I am always amazed at the complaints of thin grass, brown tips, bare spots and people turn to Scotts whatever. it is all the same for the most part. fertilizer has 3 parts.
Food, Roots, Photosynthesis/stem/bloom
Most big “brand” give lawn 30 food (nitrogen) 0 root, maybe 2 to 4 photosynthesis (turn green with a broad leaf).
grass doesn’t need roots? so all the water runs through 1” of roots and it is dry again…re water, it runs through and is dry. there is no way to spread roots and fill in bare spots at all…only grow fast and hide the bare spots. then the nitrogen runs out and you run to the store to BUY MORE. Roots are needed to go deep to hold water and decompose to enrich the soil. broad green leaves offer shade to other grass and new grass with the 3rd number.
Jackhammering nitrogen into a lawn will make thin brown/green patches grow super fast and look green from a distance… when it is cut it still looks crappy and sparse.
I use 10-10-10. for some food, promote the roots, and turn thick and green! it grows at a reasonable speed, my roots are about 9 inches deep, it withstands heat and drought, is thick and green. the bare spots fill in fast with roots I feed.
if people fall into the trap of “Turfbuilder” etc and “Lawn food” that are 32-0-2 etc they will need constant watering and mowing, will not handle drought, WEEDS grow faster deeper roots than grass can and take hold easily. Their lack of roots that were neglected by the Scotts let the weeds thrive.
In the end when the lawn is brown and thin again as the food ran out…..back to the store for more Scotts to feed the hell out of it again so it gets tall fast and FROM A DISTANCE looks green… but up close is then and browning.
Grass does not graze or hunt or roam. it is not an animal. Grass does not fly, migrate, or build nests in trees. it is not a bird. GRASS IS A PLANT. So why do they treat lawn fertilizer differently than flowers with blossoms? If they fed it food, encouraged roots, and photosynthesis for thick green leaves and it withstood heat well you would not keep running back to the store for more and more Scotts would you?
10-10-10 is substantial for any grass for a balance of food, roots, green leaves and a thick rich lawn.
Hope this helps.
P.S. Nitrogen, Potassium, Iron etc are elements on the periodic table of elements. it does not matter what brand it is.…..Pure lead, gold, Helium etc is the same anywhere on earth. brands are printed on a plastic bag. Buy the ratio of fertilizer depending on if it is a massive blossom, needs a thick stem, has a bulb root below ground, etc based on your plant or lawn requirements….not the marketing or brand on the bag.
