Fall feeding raises the same three questions every year: when to put it down, which bag to use, and how much. This guide pulls together what Scotts Canada publishes for the lawn foods we list, so you can match the product to the job and follow the manufacturer's rates. The directions printed on your package are the final word, so read them before you apply anything.
Short answer: for Scotts Turf Builder Fall Lawn Food, Scotts says to "Apply in the fall (around the middle of October) to any grass type, including newly seeded and sodded areas." Its product page also says the lawn food "should be applied in the fall, about 6-8 weeks before the first frost."
The City of Calgary's lawn-care page puts the timing simply: "Early summer (after your lawn begins to grow) and fall are the best times to fertilize." It also says to "Always read the directions on the bag carefully before applying any fertilizer."
Which lawn food is for which job
An established lawn you want to feed before winter. Scotts Turf Builder Fall Lawn Food 32-0-10 is the granular product Scotts makes for this job. Scotts describes it as a "Phosphate-free grass fertilizer for all grass types – including newly seeded and sodded areas" and says it is "ideal for cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fine fescues."
New seed, overseeding or new sod. Scotts Turf Builder Starter Lawn Food 24-25-4 is the granular starter. Scotts calls it "Suitable for newly seeded or sodded lawns and over-seeding" and says it "Can be applied immediately before or after seeding or sodding". If you would rather spray than spread, the Scotts Liquid Turf Builder Starter is a ready-to-spray bottle for a garden hose; its package reads 7-12-15, and Scotts calls it "Ideal for both seeding and sodding applications".
A hose-end liquid for an established lawn. Scotts Liquid Turf Builder Lawn Food 29-0-3 is the liquid for grass that is already established. Scotts says it "is suitable for all established grass types, including Kentucky Bluegrass, Fescue, and Ryegrass" and describes its nitrogen as a "Urea-triazone solution that is a slow-release nitrogen source that feeds continuously for up to 8 weeks."
If seeding is part of your fall plan, our fall overseeding guide covers the seed side. This guide covers the feeding side.
Is 32-0-10 a good fall fertilizer? What the numbers mean
The three numbers on a Canadian lawn fertilizer are its guaranteed analysis: total nitrogen (N), available phosphate (P2O5) and soluble potash (K2O), each as a percentage of the product's weight. Fall Lawn Food 32-0-10 is 32% nitrogen, 0% phosphate and 10% potash, which is why Scotts calls it phosphate-free. The two starters carry phosphate (24-25-4 in the granular bag, 7-12-15 on the liquid bottle), and the regular liquid lawn food is 29-0-3.
Whether 32-0-10 suits your lawn is a question the label answers better than we can. It is the analysis Scotts sells as its fall product, for "any grass type, including newly seeded and sodded areas", and Scotts states its purpose in one line: "Use in the Fall for a healthier, greener lawn next Spring."
When to apply fall fertilizer in Alberta, and is October too late?
Fall Lawn Food 32-0-10. Scotts: "Apply in the fall (around the middle of October) to any grass type, including newly seeded and sodded areas."
Starter Lawn Food 24-25-4. Scotts says it "should be applied to your lawn during the early Spring or early Fall when grass is actively growing", ideally "in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler."
Liquid Lawn Food 29-0-3. Scotts says to apply it "when your grass is actively growing and air temperatures are consistently between 15°C and 30°C (60°F - 85°F)." If the lawn is dry, Scotts says to water it thoroughly about 24 hours before you spray, and not to apply it if heavy rain is expected.
Scotts' fall timing, "around the middle of October", is one statement for all of Canada rather than a date for your yard, and the starter and liquid directions both tie application to grass that is "actively growing". Read those statements against your own weather before you pick a day.
How much each bag or bottle covers
Fall Lawn Food 32-0-10: "1.3kg (2.88 lb) package covers up to 100 m² (1,076 ft²)." Scotts also sells it in 5.2 kg and 10.5 kg bags.
Starter Lawn Food 24-25-4: "A 1.4kg bag covers up to 93m2 (1,000 ft2)."
Liquid Lawn Food 29-0-3: "One 946ml bottle of Scotts® Liquid Turf Builder® Lawn Food 29-0-3 covers up to 185 m² (2,000 sq ft)." Scotts' program for it is to "apply a quarter of the bottle (236.5ml) four times per year as part of a complete lawn feeding program."
Liquid Starter (7-12-15): the package states coverage of up to 55 m² (600 sq ft) per 946 mL bottle.
To size your order, measure the lawn: length times width in metres gives square metres. A 10 m by 10 m lawn is 100 m², which matches one 1.3 kg bag of Fall Lawn Food at Scotts' stated coverage; a 10 m by 20 m lawn (200 m²) matches two. The figures are "up to" amounts, so buy enough for the whole area and apply at the rate on the package.
How to apply it: spreader, water, or hose-end bottle
Granular bags. Scotts' steps for Fall Lawn Food are to mow the lawn and remove the clippings, to apply with a spreader, which "will help you to apply the fertilizer evenly over your lawn", and to "Apply before rain is in the forecast or water your lawn to help the fertilizer to soak in." For the Starter, Scotts says to "Measure your lawn's square footage and apply the correct amount of product" and to "Water the lawn thoroughly after application."
Hose-end bottles. Scotts' directions for the 29-0-3 bottle are to "spray the lawn evenly, walking at a steady pace". The starter bottle's directions say to "stick to the recommended coverage rates" and to spray carefully "to prevent drift onto unintended areas like driveways, sidewalks, or into water bodies." For the 29-0-3 bottle, Scotts also cautions that "overapplying might cause temporary browning in some spots."
Storage and precautions are printed on each package; read them before use.
Does Scotts fall fertilizer need to be watered in?
Scotts' product page for Fall Lawn Food 32-0-10 says to "Apply before rain is in the forecast or water your lawn to help the fertilizer to soak in." It adds: "Watering your lawn will also help to activate the fertilizer and start the process of feeding your grass." So the answer is rain or a watering after you spread it. Scotts does not give a number of hours or an amount of water for the fall product, so we will not either. The Starter Lawn Food has the firmer rule: "Water the lawn thoroughly after application."
Weeds as well?
Lawn food and weed killer are separate products with separate labels. If dandelions, clover or creeping Charlie are the real problem, see what the Killex label lists and the Killex rain, watering and mix-rate rules before you plan a fall application.
Where to buy
Pipestone Farm Supply lists the Scotts lawn range in Millet, Alberta, between Leduc and Wetaskiwin south of Edmonton, with free in-store pickup and Canada-wide shipping. Browse lawn fertilizer or the full Scotts range.
Sources
Scotts Canada product information for Turf Builder Fall Lawn Food (item 03214), Turf Builder Starter Lawn Food (item 03219), Turf Builder Liquid Lawn Food 29-0-3 (item 23103-1) and Turf Builder Starter Food for New Grass Ready-Spray (item 23104-1), scottsmiraclegro.com/en-ca, viewed September 2026 (the Fall Lawn Food watering lines re-checked October 2026), as quoted on our product pages; analysis and coverage as printed on the packages. City of Calgary, "Fertilizing your lawn", calgary.ca, viewed September 2026.