How to Use a Fertilizer Spreader

Park the spreader on your driveway or sidewalk before filling. If you spill product on pavement, you can sweep it up. Spilling fertilizer on your lawn creates a concentrated burn spot that takes weeks to recover. Close the hopper gate before filling so product does not flow through while you are loading. Fill to the top of the hopper but do not overfill past the rim because product will bounce off during application.

Find the spreader setting on the product bag. Most bags list settings for Scotts, Earthway, and generic spreader types. If your spreader brand is not listed, start with the lowest suggested setting and calibrate by testing on a measured area. For the two pass method, set the dial to HALF the recommended rate. You will make two passes to reach the full rate.

Walk the outer edge of your lawn first to create a border strip. If using a broadcast spreader, close the edge guard (if equipped) on the side facing sidewalks, driveways, or beds. If your broadcast spreader lacks an edge guard, angle the throw toward the lawn center by walking with the spreader offset 2 feet from the edge. For drop spreaders, the perimeter pass is straightforward since product only falls beneath the hopper.

After the perimeter, make parallel passes across the lawn interior. With a broadcast spreader, overlap each pass by about one third of the throw width to prevent gaps. With a drop spreader, align each pass so the wheel tracks just touch the previous pass. Walk at a steady pace of about 3 mph, which is a brisk walk. Slower walking applies too much product. Faster walking applies too little.

Turn 90 degrees and repeat the parallel passes going the opposite direction. If your first passes ran north to south, your second passes run east to west. This cross-hatch pattern eliminates the striping that single direction passes create. Because you set the rate dial to half, the two passes together deliver the full recommended rate with much more even distribution.

Empty any remaining product back into the bag. Hose down the hopper, impeller (on broadcast models), gate mechanism, and wheels. Fertilizer residue is corrosive and begins damaging metal parts within hours. Dry the spreader before storing. Spray WD-40 or silicone lubricant on the impeller shaft, rate dial mechanism, and any exposed metal. This 5 minute cleanup after every use extends your spreader's life by years.