The best way to get an even, consistent application feeding of the lawn is by using a quality spreader that suits the lawn.

There are two basic types of fertilizer spreader: rotary and drop. A drop spreader puts lawn food down between its wheels. You know exactly where the application is going. Also, you can maneuver around tight spots, and avoid spilling lawn food into flowerbeds or fishponds..

A rotary spreader broadcasts lawn food over a wide area beyond the wheelbase. It can be a real time-saver if you have a large lawn. When you use this type of spreader, overlap your strip, or swath, to make sure you don’t miss a spot.

Spreaders have off/on switches to let you control when and where you’re feeding. Before you load up, make sure your switch is set to “off”. The big green open basket on top of the wheels is the hopper. Just fill that with your lawn fertilizer food and adjust the setting on the handle to the recommended number. Different lawn products are spread at different rates, so you want to be accurate with your settings. Fill your hopper on the driveway or sidewalk, in case you spill a little.

With your spreader set to “on”, you want to make two header strips across the short ends of your lawn. This will give you turning room. Then walk back and forth between your strips, shutting the spreader off when you reach either end. You’ll want to overlap your rows a little to prevent untreated areas. Remember, an even walk gives you even spreading. When you’ve covered the lawn, just pour any excess lawn food back into the bag.

Set your spreader to “on” and walk it around the perimeter of your yard. This will be your header row and will give you room to turn around. Next, walk your rotary tiller back and forth in long strips, making sure to overlap your previous turns. Keep an even pace for even distribution. When you’re done, pour any remaining lawn food back into the bag.