Fertilizing your soil returns depleted nutrients to it. Though you shouldn’t try to fertilize your lawn in the middle of winter when the ground is probably frozen, it’s a good idea to start preparing for it. Here are some tips when it comes to fertilizing your lawn.
Wait Till the Temperatures Are Right
You’ll know it’s time to fertilize your lawn when the temperature of the soil reaches about 55°F. It’s important to know that this should be the temperature of the soil and not the air. Don’t worry if you don’t have a thermometer. The soil’s probably warm enough when your grass starts to grow again.
Know Your Grass
Different types of grass do best with different fertilizers. If you have no idea what sort of grass you have, ask a lawn professional to take samples from your lawn. They’ll let you know what sort of grass or grasses you have.
Most grasses that are sold for lawns are cool-season or warm-season grasses. Cool-season grasses grow most vigorously in the spring and fall and tend to need more nitrogen. Warm-season grasses grow in the heat of summer and need both nitrogen and potassium. There’s also centipede grass and Bermudagrass. Centipede grass does not grow well if you give it too much phosphorus, while Bermudagrass needs not only a lot of nitrogen but also good amounts of calcium and potassium.
About Fertilizer
When you buy your bags of fertilizer, be mindful of the three letters on their labels. They are N for nitrogen, P for phosphorus and K for potassium. Above these letters are numbers, which reveal the percentages of these elements. You’ll notice that the numbers don’t add up to 100. The rest of what’s in the bag is filler. If you really don’t know what kind of grass you have in your lawn, some experts recommend 20% nitrogen, 5% phosphorus and 10% potassium. Ideally, use slow-release granules that work over time.
The best way to add fertilizer is to use a spreader. This tool comes in different sizes to make fertilizing different sized lawns easier. Fertilize after the soil reaches 55°F, and then fertilize again in about a month. After this, fertilize your lawn every six weeks to two months until the fall. The fall feeding should emphasize phosphorus and potassium. This helps roots to grow during the cold season.
Fertilizing your lawn keeps it lush and healthy throughout its growing season and even helps when it’s dormant. For more information on lawn fertilization, call our professionals at Princeton Turf Care in Lawrence Township, NJ.
