Lawn Fertilizer

Both new and established lawns require a balanced fertiliser program to maintain good health. A lawn fertiliser contains nutrients, each nutrient plays an important role in the health of the grass plant. On almost all lawns the nutrient levels will be less than ideal.

Nutrients can be also washed through the soil (leaching) as well as being removed through grass clippings each time we mow the lawn. Therefore a lawn will require additional nutrition to be added periodically throughout the year.

A balanced lawn fertiliser program will ensure that your lawn remains in tip top condition. A healthy lawn will suppress lawn weeds and disease and will also be better able to withstand adverse conditions such as drought, wet and frosty conditions.

A balanced lawn fertiliser will include 3 key nutrients, these are nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Each of the nutrients plays a key role in a healthy grass plant, if any are deficient the health of the lawn will suffer.

We will take a closer look at the role of each of these nutrients has on the lawn.

• Nitrogen - This is the most important nutrient used on lawns and turf. The main role of nitrogen is to create plant growth and it gives the turf it's rich green colour. Nitrogen is applied to the lawn during the growing season as part of a spring / summer fertiliser (April - August). It is not used in large quantities during the autumn and winter as it can cause problems with lawn & turf diseases such as fusarium.
  
  
• Phosphorous - Phosphorous is important for a healthy root system on the lawn. It can be applied any time of the year but is predominantly used late in the growing season in an autumn / winter fertilizer.
  
  
• Potassium - Potassium is responsible for hardening up the grass plant and will help discourage disease and withstand drought conditions better. Again it can be applied any time of the year, with the spring and autumn being preferable times for application. AS we previously touched upon there are two different types of fertilizer formulations used on lawns, these are spring / summer and autumn / winter fertilizers.
  

When to apply lawn fertiliser

Spring & summer fertiliser. This lawn fertiliser is used at the beginning and during the growing season to encourage and maintain good, consistent growth when it is most needed. This helps maintain a good, thick, healthy lawn which will help suppress weeds and help the lawn withstand drought.

A spring/summer feed will contain a high percentage of nitrogen with smaller amounts of phosphorous and potassium. It may also contain some iron sulphate for moss control and a selective weed killer for weed control.

Autumn & winter fertiliser. This fertiliser is applied late in the growing season during the autumn. An autumn/winter feed contains a high percentage of phosphorous and potassium with very little nitrogen. The purpose of this lawn fertiliser is to keep the lawn healthy during the winter and into the following spring.

Slow release lawn fertiliser
Lawn fertilisers are available in both conventional form or slow release form. There are advantages with slow release fertilisers and lawn feeds.

• Longevity - Slow release fertilisers last longer, therefore fewer applications are necessary over the course of the year.

• Consistent growth - Grass growth is more consistent with a slow release fertiliser, there is no sudden flush in growth. A conventional lawn fertiliser tends to encourage a quick growth spurt then tails off before another feed is needed.

• Lower scorch risk - When a slow release is applied the risk of scorching the grass is reduced.

The main disadvantage with a slow release fertilizer is they are more expensive than conventional lawn fertilisers.

Granular or liquid lawn fertiliser

Lawn fertiliser is available in both granular or liquid formulations. With each type of fertiliser comes advantages and disadvantages.

• Granular fertilisers - Granular fertilisers can be applied by hand or by spreader. Although initial response after application maybe slower than a liquid, it will last longer requiring fewer applications.
  Granular fertilisers also require watering in thoroughly after application to eliminate any scorch damage to the turf or lawn.
  
  
• Liquid fertilisers - Liquid feeds can be applied by a watering can or a suitable sprayer such as a knapsack. Liquid feeds work quicker than granulars but they do not last as long.
  
  Liquids are generally safer to apply as there is less risk of scorch than with a granular feed.
  

However it is important to follow the manufacturers instructions when applying any type of fertiliser. If they are not applied correctly they can cause damage to the lawn or turf.

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5 Lawn Care Tips for a Healthier Lawn

Scarifying
The task of scarifying in lawn care is also known as commonly known as de-thatching or raking, all three are basically the same operation. Scarifying is carried out by a powered machine that has a series of vertical blades or tines mounted on a rotating shaft. These tines or blades rotate at great speed, and in doing so they slash/cut into the base of the lawn removing unwanted thatch and moss.

This operation should be carried out at least once a year, preferably twice a year, during the spring and autumn. If it only done yearly then autumn is the best time for scarifying, however is moss is a problem in the springtime, it will need doing again.

Scarifying is frequently carried out during the spring period

to remove dead moss from the lawn.

The main aim of lawn scarifying is to remove thatch from the lawn. Thatch is the build up of organic matter, caused by dead leaves, stems, roots of the grass plant. A little thatch is desirable for the lawn as it helps add wear tolerance and resiliance to the lawn.

However when it becomes too excessive it causes problems. These problems include poor rooting, resulting in weed grasses susceptible to drought conditions, poor drainage and an increase in weeds and disease. The end result is a weak lawn open to a host of lawn care problems.

Lawn aeration
Like people, lawns require air to breathe and remain in a healthy condition. If aeration is neglected then it is likeley the soil will become compacted, with the air being sqeezed from the soil resulting in poor growing conditions. This results in:

• Shallow rooted grasses that suffer in drought conditions.
• Poor drainage that encourages disease, moss, weeds etc.
• A lack of soil organisms and micro organisms. These organisms (which require air to survive) are important to the health of the soil as they break down organic matter, thus controlling the thatch layer in the lawn.

Lawn aeration should be carried out, at least once a year during the autumn. It is often included in the autumn lawn care renovation program, which also includes scarification, overseeding and top dressing. In severe cases of compaction it can also be carried out during the spring time too.

Lawn aeration can be undertaken with either a powered machine or a simple hand fork. The size of your lawn and your budget will determine which type you choose.

 A choice of tines are available for this task, including solid, slit and hollow tines, with each having their own benefits.

Correct use of fertilizer
It is true that grass requires nutrients to maintain optimum health. However it is important that it recieves the correct amount and the right types of nutrients at certain times of the year.

There a 3 key nutrients, nitrogen which encourages growth, phosphorous which encourages a strong root system and potasium which helps harden the plant against disease and other problems.

Nitrogen is applied during the growing season, never during the winter. Phosphorous and poptasium can be applied at any time, but are especially important during the winter months.

Almost all lawns will have different fertilizer requirements, due to different soil types, different climates and other influences. What is important is the lawn recieves just enough to maintain healthy and consistant growth.

Too much fertilizer, especially nitrogen can cause unwanted problems with thatch.

The correct use of water
Another important factor in lawn care is the correct use of water during hot and dry weather conditions. Too many people rush out with the sprinklers as soon as it turns dry and this can do more harm than good.

Keeping the lawn constantly soaked restricts soil air and encourages the build up of thatch, due to the lack of micro organisms.

Most lawns will tolerate a certain amount of drought stress and in fact it will benefit the lawn if the soil is allowed to dry out somewhat. Therefore water the lawn heavily and then let the soil dry out before applying more water. This practice encouarges deeper rooting.

If the lawn is watered every day the soil stays constantly wet, this creates shallow roots, disease problems and as previously mentioned the build up of thatch.

Another tip is to water during the coolest parts of the day, preferably early morning, prior to the hottest part of the day. Watering during the evening is also OK, but this can increase the risk of some lawn diseases, therfore moring is the prefered time.

Correct mowing regime
Another overlooked factor is the most common and simple task in lawn care, that of mowing the lawn. If done correctly it can make a difference to the lawn.

Starting with mower, it is important that the mower is sharp and cutting correctly. If the mower is blunt then it can tear and damage the grass.

The most important aspect of mowing is the cutting height. The shorter you mow the lawn the more stress is placed upon it. Although there isn't anything wrong with mowing your lawn short, be aware that it will require more maintence to keep it in tip top conditions.

Therfore in most cases it is important to adopt a sensible cutting height that will reduce the stress to the grass plant.

During the autumn lifting the height of cut on the mower will also help it during the winter months.

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