Posted on March 3rd, 2015
Growing and maintaining a happy, healthy lawn takes more than just dumping a bag of fertilizer on it in the spring and occasionally turning on the hose. Your lawn is a living thing and needs to be treated as such. That means getting fed regularly and provided the right amount of water on a regular basis. To help with the care and feeding of your lawn we recommend a slow-release fertilizer and specifically a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer. Most synthetic lawn fertilizers include at least 40 percent slow-release nitrogen, including water-soluble nitrogen so your lawn can get fed after being watered by rain or a lawn irrigation system.
Here are some benefits you’ll get with a slow-release fertilizer:
Greener grass
Nitrogen is the main nutrient responsible for green growth, which makes it a foundational necessity for your lawn if you’d like to see it get and stay green. Generally speaking, it’s best to apply nitrogen in the late spring and then again in the fall. Slow-release fertilizer will help you not only “bookend” your applications, but release small amounts over the summer to help keep a dense, green, vertical growth all season long.
Minimized salt burn
One of the biggest mistake homeowners make is dumping a big dose of fertilizer on their lawns thinking it’ll give them a major shot in the arm to boost growth. Sadly, it more often overdoses the grass, burning it with the salts that are contained in most fertilizers. A slow-release fertilizer is far better than a quick-release type for providing grass with the nutrients it needs, when it needs them.
Less maintenance
A steady release of nutrients leads to a steady, sustained period of growth. Too much fertilizer at once (if it doesn’t burn your lawn), can promote too much unsustainable growth, requiring you to mow more frequently and then spend time and money re-balancing your lawn’s nutrients after overdosing.
Less disease
Slow-release fertilizer encourages slow, steady, and strong growth all season long. As the nitrogen encourages growth, it optimizes health and makes the grass less prone to diseases and fungus. Once again, slow-release fertilizers have an advantage over fast-release because grass that grows too rapidly tends to be weaker. Add in a nitrogen deficiency and your lawn becomes even more susceptible to diseases like red thread, rust, and dollar spot.
Proper lawn care requires a lot of knowledge, experience, and hard work. If you don’t have the time or interest to give your lawn the care it needs but would love to have a beautiful, healthy lawn that’s the envy of your neighborhood, the lawncare professionals here at Turf Unlimited can help.
