Here’s a question that comes up constantly: Can I have a green lawn without spreading chemicals that I’m nervous about my kids and dogs playing on?
The answer is a definitive yes — but with a caveat. Organic fertilizers work differently than synthetic ones. They feed the soil, which then feeds the grass. This means results are slower (days or weeks instead of hours), but they’re also longer-lasting, more sustainable, and dramatically safer for your family and the environment.
The organic fertilizer market has matured significantly. The products available today are effective, reasonably priced, and increasingly mainstream. Let’s look at the best options, how they work, and how to use them correctly.
How Organic Fertilizers Differ From Synthetic
Understanding this difference is key to setting realistic expectations:
Synthetic fertilizers (like Scotts Turf Builder) deliver nutrients in water-soluble form. The grass absorbs them almost immediately, producing visible greening within 24-48 hours. The downside: excess nitrogen runs off in rain, polluting waterways and potentially burning grass if over-applied.
Organic fertilizers contain nutrients bound in natural materials — composted biosolids, feather meal, bone meal, kelp, and other organic matter. Soil microorganisms must break these materials down before nutrients become available to plants. This takes time, but it means:
- No burn risk. You literally cannot over-apply most organic fertilizers to the point of damaging grass.
- Slow, steady feeding. Nutrients release over 6-10 weeks rather than all at once.
- Soil building. Organic matter improves soil structure, water retention, and microbial life over time.
- Safety. Kids and pets can play on treated areas as soon as the product is watered in. No waiting period.
The trade-off is patience. Your lawn won’t look different the next morning. Give it 2-3 weeks.
The 7 Best Organic Lawn Fertilizers
1. Milorganite 6-4-0 Slow-Release Nitrogen Fertilizer — Best Overall
Milorganite has been the gold standard of organic lawn fertilizers since 1926. It’s made from heat-dried microbes that have digested organic matter at Milwaukee’s water treatment facility. That sounds unusual, but the end product is a consistent, granular fertilizer that’s been tested more extensively than almost any lawn product on the market.
NPK Ratio: 6-4-0 (plus 2.5% iron for deep greening)
What makes it great:
- Iron content produces dark green color without excessive growth
- Virtually impossible to burn your lawn
- Feeds for 8-10 weeks per application
- No unpleasant odor after watering in (mild during application)
- Safe for all grass types in every region
Application: Apply at 32 lbs per 2,500 sq ft, 4 times per year. In warm-season zones (Southeast, Texas, Southwest), apply in April, June, August, and October. In cool-season zones (Midwest, New England, Northwest), apply in May, June/July, September, and November.
Price: ~$15-20 per 32-lb bag (covers 2,500 sq ft)
Best for: Everyone. This is the organic fertilizer we recommend most often in our Lush Lawns Midwest and Lush Lawns Texas guides because it works in every climate and on every grass type.
2. Espoma Organic All Season Lawn Food (9-0-0) — Best for Quick Greening
Espoma Organic All Season Lawn Food
Espoma’s lawn food uses their proprietary Bio-tone formula — a blend of beneficial microbes that accelerate nutrient release. The higher nitrogen content (9-0-0) means you’ll see greening faster than with lower-analysis organics, while still getting the slow-release benefits.
NPK Ratio: 9-0-0
What makes it great:
- Higher nitrogen for faster visible results
- Bio-tone microbes improve soil health
- 28-lb bag covers 5,000 sq ft
- No phosphorus — important in states with phosphorus restrictions
- Made from feather meal and other food-grade organics
Application: Apply every 8-10 weeks during the growing season. Can be applied with a standard broadcast spreader.
Price: ~$25-30 per 28-lb bag
Best for: Homeowners who want to see results a bit faster than Milorganite provides. Excellent choice for New England and Northwest lawns where cool, moist conditions support rapid microbial activity.
3. Espoma Summer Revitalizer (8-0-0) — Best for Heat-Stressed Lawns
Specifically formulated for summer applications, this product includes extra iron to maintain green color during heat stress without pushing excessive growth. When your lawn is struggling in July and August, this is what you reach for.
NPK Ratio: 8-0-0 (plus iron)
What makes it great:
- Iron boost keeps color during heat stress
- Won’t push growth when grass should be conserving energy
- Safe for all grass types including St. Augustine and centipede
- 30-lb bag covers 5,000 sq ft
Application: Apply in early to mid-summer. Water in lightly after application.
Price: ~$25-30 per 30-lb bag
Best for: Southeast and Texas homeowners dealing with brutal summer heat. Also excellent for Southwest lawns. For more summer lawn care strategies, see our Lush Lawns Southeast guide.
4. Dr. Earth Super Natural Liquid Lawn Fertilizer — Best Liquid Option
Dr. Earth Super Natural Lawn Fertilizer
Most organic fertilizers are granular, but Dr. Earth’s liquid formula offers a convenient alternative. It attaches to your hose and sprays directly — no spreader needed. The formula includes probiotics and mycorrhizae (beneficial fungi) that colonize grass roots and improve nutrient uptake.
What makes it great:
- Hose-end spray application — no spreader required
- Contains probiotics and mycorrhizae
- Feeds lawns and builds soil biology simultaneously
- 32-oz bottle covers up to 5,000 sq ft
- OMRI-listed organic
Application: Spray evenly across lawn using hose-end attachment. Reapply every 3-4 weeks during the growing season.
Price: ~$15-20 per 32-oz bottle
Best for: Homeowners who don’t own a spreader or prefer liquid application. Also useful for supplemental feeding between granular applications.
5. Jonathan Green Organic Lawn Food (10-0-1) — Best for Northern Lawns
Jonathan Green Organic Lawn Food
Jonathan Green is a Northeast institution, and their organic lawn food is specifically formulated for cool-season grasses. The 10-0-1 analysis provides strong nitrogen feeding with a touch of potassium, and the food-grade organic ingredients (feather meal, soybean meal, blood meal) are highly consistent.
NPK Ratio: 10-0-1
What makes it great:
- Higher nitrogen analysis means fewer bags per application
- Formulated specifically for cool-season grasses
- Food-grade organic ingredients
- 50-lb bag covers 15,000 sq ft — great value
- Homogeneous granules for even spreading
Application: Apply 3-4 times per year with a broadcast spreader. Best results in the Northeast, Midwest, and Pacific Northwest.
Price: ~$55-65 per 50-lb bag (covers 15,000 sq ft)
Best for: Northern homeowners with bluegrass, fescue, or ryegrass lawns. Excellent value per square foot. A natural companion to the advice in Lush Lawns New England.
6. Purely Organic Lawn Food (10-0-2) — Best Budget Option
Purely Organic’s lawn food uses poultry manure as its base — one of the most effective and affordable organic nitrogen sources available. The 10-0-2 analysis is strong, and the product is OMRI-listed for organic use.
NPK Ratio: 10-0-2
What makes it great:
- Very affordable — roughly half the per-square-foot cost of Milorganite
- Strong nitrogen content
- OMRI-listed
- Available at most Home Depot locations
Application: Apply with a broadcast spreader at recommended rates. Water in after application.
Price: ~$20-25 per 25-lb bag (covers 5,000 sq ft)
Honest caveat: It smells. Poultry manure-based fertilizers have a noticeable odor for 24-48 hours after application. If you have close neighbors or plan to use your yard immediately after fertilizing, this might not be ideal.
Best for: Budget-conscious homeowners who can tolerate the initial smell.
7. Scotts Natural Lawn Food (11-2-2) — Best for Scotts Users
For homeowners already in the Scotts ecosystem — using Scotts spreaders with Scotts settings printed on the bag — Scotts Natural Lawn Food provides a familiar experience with organic ingredients.
NPK Ratio: 11-2-2
What makes it great:
- Highest nitrogen analysis on this list
- Pre-calibrated for Scotts spreaders
- Includes phosphorus and potassium
- Widely available at all major retailers
Application: Follow Scotts’ spreader settings printed on the bag. Apply 4 times per year.
Price: ~$30-35 per bag (covers 4,000 sq ft)
Best for: Homeowners who want organic but don’t want to learn a new application system.
Application Tips for Best Results
Regardless of which organic fertilizer you choose, these practices will maximize results:
1. Water after application. Organic granules need moisture to start breaking down. Water lightly (15-20 minutes of irrigation) within 24 hours of application.
2. Don’t skip fall. The most important fertilizer application of the year — for cool-season grasses — is the late fall “winterizer” application. Organic nitrogen applied in October or November gets stored in grass roots, fueling explosive spring growth. Our Midwest and New England guides detail this timing.
3. Mow before fertilizing. Apply fertilizer to recently mowed grass so granules can reach the soil rather than sitting on top of leaf blades.
4. Test your soil first. A $30 soil test (like the MySoil kit) prevents wasting money on nutrients your lawn already has enough of. Many organic soils are already adequate in phosphorus — that’s why several products on this list have zero P.
5. Be patient. Organic fertilizers won’t produce overnight results. The payoff comes in year 2 and beyond, when your improved soil biology starts working for you continuously.
Safety: The Real Story
Let’s be specific about safety claims:
- Kids and pets: Can play on organically fertilized lawns as soon as the product is watered in. There’s no chemical residue risk. The main concern is dogs eating granules directly from the bag — store products securely.
- Waterways: Organic nitrogen is bound to organic matter, so it doesn’t run off in solution the way synthetic nitrogen does. This dramatically reduces the risk of contributing to algae blooms in local streams, lakes, and coastal waters.
- Pollinators: Organic fertilizers contain no insecticides. Some synthetic “weed and feed” products contain herbicides that can harm pollinators — organic alternatives avoid this entirely.
The Bottom Line
If you’re new to organic fertilization, start with Milorganite. It’s affordable, foolproof, available everywhere, and works on every grass type in every region. Apply it four times a year, water it in, and watch your lawn — and your soil — steadily improve.
For those wanting faster visible results, Espoma Organic All Season is the next step up. And for the most budget-conscious option, Purely Organic Lawn Food delivers strong results at a lower price point.
The best organic fertilizer is the one you apply consistently. Pick one, stick with the schedule, and give it two seasons. You’ll be a convert.