Fertilizing Lawn Care

In order to get the very best out of your lawn you need to feed it. This will keep it healthy and less susceptible to weeds and disease. It will also ensure good growth and create a hardy plant that will do better in the dormant or cooler times.

When we talk about fertilizer for lawns we are really looking to apply one key element, that being Nitrogen. Of course other nutrients are needed (phosphorous and potassium mainly) but nitrogen is the key to sustaining healthy lawn growth. Nitrogen can be tricky to apply as it is easily washed through the soil to where the grass can't reach it. Too much nitrogen can cause your lawn to burn and then you have more problems than what you started with. Nitrogen run off is also a nasty pollutant that can get into streams, lakes and groundwater and we definitely don't want that.

Each type of grass has a different yearly requirement of nitrogen. Ask your local nursery for advice on what your grass needs, then you can break that down into a number of applications. You should apply about half to one pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet. No more or you risk burning your lawn.

To achieve this you need to look at the fertilizer you've bought from the nursery and see what percentage of it is nitrogen. Let's say it's 20 %; you then need to apply 5 pounds of fertilizer per 1000 square feet.

There are two types of fertilizers. Quick release fertilizers will have your lawn greening quickly, but the effects won't last very long. Slow release fertilizers work the opposite way, slow to affect the lawn but with longer results. Most fertilizers available have a mixture of both quick acting and slow acting forms of nitrogen, perfect for the average lawn.

For best results you should apply your fertilizer once every 6 to 8 weeks during your lawns growth period. This will result in the need to mow frequently. If you are time poor then even just one application of fertilizer is better than none. Cool-season grasses could have a feed in fall and warm season grasses in late spring.

The best way to apply fertilizer is with a spreader, you could buy one at the local nursery and follow the instructions. Make sure you calibrate it, again 1 pound of nitrogen / 1000 square feet. Always water the lawn before and after you feed it and don't fertilize during hot weather.

I highly recommend this site for more helpful advice but I hope my fertilizing lawn care article has been useful to you.

Glenys Power

http://www.garden-product-reviews.com/fertilizing_lawn_care.html

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