Lawn Zen
Related Articles
The grass is always greener on a lawn that receives lots of TLC and such laws can be very rewarding. From fantastic curb appeal to kids play or party areas or your favorite sunbathing spot the utility value of lush green lawn is endless. While it requires some hard work to achieve, fertilizer spreaders for home use can make your work easier and more enjoyable.
Fertilizer spreaders are multiuse gardening tools that can be used for a wide range of gardening tasks. They can spread lime, rock salt or seed in different seasons, evenly distributing these vital gardening essentials and making a quick and efficient job of it.
Why should you get yourself a fertilizer spreader for home use?
- Your lawn is too large and takes a lot of time and effort to fertilize it
- You are a perfectionist that loves a uniform green across your lawn
- You are too busy to spend copious amounts of time tending your lawn.
Types of fertilizer spreaders
- Broadcast or rotary spreaders
They spread dry fertilizer best and they can cover lots of lawn space fast. They have a disk at their front that dispels fertilizer as you walk or push them. - Drop spreaders
These are a favorite choice for many gardeners because they tend to spread the fertilizer more evenly because they drop it through a hopper. They also will spread around shrubs and trees perfectly and get a better edging around your flower beds and patios. They resemble buckets on wheels. - Liquid fertilizer spreaders
Working in conjunction with a garden hose, they connect to a canister with an adapter nozzle to spread liquid fertilizer. While very easy and fast, the spreading is not nearly as accurate and drop or broadcast spreaders.
How to apply lawn fertilizer with a spreader
- Turn off the spreader before loading your fertilizer
- Set you spreading rate after carefully reading the spreader’s instruction manual.
- Always load your fertilizer away from your lawn in case of spillage. Alternatively, you can line your loading area with newspaper or canvas to ensure that none spills on your lawn as it will cause fertilizer burns.
- Mark two header strips on both edges of your lawn. Once you get to the end of each strip turn your spreader off or on.
- Walk or push your spreader to the end of a strip then turn it off. To commence spreading your fertilizer, move your spreader before turning it on.
- Ensure that your drop spreader’s wheels overlap the wheel tracks from your previous pass so that your lawn is covered with fertilizer evenly.
- For broadcast spreaders, overlap your passes at each end of a strip, to avoid missed spots
Qualities of a good fertilizer spreader
- Robust body
The container where you fertilizer is loaded should be hardy and made of high-quality construction material. This will help your spreader survive dents and corrosion as it fertilizes your lawn.
- Hardy chassis
A spreader with steel tubing will last long especially for tow or walk behind styles of spreaders.
- Easy to use and adjust
A fully adjustable spreader mechanism will provide precise and even fertilizer spreading. A mechanism that is both rust and clog proof will work efficiently longer.
- Easy to understand manual
Some home spreaders come fully assembled while some need some tinkering to get them working. Ensure that you purchase one that’s easy to put together or if not has clear and precise instructions on how to do so.
Reviewing the best fertilizer spreader for home use
Comparison Table
| Name | Capacity | Type | Check on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scotts Turf Builder Classic Drop Spreader (Editor’s Choice) | 10,000 square feet | Drop Spreader | check price here |
| Earthway 2600APlus Unassembled 40lb. Spreader, Garden Seeder, Salt Spreader w/9-Inch Pneumatic Wheels | 40 lb | Walk-Behind Broadcast Spreader | check price here |
| Scotts Wizz Hand-Held Spreader | 2,500 sq. ft. | Hand-Held Broadcast Spreader | check price here |
| PractiProducts HandySpreader – Adjustable Hole Size – Handheld Spreader | 76oz | Hand-Held Spreader | check price here |
| Scotts Handy Green II Hand-Held Broadcast Spreader | 1,000 sq. ft | Hand-Held Broadcast Spreader | check price here |
Scotts Turf Builder Classic Drop Spreader
Sold by one of the most highly respected names in the garden and lawn market, the Scotts Turf builder classic drop spreader is a great fertilizer designed purposely for home use. Like most Scotts’s spreaders, this baby comes fully assembled, pre-calibrated and ready to drop. So if you are not a tinker, then this is your kind of fertilizer spreader. The Scotts Classic spreader holds at least 10,000 square feet of product perfect for that small to medium-sized lawn in your home. It utilizes a chute like a dropper with a 22-inch drop pattern for maximum lawn and garden coverage as well as accuracy.
It is well built and endowed with a heavy duty frame to ensure stability. Its body is of a hardy and durable play plastic material that will weather much gardening related abuse. It is a simple no frills spreader which makes it very easy to use. No learning curve here; just buy and get to it! Its large tires make it perfect for rough terrain and weighing a paltry 10 pounds will be a joy to push around your lawn.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Durable construction
- No assembly required
- Easy to use
Cons
- Its tires accumulate fertilizer that may cause tire burns on the lawn.
A durable, low-cost fertilizer spreader for your home lawn that spreads your fertilizer fast and efficiently.
View price on Amazon
Earthway 2600APlus Unassembled 40lb. Spreader, Garden Seeder, Salt Spreader w/9-Inch Pneumatic Wheels
Earthway spreaders are built to last and the 2600APlus is no exception. It is totally rust free and has a chassis that’s epoxy powder coated. It has a solid steel T bar handle and some 9 inches all-terrain high flotation pneumatic tires sited on rustproof poly rims. Yes, this monster will tackle tame or wild lawns alike in a jiffy, though you have to pay a pretty penny for it. From most user reviews, it seems that it is a gamble worth making for the goodness of your lawn. Weighing 14.2 pounds it a tad heavier than most other spreader but with good reason. Its weight makes it so stable over rough terrain and will not tip over in bumpy, inclined or slanted terrain like most other spreaders will do.
Unlike its larger Earthway 2150 50 pound model sibling, the 2600 can hold at least 40 pounds of lawn fertilizer which can conveniently cover most home lawns. It has Earthway’s EV-N-SPRED system that utilizes 3 hole drop shut off technology for precise and even spreading of your fertilizer. If you are looking for a lightweight but stable spreader for your home lawn that cleans up easily and spreads evenly, then 2150 is your best bet yet. Its storage footprint is small enough too not to be an impediment in your garage if your storage space is minimal. It does need some bit of assembly, so get ready to tinker with it once purchased.
Pros
- Sturdy construction
- Utilizes systematic drop shut off technology
- Smooth pneumatic all terrain wheels
- Rustproof chassis
Cons
- Needs assembly
- Costly
The Earthway 2600APlus will give you longevity of use for your gardening prospects because it is sturdy and made of rust-free high-quality materials. This makes its cost worthwhile
View price on Amazon
Scotts Wizz Hand-Held Spreader
Weighing a paltry 2.4 pounds the Scotts Wizz Spreader is built to ensure that your hands have an easy time while fertilizing your lawn. Running on four AA batteries this handheld spreader only needs you to use one arm at a time while operating it which gives a great advantage of handheld crank spreaders. It is really easy to use too. just add your fertilizer, set the spreader then walk steadily through your lawn as you pull its trigger to evenly apply the fertilizer. Covering at least 2,500 sq.ft per load, this Scotts Wizz spreader is perfect for your small to medium sized home lawn.
This spreader has an orange dial that features spreading settings for various lawn conditions. And if you are wondering just how you should set this spreader, all its setting instructions are conveniently placed on its label so ensure that you keep it intact after purchase.
Pros
- Lightweight and does not strain your arms while in use
- Battery powered operation
- Has EdgeGuard technology for the precise spread of fertilizer
- No assembly required
Cons
Zaps AA batteries out of energy fast so may need rechargeable batteries
A well designed and easy to use fertilizer spreader that will ensure that your arms have an easy time while out on your lawn.
View price on Amazon
PractiProducts HandySpreader – Adjustable Hole Size – Handheld Spreader
This HandySpreader from PractiProducts is an easy to use spreader that can be used by you or your kids to spread fertilizer on your small sized home lawn. Its really simple in design and has an ergonomic handle that can fit just about any hand size. It also has a superior grip for stability when spreading the fertilizer. It’s really easy to fill it up and use it as it has no assembly procedure. Just open up the screw off lid, add your fertilizer and get to it. To calibrate your output, it has seven convenient hole grade sizes. Once done all you need to is twist the spreader’s head to prevent leakage of fertilizer.
It can hold up to 76 0z of fertilizer at a go and is rust proof. Its graded sides will guide you in measuring the amount of fertilizer you’d like to spread at a go. It may need a few refills for larger lawns but all in all it gets full points for its simplicity of design and ease of use. It also has no plastic gears that might end up broken, unlike most other crank hand spreaders.
Pros
- Easy to use
- No assembly required
- Seven adjustable hole sizes
- Rust free
Cons
- Its plastic build feels flimsy
This spreader is really simple in design and very easy to use. Everyone in the family will have fun using it.
View price on Amazon
Scotts Handy Green II Hand-Held Broadcast Spreader
This handheld broadcast Scotts spreader is designed for small sized home lawns holding product that can cover at least 1000 ft of product at a go. It weighs 2.4 pounds only, and its ergonomic handle makes it very easy on the hand. It has an easy to use on/off trigger and is built to withstand rust. It is also pretty to use, and all you have to do is adjust its settings, load it up, pull its trigger and turn its crank. Its also fully assembled on purchase so that you can to your work with much of a hassle. Its multiple spreader rate settings will make it easy for you to spread fertilizer on your lawn evenly and precisely.
Unlike other Scotts spreaders it seems to be a bit finicky especially with powdery applications, but with some care, it will deliver on its premise.
Pros
- Perfect size for small yards
- Rustproof
- Ergonomic handle
- Multiple spreader settings
Cons
- Not durable
This value-priced spreader is a most efficient fertilizer spreader for small lawns, and its price is fantastic.
View price on Amazon
The verdict
The Scotts Turf Builder Classic drop spreader is our clear winner due to its ease of use and a perfect size for home lawn use. This spreader is sold assembled and ready for use and is built tough and rust free for external use.
