Spring is fast approaching and it’s time to give your lawn some love with a spring lawn feed. We’ve tested all the spring lawn feeds we could get our hands on, and these are our top recommendations that will encourage a lush, green, thick lawn after a dormant period over winter.
Brand: Westland
Price: £
Size: 2.8-14 kilograms
Treatment Area: 80-400 m²
Season: Spring/summer
Ingredients: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium
Application Rate: 35 grams per square metre
Results in: 10 days
![A1 Lawn Ultimate Spring Summer Lawn Fertiliser, 10kg (280m2) - [10-4-4] Nitrogen Rich Feed with Potassium & Phosphorous - UK Professional Grade to Boost Your Lawn & After Colder Months](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41OhKGvKCzL._SL500_.jpg)
Brand: A1 Lawn
Price: ££
Size: 10-20 kilograms
Treatment Area: 280-560 m²
Season: Spring/summer
Ingredients: Nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, iron
Application Rate: 35 grams per square metre
Results in: 5-7 days
Brand: Miracle-Gro
Price: ££
Size: 2-8 kilograms
Treatment Area: 100-400 m²
Season: Spring/autumn
Ingredients: Nitrogen, manganese, potassium, iron
Application Rate: 20 grams per square metre
Results in: 7 days
Brand: Miracle-Gro
Price: ££
Size: 12.6 kilograms
Treatment Area: 80-360 m²
Season: Spring/summer
Ingredients: Nitrogen, potassium
Application Rate: 35 grams per square metre
Results in: 7 days
Brand: Garden Lawncare Guy
Price: ££
Size: 1.25-4.7 kilograms
Treatment Area: 50-190 m²
Season: Spring/summer
Ingredients: Nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, magnesium
Application Rate: 25-35 grams per square metre
Results in: 5-7 days
Table of Contents
Best Lawn Mowers
Best Overall: Westland SafeLawn Child and Pet-Friendly Natural Lawn Feed
Best for Early Spring Greening: Miracle-Gro EverGreen Premium Plus Autumn & Spring Lawn Food
Best Weed & Feed: Miracle-Gro Evergreen Complete 4-in-1 Lawn Food
Best For Fast Grass Growth: Garden Lawncare Guy Dark Green Lawn Fertiliser
📊 Comparison Chart of Spring Lawn Feed For UK Gardens
Scroll right on mobile to see the whole table chart
| Product | Price | Size | Treatment Area | Season | Ingredients | Application Rate | Results in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westland SafeLawn | £ | 2.8-14 kg | 80-400 m² | Spring/summer | Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium | 35 g/m² | 10 days |
| A1 Lawn Ultimate | ££ | 10-20 kg | 280-560 m² | Spring/summer | Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Iron | 35 g/m² | 5-7 days |
| Miracle-Gro EverGreen Premium Plus | ££ | 2-8 kg | 100-400 m² | Spring/autumn | Nitrogen, Manganese, Potassium, Iron | 20 g/m² | 7 days |
| Miracle-Gro Evergreen Complete 4-in-1 | ££ | 12.6 kg | 80-360 m² | Spring/summer | Nitrogen, Potassium | 35 g/m² | 7 days |
| Garden Lawncare Guy Dark Green | ££ | 1.25-4.7 kg | 50-190 m² | Spring/summer | Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium | 25-35 g/m² | 5-7 days |
⭐ Reviews – Best Spring Lawn Feed of 2024
The Westland SafeLawn Lawn Feed is designed to “bring your lawn back to life” – exactly what we were looking for after a cold, wet winter!
This spring lawn feed is made from natural organic matter, so it’ll revive your lawn without introducing toxic chemicals. It contains grass seed, so as well as feeding your lawn with nutrients, it’ll also fill in any gaps. It’s also the top pet-friendly lawn feed on Amazon right now, so your furry family members can still safely use your lawn post-application.
Quick Specs:
Brand: Westland
Price: £
Size: 2.8-14 kilograms
Treatment Area: 80-400 m²
Season: Spring/summer
Ingredients: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium
Application Rate: 35 grams per square metre
Results in: 10 days
Best For:
Anyone looking for the very best granular spring lawn feed that uses natural organic materials to promote long-term soil and grass health.
What Customers Think:
The Westland SafeLawn Lawn Feed has an average 4.3-star rating out of 5 from more than 5,400 customer reviews on Amazon. One customer said that the feed helped their “grass pick up nicely for the spring”, and another said that it “works wonders” in “making the lawn much greener”. A few customers commented that they couldn’t find much grass seed included with their fertiliser.
Pros:
What sold us on this Westland lawn feed is that it fertilises lawns and introduces new grass seed, making it an ideal combination to use in the spring, when grass looks a bit sparse and tired. We saw the best improvements in grass thickness and denseness after using the feed throughout our trial period.
The built-in applicator on the box was a game-changer, meaning that we could simply sprinkle the granules directly onto our lawn without having to use a separate spreader.
We’ve tried and tested a lot of lawn fertilisers, and in our opinion, the Westland SafeLawn Lawn Feed has the best natural formula for spring feeding. Its organic nature meant that we weren’t just hitting our grass with a one-time growth booster – the nutrients from the feed helped to foster a healthy soil environment and promote beneficial microorganisms, ideal for long-term grass health.
We appreciate the three size options – the smallest pack covers 80m², or about the size of 8 car parking spaces. That’s plenty for most lawns, but if you want to cover more space, upgrade to the 5.25kg pack or the 14kg pack. The price per kilo is lower with the bigger bags, so it’s worth stocking up if you intend to make multiple applications.
Cons:
We were expecting a whiffy smell due to this being an organic fertiliser, and we were proven right! Prepare for an afternoon indoors with the windows closed after you apply this one.
We didn’t get much grass seed in our box.
The A1 Lawn Ultimate Spring Summer Lawn Fertiliser is a close runner-up to our top pick Westland spring lawn fertiliser.
This lawn feed comes in larger bags, starting at 10 kilograms for a 280 m² space. It’s specially formulated to boost lawns after colder months, and is high in nitrogen, with an NPK ratio of 10-4-4 – so it’s ideal for promoting green grass growth as spring gets underway.
Quick Specs:
Brand: A1 Lawn
Price: ££
Size: 10-20 kilograms
Treatment Area: 280-560 m²
Season: Spring/summer
Ingredients: Nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, iron
Application Rate: 35 grams per square metre
Results in: 5-7 days
Best For:
People looking for an expertly formulated lawn feed that’s specifically intended for use in spring, to restore grass health after a cold winter period.
What Customers Think:
The 1 Lawn Ultimate Spring Summer Lawn Fertiliser has a 4.6-star rating out of around 700 reviews on Amazon, with customers calling it a “brilliant lawn fertiliser” that “works a treat”. Numerous customers said they got better results from this fertiliser than any other. Some customers said that getting the correct feed dosage was quite tricky.
Pros:
In our testing, the A1 Lawn Ultimate Spring Summer Lawn Fertiliser delivered really quick results. Within less than a week, the grass in our testing area was growing quickly and greening up nicely, looking noticeably healthier than our untreated lawn areas.
We think one of the reasons why this product worked so well for us is that it’s formulated in the UK, especially for British weather. That meant we were supplying our lawn with exactly what it needed to get over a tough winter and prepare for a warmer (but likely still wet!) spring.
Our lawn turned noticeably greener after just one application, and we think the added iron was probably responsible for that. Iron also kills moss, so if your lawn is looking a bit mossy after winter, the A1 feed should deal with it (remember to rake out the dead moss around 7-10 days post-application).
Cons:
Using this lawn feed sparingly is super important. We spilled some feed while refilling and a patch of our lawn ended up burnt.
You’ll need your own spreader for this one.
If you’re looking for a spring lawn food that will get your lawn looking green in no time, we think you can’t go wrong with the Miracle-Gro EverGreen Premium Plus Autumn & Spring Lawn Food.
This lawn feed can be used in either autumn or spring. When you apply it in spring, it’ll help reverse the effects of winter stress, promoting fast greening within 7 days thanks to its high nitrogen content (it has an NPK ratio of 16-0-16).
Quick Specs:
Brand: Miracle-Gro
Price: ££
Size: 2-8 kilograms
Treatment Area: 100-400 m²
Season: Spring/autumn
Ingredients: Nitrogen, manganese, potassium, iron
Application Rate: 20 grams per square metre
Results in: 7 days
Best For:
Folks who want an effective spring lawn fertiliser by a reliable brand to get their grass looking greener within a week of application.
What Customers Think:
More than 1,000 customers have awarded the Miracle-Gro EverGreen Spring Lawn Feed an average 4.4-star rating out of 5, with customers agreeing that it’s a “brilliant” product that produces “lush green grass”. However, some customers were displeased about the fact that the feed isn’t pet-friendly (pets must be kept off the lawn until the fertiliser is watered in).
Pros:
We were pleased with the formula of this Miracle-Gro feed. The high nitrogen content was exactly what we wanted to see for a product that claims fast greening – this nutrient is best known for encouraging the formation of proteins that grass cells need to grow, and we noticed that our grass looked greener and brighter after just 7 days.
The feed also contains iron, which also supports green growth, and low concentrations of manganese, which provides energy for photosynthesis and supports the production of chlorophyll – the pigment that makes grass green.
You get more value for money with this lawn feed because the application rate is just 20 grams per square metre (most other feeds we tested had a rate of 35 grams per square metre). That meant we had more feed left over that we could save for another time.
Cons:
There’s no phosphorous in this feed, which is a shame – phosphorous helps support root growth, which in turn supports healthy grass year-round.
For anyone looking for the best spring lawn feed that’s a two-in-one feed and weed-killer, we think the Miracle-Gro Evergreen Complete 4-in-1 Lawn Food can’t be beaten.
This fertiliser is the most efficient spring lawn feed we’ve tested, encompassing four primary functions; it encourages grass greenness, thickens grass, kills weeds, and eradicates moss. It’s also massively popular – Miracle-Gro is one of the most well-known names in the industry, so if you prefer to go with a tried-and-tested product for your spring lawn feed, this is the one we recommend.
Quick Specs:
Brand: Miracle-Gro
Price: ££
Size: 12.6 kilograms
Treatment Area: 80-360 m²
Season: Spring/summer
Ingredients: Nitrogen, potassium
Application Rate: 35 grams per square metre
Results in: 7 days
Best For:
People who want the most efficient spring lawn feed that’ll encourage grass growth while killing off weeds and moss that may have accumulated over winter.
What Customers Think:
More than 17,000 customers have awarded the Miracle-Gro Evergreen Complete 4-in-1 Lawn Food an average star rating of 4.4. Customers said that the feed was a “spring tonic for the grass” and “definitely makes a big difference to grass” when applied in spring. Some customers said the feed was a little pricey for their budget.
Pros:
The Miracle-Gro Evergreen Complete feed has a unique “WaterSmart” formula, which encourages the absorption of water and nutrients into the grass. That makes it ideal for applying in the spring before the summer when we usually see a week or two of drought, which can stress grass.
We found the 14-5 N-K ratio another great formula for spring lawn feeding. The high nitrogen concentration noticeably improved our lawn quality – it looked greener and was growing quicker after 7 days.
The weed-killing effects of this feed were a major bonus for us. Our lawn had accumulated some moss and the odd weed since we’d last tended to it in autumn, and the feed did a good, albeit gradual, job of killing most unwanted plants on our first application.
Cons:
While we noticed signs of grass growth quickly, it took a few weeks for some weeds in our lawn to die (we noticed that some died off faster than others). You might need to do a second, lighter treatment a few months later if not all weeds are killed the first time around.
We loved the fact that the feed killed the moss on our lawn, but we had to put in the effort of raking out the dead moss ourselves.
We also had a good experience with the Garden Lawncare Guy Dark Green Lawn Fertiliser, and in our opinion, it’s the best spring lawn feed for fast grass growth.
This lawn fertiliser contains more nitrogen than most other feeds we tried – its NPK ratio is 22-5-10 – so we were unsurprised to see that our grass grew quickly after our first application. It also contains calcium and magnesium, two additional nutrients to give spring lawns an extra boost.
Quick Specs:
Brand: Garden Lawncare Guy
Price: ££
Size: 1.25-4.7 kilograms
Treatment Area: 50-190 m²
Season: Spring/summer
Ingredients: Nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, magnesium
Application Rate: 25-35 grams per square metre
Results in: 5-7 days
Best For:
Anyone looking for a high-nitrate spring lawn feed that encourages quick, green grass leaf growth but also contains nutrients to support a healthy lawn in the long term.
What Customers Think:
The Garden Lawncare Guy Dark Green Lawn Fertiliser has a 4.4-star rating out of 5. Customers said that the fertiliser was “very effective” and produced a “brilliant result”. Reviewers were pleased with the improvements to their lawn quality, although some were less impressed with the price point for this feed.
Pros:
The Garden Lawncare Guy Dark Green Lawn Fertiliser’s super high nitrogen content was exactly what our lawn needed for a boost in growth after a dormant winter, and we appreciated the additional nutritional value from the included calcium and magnesium, which help support disease resistance, balance pH, and promote chlorophyll production – essential for green, healthy-looking grass.
We thought this fertiliser was thoughtfully formulated, combining the quick-release effects of nitrogen for spring greening with the slower-release benefits of additional nutrients to support long-term lawn health.
We appreciated that the feed came in a resealable bag, so we could save some for later without having to worry about it getting raided by wildlife or damaged by damp in our shed.
Cons:
The fertiliser is a bit more expensive than similar competitor products.
🤷♂️ How We Chose the Best Spring Lawn Fertilisers
In our opinion, it’s not necessarily about the brand, but about the nutrients the fertiliser contains. We’ve found that certain brands produce higher-quality products with the right nutrients for spring grass growth. These were the brands that we shortlisted for this guide.
We chose the best spring lawn feeds by testing a bunch of products on patches of our own lawn, determining which feeds helped our grass to grow fast, improved its greenness, and gave it a generally healthier appearance – three essentials of any spring lawn fertiliser.
There were a few additional features that we looked for as added benefits, but weren’t essentials, such as grass seed to fill in bare patches, weedkiller to target any weeds that might have sprouted over winter, and supplementary nutrients, like iron, calcium, magnesium, and manganese, with additional grass health properties.
🌱 What Makes Spring Lawn Fertilisers Different From All-Year Fertilisers?
You might be wondering whether you should bother to invest in a spring lawn feed instead of a year-round fertiliser.
The main reason is that spring lawn feeds and year-round lawn fertilisers differ in their nutrient composition and application timing, reflecting the different needs of the grass during different seasons.
Spring lawn feeds are designed to address the specific requirements of the grass as it emerges from winter dormancy and enters a period of active growth. These formulations have a higher concentration of nitrogen, which is the key nutrient for fast, green grass growth – just what you want in early spring.
Plus, spring fertilisers often contain other essential nutrients like phosphorus and potassium to support root development and overall plant health, but the concentrations of these nutrients are generally lower.
On the other hand, year-round lawn fertilisers provide a balanced and sustained nutrient supply throughout the seasons. They can’t be too heavy on a certain nutrient that might not be ideal year-round (for instance, nitrogen is unsuitable in winter fertilisers, when grass growth isn’t encouraged). For that reason, they often have a more even distribution of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, catering to the grass’s ongoing nutritional demands.
Essentially, choosing a spring lawn feed instead of a year-round fertiliser will give your lawn the targeted nutrients it needs for this season, supporting rapid, green, healthy, growth with less of a focus on root development and other areas that can be worked on in the colder seasons.
📑 3 Features To Look For In The Best Spring Lawn Fee
Here are the 3 features that you should always look for when shopping for the best spring lawn feed:
🧪 High Nitrogen Content
Nitrogen is ideal as the key nutrient in spring lawn feed for several reasons:
It stimulates early growth. Nitrogen provides a quick-release source of nitrogen, promoting rapid green-up and early spring growth. This is exactly what grass needs as it emerges from winter dormancy.
It enhances leaf development. Nitrogen is essential for the formation of chlorophyll, the green pigment responsible for photosynthesis. Adequate nitrate levels support robust leaf development, promoting lush, vibrant green grass leaves.
It improves blade strength: Nitrogen also supports the formation of proteins that contribute to the structural integrity of grass blades. This helps the lawn withstand environmental stressors and resist damage – such as increased foot traffic in the spring and summer months.
It encourages tiller formation: Tiller formation is essential for grass density and coverage. Nitrogen promotes the development of tillers, which are lateral shoots that contribute to a thick and healthy lawn.
You can find out how much nitrogen a lawn feed contains by checking its nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) ratio, or NPK ratio. This information is usually found on the product packaging as three numbers separated by dashes.
⬇️ Lower Potassium & Phosphorous Content
Potassium and phosphorous are much less necessary in a spring lawn feed because their main role is to encourage healthy root development.
The primary goal of a spring lawn feed is to encourage rapid leaf and shoot growth. Potassium and phosphorus are essential for overall plant health, but using a fertiliser with excessive amounts of these nutrients during the spring will mean that you’re prioritising root development rather than the desired quick leaf growth.
With that said, potassium and phosphorous still encourage healthy long-term grass growth, which is why they can often still be found in spring lawn feeds.
Most spring lawn feeds contain 2-6% of potassium and phosphorous or less, compared to autumn fertilisers, which contain around 9-12% of these nutrients or more.
🏁 Quick-Release Formula
Since you’re trying to encourage green, fast-growing top growth with a spring grass feed, it’s helpful to go for a quick-release formula that will deliver results within 7-10 days.
Quick-release lawn feeds promote rapid leaf and shoot growth, giving you your desired lush, green lawn in no time.
There’s less of a need to protect your lawn over a period of months, as is the case for autumn/winter lawn feeds.
With that said, most spring fertilisers are granular, rather than liquid, so they still provide results more gradually than liquid feeds, which are a one-and-done option.
🧾 6 Factors To Consider When Buying Sping Lawn Feed
As well as looking for the best features of a spring lawn feed, also consider the following factors:
💰 Your Budget
First, determine how much you can afford to spend on a spring lawn feed.
On average, spring lawn fertiliser costs £8.99-£35. The cost depends on the size of the bag or container and how much fertiliser it contains, so it’s worth thinking about value for money rather than going for the cheapest option (which might be too small for your space).
You may decide to make several lawn fertiliser applications over the spring period; in which case, you’ll probably spend less money per kilogram on a larger product (we’ve discussed application frequency in more detail later).
☘️ Fertiliser Vs Weed & Feed
Are you specifically looking for a spring lawn feed, or has your lawn accumulated some weeds that you’d also like to shift?
Moss is a common feature of lawns over winter, and after several months of little-to-no lawn care, it’s possible that other weeds may have sprouted up during this time, too.
If you want to fertilise your lawn and kill weeds in one, go for a lawn feed that contains weedkiller or an ingredient that targets a specific problem plant. For instance, some spring lawn fertilisers contain iron, which has two benefits – it makes grass greener and kills moss.
If you DO go for a fertiliser that has weedkilling properties, keep in mind that you will need to rake or weed out the dead moss/weeds yourself around 7-10 days after the application.
🟩 Application Area
Also determine the size of your application area and make sure you buy enough spring lawn fertiliser to cover the entire space.
It’s better to buy slightly too much feed than not enough. If you do go for a bigger bag, you can always save the remaining fertiliser for a second application or seal it and leave it until the next year.
🤼 Granular Vs Liquid Fertiliser
There are pros and cons of liquid fertilisers and granular lawn feed for use in the spring, and it’s worth knowing these before you spend your money.
Granular lawn feed is the most popular option for spring because it has a slow-release formula, meaning that it releases nutrients more gradually and benefits your lawn health over a period of several weeks.
However, you might personally prefer a liquid lawn feed because you want to give your grass a boost of nutrients right as the growing season begins, giving you the fastest and most noticeable results – i.e. green, healthy-growing grass almost instantly.
Plus, liquid feeds are easier to apply and are less likely to burn your lawn. We personally go for a granular feed because we prefer the longer-term effects of a slow-release fertiliser, but the choice is yours.
Liquid Fertiliser
Granular Fertiliser
🧮 Application Rate & Frequency
Most spring granular lawn fertilisers have an application rate of 25-35 grams per square metre (g/m²), while liquid feeds need to be diluted according to the instructions on the bottle.
Measuring out your spring lawn feed isn’t a time for guesswork – even using slightly too much fertiliser can produce the exact opposite of your desired result and burn your lawn, leading to dead, brown patches. On the other end, if you don’t use enough fertiliser, you probably won’t notice the effects of the feed at all.
It’s important to pay attention to the application rate and frequency on the packaging. and apply evenly using the correct equipment (see below!). Most people choose to use a spring lawn fertiliser just once, to promote healthier, greener grass growth at the start of the season.
But you might choose to re-apply the lawn feed in the summer as its effects start to wear off. Just make sure to leave enough time between applications – most manufacturers recommend waiting at least 6-8 weeks after your first application before applying another lot of feed.
🔊 Spreading Applicator
Finally, make sure you have the right spreading applicator for evenly distributing your lawn feed, making sure all areas in your lawn receive the same attention and preventing the effects of over-feeding certain spots.
If you’re just planning a one-off treatment, it might be worth looking for a fertiliser that comes in a special container with a built-in spreader.
Otherwise, if you plan to fertilise your lawn more than once, the more economical solution is to buy your own spreader.
We’ve found that a spreader like the Gardena Hand-Held Spreader (<Amazon link) is the much better alternative to manually sprinkling granular fertiliser over your lawn, allowing for much more even distribution.
Liquid lawn feeds can’t be used in these spreaders, and most are sold in containers with built-in application tools. Otherwise, buy a sprinkler bar application (<Amazon link) for your watering can, so you can dilute the feed in water and pour it straight onto your lawn.
Important note: this review was last updated in July 2024. We apologise if pricing or availability has since changed for any of the products mentioned above.