Fertilizing Lawn
Basic Steps in Fertilizing Lawn Areas
Fertilizing lawn areas is one way to make sure your lawn stays healthy. For your lawn to remain healthy, it needs occasional help from you and from Mother Nature. It needs enough water to grow, enough sun to produce energy, and enough oxygen to breathe. If the processes of your soil don't provide enough of these and the other nutrients needed, you need to help your yard along. Fertilizing lawn areas adds the needed nutrients in the proper amounts at the correct time, to help your lawn stay healthy and lush.
Your lawn needs a series of nutrients to thrive, and also a supply of nitrogen that will help promote growth and color in your lawn. If your lawn gets too little nitrogen, your grass will grow more slowly, and will be more prone to disease, thin turf and yellowing of plants. If your grass gets too much nitrogen, it can lead to low carbohydrate reserves, reduced root growth and excessive leaf and shoot growth. Nitrogen occurs in the soil as a result of the decomposition of plant roots, lawn clippings and other materials. Generally, the amount provided by natural sources is not enough to maintain the growth level you want in your lawn. So you may need to use a nitrogen fertilizer.
When you set about fertilizing lawn areas with a nitrogen fertilizer, you need to first measure the amount of nitrogen already in your soil, to determine how much more your lawn needs. Then you can purchase the level of fertilization that your lawn requires. You will also need to determine whether you want to use a quick or slow-release type of nitrogen fertilizer.
Another important element in your soil is phosphorous. It is essential to the growth of healthy roots. Erosion and runoff can wash the phosphorous from your soil, and you will need more fertilizing, lawn experts agree, to add phosphorous to your lawn. It is actually better to add phosphorous to your soil before you plant, but if your lawn is already established, it can still be added then. You local extension office can test your soil, usually for free.
Potassium is also an essential element to use in fertilizing lawn areas, because it helps in plant components' synthesis. A lack of potassium can lead to diseases of turfgrasses, and a reduced tolerance by grasses to stresses in the environment.
After you have your soil checked, you will need to find the proper fertilizer products to balance the amount of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in your lawn. Fertilizers have different values of all these and other essential nutrients, so your garden center expert should be able to help you find the right product for your lawn.
Balancing the necessary elements in your soil will help your grass to grow healthy and hardy. Fertilizing lawn areas near your home will help give your grass that show home look.