Let’s not talk about lawn fertilizer. Let’s talk about air. Air
has oxygen and carbon dioxide and a bunch of other elements in
it but mostly air is composed of nitrogen. This is good news for
your lawn since the other day I read this, “Few soils have
enough natural nitrogen to maintain desired turf grass quality
and recuperative ability throughout the growing season.”
However, the good news is that grass is one of the most
efficient nitrogen processors on the planet!
Now, if you want to fertilize your lawn, you can find plenty of
information on how to do it from every company that sells
chemical lawn fertilizers on the Internet. However, fertilizer
is really just a four-letter word— food. Lawn fertilizer, like
any other type of fertilizer is plant food. Unfortunately, for
your lawn that isn’t a dirty word, because lawn fertilizer
typically does nothing for the soil. At best, it’s only a
temporary fix for your turf.
Fertilizer Facts
Fertilizers have three major components: •(N) Nitrogen: promotes
blade growth, forms proteins and chlorophyll (the green stuff)
•(P) Phosphorus: helps root, flower, and fruit development – the
last two are probably elements you don’t want to see in your
lawn! •(K) Potassium: Helps stems and roots grow and helps your
grass turn protein into nutrients (photosynthesis)
In addition, depending upon brand, fertilizers may also contain
calcium, sulfur, magnesium, boron, manganese, iron, zinc,
copper, and molybdenum. At first glance, this looks like a good
thing— sort of like a multi-vitamin for your lawn. However, your
grass, like any other plant gets its true nourishment from the
soil under it. Although excess chemical fertilizers leech into
the ground, many of the chemicals they contain do more harm than
good to the complex eco-system that provides a continuing source
of nutrition for your lawn and ultimately your turf pays the
price.
The truth is that established lawns generally don’t need
fertilization. If you feel that you must fertilize your lawn, an
established organic fertilizer will enrich your soil as well as
feed your grass. Don’t spoon-feed your turf. Instead, provide
your turf with a balanced diet from nutrient rich soil.
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