Our choice for the best fertilizer for Texas is the Expert Gardener Texas Turf Lawn Food, a product that combines an accessible price with a recommended NPK ratio and iron to promote greening.
To find the top five lawn fertilizers for Texas, we reviewed products that fit the NPK ratio recommended by Texas A&M and were formulated in Texas or for Southern climates. Additionally, we included options with iron, which helps your grass remain green even in the state’s harsh heat and droughts.
- Best Overall: Expert Gardener Texas Turf Lawn Food
- Best Granular Phosphorus-Free Fertilizer: Scotts Turf Builder Southern Lawn Food
- Best Liquid Fertilizer: Sunday Texas Green Liquid Lawn Fertilizer
- Best Formula With Iron: Nitro-Phos Superturf Fertilizer
- Best Organic Fertilizer: Maestro-Gro Texas Tee Fertilizer
| Price | Contains iron | NPK ratio | |
| Expert Gardener Texas Turf Lawn Food | $ | ✓ | 15-5-10 |
| Scotts Turf Builder Southern Lawn Food | $ | ✗ | 32-0-10 |
| Sunday Texas Green Liquid Lawn Fertilize | $$ | ✗ | 22-0-2 |
| Nitro-Phos Superturf Fertilizer | $$$ | ✓ | 19-4-10 |
| Maestro-Gro Texas Tee Fertilizer | $$$ | ✗ | 6-2-4 |
1. Best Overall: Expert Gardener Texas Turf Lawn Food
Expert Gardener’s Texas Turf Lawn Food can be applied any time of the year and has one of the best prices on this list. Also enriched with 2% iron, this fertilizer promises a deep green lawn. With a 15-5-10 NPK ratio, our top pick is perfect for the first spring application or for strengthening the lawn going into fall.
Pro Tip: See our buyer’s guide below for details on the best NPK ratios for spring and fall.
Specifications
- Price range: $18.25 to $24.97 for a 30.2-pound package
- Fertilizer type: Granular
- N-P-K: 15-5-10
- Available sizes: 30.2 pounds (covers 5,000 square feet)
- Type of grass: All Texas grass types
- Effective period: 3 months
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| ✓ NPK ratio recommended by Texas A&M (3-1-2) | ✗ Needs a rotary or drop spreader for the correct application |
| ✓ Among the lowest prices on this list | |
| ✓ Has 2% iron that promotes deep greening | |
| ✓ Brand offers a money-back guarantee |
Where to buy:
2. Best Granular Phosphorus-Free Fertilizer: Scotts Turf Builder Southern Lawn Food
Our second-best lawn fertilizer for Texas is Scotts Turf Builder Southern Lawn Food. Also appearing in our list of the best fertilizers for Bermudagrass, this granular fertilizer covers an impressive area of 5,000 square feet with only 14 pounds of product.
With an NPK ratio of 32-0-10, this product can be used anytime during the growing season since it is a phosphorus-free fertilizer. This lawn food can be used in all Southern grass types and promises protection against heat and drought.
Specifications
- Price range: $24.97 to $25.98 for the 14-pound bag
- Fertilizer type: Granular
- N-P-K: 32-0-10
- Available sizes:
- 14 pounds (covers 5,000 square feet)
- 28.12 pounds (covers 10,000 square feet)
- 42.18 pounds (covers 15,000 square feet)
- Type of grass: All grass types
- Effective period: 6-8 weeks
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| ✓ Protects against heat and drought | ✗ Needs a rotary or drop spreader for the correct application |
| ✓ The lawn is safe to re-enter immediately after application | ✗ Contains only nitrogen and potassium |
| ✓ Can be applied to all grass types | |
| ✓ Can be applied throughout the growing season |
Where to buy:
14 pounds
3. Best Liquid Fertilizer: Sunday Texas Green Liquid Lawn Fertilizer
If you’re looking for a liquid, easy-to-apply fertilizer, our third pick is for you: Sunday’s Texas Green Liquid Lawn Fertilizer comes with a universal hose-end sprayer, making application a breeze. With a specialized formula for Texas lawns, our third pick is a practical option for all turf types in the state.
Specifications
- Price range: $33 for the 42.3-ounce bag
- Fertilizer type: Liquid
- N-P-K: 22-0-2
- Available sizes: 42.3 liquid ounces (covers 5,000 square feet)
- Type of grass: All grass types in Texas
- Effective period: 4 to 6 weeks
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| ✓ Can be applied to all Texas lawns | ✗ Short effective period |
| ✓ Comes with a universal hose-end sprayer | ✗ Contains only nitrogen and potassium |
| ✓ Reduced plastic packaging | |
| ✓ Can be applied throughout the growing season and is recommended for summer application |
Where to buy:
4. Best Formula With Iron: Nitro-Phos Superturf Fertilizer
If you’re looking for a higher-end fertilizer, Nitro-Phos is our pick for you. A more expensive option, Nitro-Phos is formulated especially for Texas lawns (with the company itself being located in Houston) and has 4% iron for extra greening.
This fertilizer can be applied anytime from April to September since it is high in nitrogen and potassium and low in phosphorus, but it is especially recommended for early spring and early summer.
Specifications
- Price range: $44.99 to $128.03 for the 40-pound bag
- Fertilizer type: Granular
- N-P-K: 19-4-10
- Available sizes: 40 pounds (covers 7,600 square feet)
- Type of grass: All grass types
- Effective period: 3 months
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| ✓ Covers 7,600 square feet | ✗ A more expensive option |
| ✓ Contains 4% iron for extra greening | ✗ Needs a rotary or drop spreader for the correct application |
| ✓ Formula developed specially for Houston and other Texas lawns |
Where to buy:
Pro Tip: Your local retailers or garden supply stores might be your best bet for lower prices.
5. Best Organic Fertilizer: Maestro-Gro Texas Tee Fertilizer
Looking for an organic option? Maestro-Gro’s Texas Tee Fertilizer might be the best product for you. This organic formula is composed mainly of organic poultry compost, which doesn’t burn your grass, and is enriched with over 1,000 species of beneficial bacteria.
Another key advantage of this organic fertilizer is that, besides being applicable to all grasses, it can also be used on trees and potted plants. This means you can use the same product across your landscape without extra expense or hassle.
Specifications
- Price range: $45.90 to $61.52 for the 40-pound bag
- Fertilizer type: Granular
- N-P-K: 6-2-4
- Available size: 40 pounds (covers 4,000 square feet)
- Type of grass: All grasses
- Effective period: 2 to 3 months
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| ✓ Organic, natural formula | ✗ Needs a rotary or drop spreader for the correct application |
| ✓ Contains beneficial microbes | ✗ Lower NPK amounts |
| ✓ Developed in Texas | |
| ✓ Can be used on all grasses, trees, plants, and shrubs |
Where to buy:
Pro Tip: You might also find this product at your local lawn and garden supply store.
Buyer’s guide
Choosing the right fertilizer for your needs might be overwhelming. To help you make an informed decision, here are some things you might want to consider when choosing your fertilizer.
Consider your soil needs
The first thing to consider is what your soil needs, so conduct a soil test before buying your fertilizer. Also, the test results usually include a recommendation of how many pounds of each nutrient to apply per 1,000 square feet.
If the results indicate that your soil already has enough phosphorus and potassium, for example, the best fertilizer for you contains only nitrogen. That way, you can nourish your soil while preventing nutrient imbalances.
Pro Tip: Conducting a soil test is easier than it seems. Visit our article on how to soil test your lawn for more information.
Know your NPK ratio
One key piece of information when choosing your fertilizer is the fertilizer analysis or NPK ratio. The NPK quantities are the three numbers you see on your fertilizer package (for example: 6-2-4 or 32-0-10). These three numbers reflect the percentage of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) in the fertilizer.
The fertilizers in this list offer balanced ratios of N, P, and K for your lawn, following the recommendation from Texas A&M University.
Consider the type of fertilizer
Another important factor to consider is the type of fertilizer you need. Slow-release fertilizers release their nutrients over an extended period (such as the ones we have listed in this article), while quick-release fertilizers work immediately but have no extended effect.
Pro Tip: Visit our article on slow-release vs. quick-release fertilizers to decide the best option for your grass.
Adapt to seasonal needs
The fertilization requirements of your lawn might also differ seasonally. These are the recommendations from Texas A&M University:
- In early spring, for example, if you haven’t tested your lawn and your grass appears healthy, you can apply a fertilizer with a 3-1-2 or 2-1-1 ratio.
- In the summer, prefer an organic, slow-release nitrogen fertilizer to prevent fertilizer burn.
- In the fall, prefer fertilizers high in nitrogen and potassium and low in phosphorus. Opt for a 2-1-2, 3-1-2, or 4-1-2 ratio instead of a balanced fertilizer (like 12-12-12, for example).
Consider your grass type
Different grass types have different fertilization needs. For St. Augustine lawns, for example, two applications (one in the early spring and one in the fall) will usually suffice, while Bermudagrass lawns usually require additional nitrogen applications between spring and fall.
The following table shows the annual nitrogen recommendations (in pounds per 1,000 square feet) for warm-season lawns in Texas:
| Low maintenance lawns | Moderate maintenance lawns | High maintenance lawns | |
| Bermudagrass (common) | 2 | 2-3 | 4-5 |
| Bermudagrass (hybrid) | 2 | 3-4 | 5-6 |
| Buffalograss | 0-1 | 2 | Not recommended |
| Centipedegrass | 0-1 | 1-2 | Not recommended |
| St. Augustinegrass (sun) | 2 | 2-3 | 3-4 |
| St. Augustinegrass (shade) | 1 | 1-2 | Not recommended |
| Zoysiagrass | 1-2 | 2-3 | 3-4 |
From AgriLife Extension’s Lawn Fertilization for Texas Warm-Season Grasses.
Pro Tip: Now that you know how much to fertilize, see our article on when to fertilize your lawn in Texas to learn the best times to do so for optimal health.
Learn more about Texas lawn care
If you’re interested in learning more about lawn care in the Lone Star State, we have other helpful guides for you:
Lawn care tips for Texas:
- The Best Types of Grass for Texas Lawns
- The Best Time to Plant Grass Seed in Texas
- The Most Common Weeds in Texas
- When to Aerate Your Lawn in Texas
- When to Dethatch Your Lawn in Texas
Lawn care calendars for Texas:
- Bermudagrass Maintenance Calendar for Texas
- St. Augustinegrass Maintenance Calendar for Texas
- Zoysiagrass Maintenance Calendar for Texas
Call a pro
Fertilizing your lawn evenly and thoroughly might be a laborious task. So why do it alone when you can leave it for an experienced pro? Contact a local lawn care pro and get your lawn in shape.
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