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Since countless homeowners spend billions of dollars each year on green turfgrass, it’s safe to say that the American lawn is a point of pride. Lawn fertilization is one of lawn care’s many significant activities.Your lawn is a living thing that needs food – just like you. Fertilizer is its food. For this reason, you can’t expect to grow and maintain a lush, green lawn without fertilizing it. However, it’s important to note that your lawn’s environment determines the nutrients it needs at different times.Unfortunately, most people don’t bother with lawn fertilization. While some don’t know which products to use, others have no idea how or when to apply them. We’re here to set the record straight.
High soil quality is vital to having a healthy lawn because it provides your turfgrass with the essential nutrients it needs to thrive and survive. However, it’s only natural for the soil to lose many of these nutrients over time.Moreover, fertilizers enrich the soil because they contain phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium. If your lawn doesn’t have even one of these, it will eventually turn brown and look shriveled. Luckily, fertilization allows you to restore and replenish the lost nutrients to ensure grass health and visual appeal.
Fertilizer is a key ingredient in your lawn’s diet because it helps your turfgrass grow faster. Lawn fertilization strengthens the grass’s roots, allowing them to absorb more water quickly than unhealthy roots. In addition, fertilizers contain nitrogen, an essential nutrient for plant growth.
Although it’s best to hire a professional to handle the job, you can always apply and spread the fertilizer without the help of an expert. Be glad to know that you don’t need a green thumb to use fertilizer correctly. However, you’ll want to follow the instructions on the label and spread the fertilizer evenly across your lawn.
Lawns aren’t in their best state in early spring because the grass is waterlogged, dirty, and brown. At this point, your yard can look like it’s on life support, and it will take some effort to revive it. Consequently, experts agree spring is the best time for lawn care.Since the winter months cause lawns to lose the vibrant green color they once had, fertilizer application in the spring can significantly help green up the blades of grass that make up your turf. Additionally, lawn fertilization wakes up the grass from its dormant winter state. When applied correctly, it can provide life-giving support to a hibernating lawn.It’s worth noting that plants take up fertilizers only when they’re growing and not while the lawn is dormant. Cold snaps can cause extra stress to the turf, and young growth is tender as they establish root systems in early spring. You wouldn’t want to encourage new growth before the chance of frost has passed or when the temperatures are cooler.Unless your lawn has completely greened up and actively growing or you’ve passed the average last frost date, you shouldn’t fertilize your lawn. Besides jump-starting your yard for the rest of the growing season, it helps address the disastrous effects of a long and harsh winter, such as snow mold disease or winter kill.
The climate you live in and the type of grass you have determine the best time to fertilize. Most grasses are best fertilized during the early spring, about two weeks after new growth begins. Experts recommend fertilizing your yard after mowing it for the first time in the spring as the grass starts to green.
At this point, your turfgrass has already used up stored energy. You’ll want to apply a late spring fertilizer to keep your lawn well-nourished once, about six to eight weeks after early spring feeding.
Your lawn requires at least 16 essential elements to achieve healthy growth. Although your yard gets most of these elements from the environment, it needs nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) in larger quantities. For this reason, fertilization is a must for sustaining a healthy yard.
Nitrogen is responsible for giving your turfgrass the deep green color you love. Aside from the beauty this element brings, it also adds vital proteins and enzymes to ensure sturdy growth and shoot density. Otherwise, your lawn won’t be strong enough to beat pests, weeds, and diseases.
Turfgrass needs phosphorus in the soil for root growth and improved establishment rates.
As potassium leaches into the soil, it significantly improves your lawn’s resistance to wear, cold, drought, and disease.
You’ll want to test your soil’s pH level to pick a fertilizer with the right blend that balances your yard’s acidity or alkalinity. Experts recommend using a granular fertilizer because you won’t have to apply it as often.It’s also best to choose a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer for the same reason. Besides releasing the needed nitrogen to your turfgrass over an extended period, it also contains two percent phosphorus or less.
Applying too much fertilizer can lead to water pollution and set your lawn up for other significant issues. On the other hand, using too little won’t give you the greenest lawn in the neighborhood.Knowing how much lawn fertilizer you should apply requires math. According to turfgrass experts, the Goldilocks amount per application is a pound of slow-release nitrogen fertilizer per 1,000 square feet.
At O’Hara Pest Control, we’re here to help you create and maintain a lush, green lawn. Our complete program covers all aspects of lawn and ornamental pest control to meet the needs of even the most discerning critics. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
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