire area is covered.

Handheld Spreaders

A handheld spreader is exactly what it sounds like. There are different types available, including some that are battery operated for ease of use, but in short, you will be walking around your yard with it instead of pushing something on wheels. If you are going to try and hit your entire lawn with this device, walk slowly in a straight line. Handheld spreaders are best at hitting specific areas of your lawn that may require extra fertilizer or putting down a special fertilizer with a weed killing ingredient over a bad spot in your lawn.

If you've never fertilized your lawn before, deciding what kind of spreader to use is the first step. Drop spreaders work best for most average sized suburban homes. A rotary spreader might be a better option if you have a larger area to cover. Handheld spreaders allow you to be extra precise and hit troublesome spots in your yard with special treatment. If this all sounds like too much work for you, contact a lawn fertilization professional like H 2 O Systems Inc for help.