A lawn needs fertilizer if it is to look really lush. This is a fact that many of us learn with great surprise because we have been conditioned to believe that grass is hardy and can typically survive on the earth's natural nutrients. And it is true that most grasses can survive on the soil's natural nutrients without the need for nutritional supplementation through fertilizers. The problem with this statement is that as a lawnmower, what you will try to achieve is not just survival for your lawn, but also making the grass thrive and look lush. Without fertilizer use, the grass survives, but in all likelihood it does not look lush. The lawn plot will tend to be uneven, and the grass therein will tend to look quite hardy. Growing grass for cattle grazing can be the ideal situation. But if you grow the grass to enhance the composite aesthetic appeal, chances are you want it lush: hence the need for fertilizer. The lawn fertilizer is intended to supplement the nutrients that the lawns naturally get from the soil. There are very few places in the world with soil that can be said to have adequate levels of all nutrients, hence the need for supplementation through fertilizers.
A lawn needs fertilizer if it is to look really lush. This is a fact that many of us learn with great surprise because we have been conditioned to believe that grass is hardy and can typically survive on the earth's natural nutrients. And it is true that most grasses can survive on the soil's natural nutrients without the need for nutritional supplementation through fertilizers. The problem with this statement is that as a lawnmower, what you will try to achieve is not just survival for your lawn, but also making the grass thrive and look lush. Without fertilizer use, the grass survives, but in all likelihood it does not look lush. The lawn plot will tend to be uneven, and the grass therein will tend to look quite hardy. Growing grass for cattle grazing can be the ideal situation. But if you grow the grass to enhance the composite aesthetic appeal, chances are you want it lush: hence the need for fertilizer.
The lawn fertilizer is intended to supplement the nutrients that the lawns naturally get from the soil. There are very few places in the world with soil that can be said to have adequate levels of all nutrients, hence the need for supplementation through fertilizers.
More often than not, the difference between the lush lawns you encounter and the poor-looking lawns you encounter tends to be either in terms of how much water the grass gets, or (more often) about the grass getting all the nutrients it need or not.
Most fertilizers on the market are (chemically) designed to provide some three 'most important' nutrients; those that are the nutrients that plants, including grass, need in most quantities. The first of these three nutrients that the typical grass manure fertilizer will have is nitrogen. The second of these three main nutrients found in the typical grass fertilizer is phosphorus. The third of these three main nutrients supplemented with the typical grass fertilizer is potassium. The relative proportions of these three main nutrients in a given lawn fertilizer become apparent when you look at the numbers on the fertilizer pack. A fertilizer labeled 12-6-8, for example, will consist of 12 units of nitrogen for every 6 units of phosphorus and every 8 units of potassium. Sometimes soil analysis will reveal that your lawn needs lawn fertilizer Collegeville pa that have a dominant nutrient, say a nitrogen fertilizer, a phosphorus fertilizer or a potassium fertilizer. Besides the compound fertilizer with nitrogen (phosphorus-potassium), others have one of the most important nutrients as their only major constituent.
The Secrets of Proper Lawn Fertilization for Cool Seasonal Grass
Beautiful lawns don't happen by accident, but they are created. One of the secrets of maintaining a beautiful lawn is understanding the basics of fertilization.
The fertility requirements for cool seasonal grass are a bit more complicated than it is for hot season grasses. Maintaining your grass's long-term health and beauty requires at least a basic understanding of the needs of your specific grass type. The right fertilizer applied incorrectly can potentially do more harm than good. Therefore, it is important to know how to fertilize cool seasonal grass properly.
What is cool seasonal grass
Cool seasonal grass, as the name sounds, is grass that thrives best in cooler temperatures. In the US, they are found in central and northern states. In southern states, they are occasionally used to supervising dormant grass during that season.
The most commonly used grasses of the season purchased are varieties of high rings, fine blades, bluegrass, ryegrass and bentgrass. These grasses thrive best in temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees. Healthy grass can withstand the heat stress of summer much better.
Lawn Fruit Ning Myths
It is believed that most people fertilize cool seasonal grass incorrectly. Many believe that as the grass grows rapidly in the spring, this should be the time when most fertilizer should be applied. I have heard people say that the faster growth observed after the application of nitrogen fertilizer is normal and can be expected.
Not only are these ideas wrong, but it can lead to the development of grass health problems. Just one of the problems associated with excessive nitrogen used in spring and summer is that it disposes of your grass for disease problems and insect predation.
When it comes to fertilization, when people ask how to fertilize grass, they usually just ask about the type of fertilizer and how much to apply. While important, long-term results come from understanding why one should spend a certain amount. The answers are in how cool seasonal grass grows.
The relationship between spring growth and fertilization
In early spring, cool seasonal grasses break dormancy and enter the rapid growth stage. In this step, these grasses are genetically programmed to use stored carbohydrates produced in the fall. Too much nitrogen in the spring will force the grass to excessive growth and carbohydrate depletion.
Another problem associated with excessive nitrogen and accelerated growth in the spring is a thinning of the cuticle. The cuticle is the outer surface layer of the grass. The cuticle is your lawn's first defense against disease. A thin cuticle makes it easier for pathogens to penetrate and enter the plant.
Therefore, the goal of spring fertilizer is to use just enough nitrogen to keep the grass properly and to prevent chlorosis. When the grass is properly fertilized, the grass is not pressed to grow faster than it would normally do in the spring.
The relationship between summer growth and fertilization
Summer's approach brings rising temperatures. As the soil and air warm, cool seasonal grasses begin to struggle. Grass uses more energy in the summer and should therefore produce more carbohydrates through photosynthesis. However, cool seasonal grasses are not as effective as warm seasonal grasses when setting carbon. Since carbon fixation is important in carbohydrate production, the warm seasonal grasses excel in the heat, while cool-season grasses do not.
To conserve energy in the summer, the natural tendency is for the grass to go to sleep. Learning proper irrigation techniques will help prevent this and allow the grass to survive during summer stress. The last thing you want to do is apply too much nitrogen, especially water-soluble nitrogen that would force growth at a time when the grass has no energy to support it. The grass can be thinned or even die back as a result.
The goal of fertilization in the summer is either not to use any nitrogen or to provide just enough nitrogen to prevent the grass from becoming chlorotic. Organic fertilizer stands out at this point. Natural organic fertilizers have slow-release nitrogen that is released through microbial activity. It helps maintain healthy populations of soil microbes while releasing low amounts of nitrogen.
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