Keeping your lawn beautiful and green is the goal of every homeowner. However, it can be more challenging than it seems. Uneven rain, hot days, pests, and frequently using your yard for entertaining can all put stress on your lawn. The good news is that it’s easy to make a difference. You can water your yard, take care of any bare spots as soon as they occur, and use fertilizer to keep it growing strong.
Curious why you should fertilize your lawn, and what’s the best way to do it? Here’s what you need to know.
Grass Needs a Lot of Nutrients
Over time, rain and watering can draw a lot of nutrients out of the soil. That causes it to struggle to stay lush and green. When you fertilize your yard, you add those nutrients back in so that your grass can remain healthy. Depending on where you live, your soil may not naturally contain the nutrients your grass needs to grow and avoid disease. When you add fertilizer, you’re able to create an environment that’s conducive to a healthy and robust lawn. If you want your yard to be green and beautiful in the Spring months, fertilizer is the most important ingredient to apply in the Fall.
Apply the Right Fertilizer
Fertilizers contain three primary elements — nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The fertilizer you buy will have numbers on the bag that will tell you the percentage of each nutrient.
Nitrogen is what grass needs the most. This material is used in almost every part of your lawn’s lifecycle. Whether your grass needs to synthesize protein to grow or create chlorophyll to stay green, it uses nitrogen to do it. If you choose a fertilizer with quick-release nitrogen, you’ll see quicker results but will also have to reapply it more often. On the other hand, slow-release will take a bit longer but you won’t have to use it as much.
Phosphorous is especially crucial for new grass since it stimulates blade and root growth. It’s also used for a variety of energy processes within your lawn. Your grass needs this element, but not as much of it as nitrogen. Finally, potassium helps grass with growth. It’s required for photosynthesis and cell division and also helps your grass be tougher and stand up to frequent use. Potassium can even help your grass make it through a drought and survive the winter. Be sure you choose the right fertilizer and use it according to the directions. Too much can damage your lawn and local groundwater.
Get Professional Help with Your Lawn
Choosing, buying, and applying fertilizer is a time-consuming process. Why not let the pros take care of it so that you can focus on other things? If you’d like help with lawn fertilization, we’re here to help. Whether you want us to simply apply the fertilizer and go, or you want additional lawn care services as well, we have the experience you need. Contact us today for a budget-friendly lawn care solution!