Maintain a healthy and consistent lawn all year long with a good quality lawn fertilizer. Understand what your lawn needs and what does not. Sometimes you might not get the time to visit a garden center for professional advice but don’t let that stop you from understanding how your particular lawn responds to fertilization applications and what type of grass you possess. Remember, there are many lawns around the world and they all need fertilizer to maintain their health. Here are some lawn care tips to make sure you choose the best fertilizer for your soil type.
There are basically three types of lawn fertilizers. They can be liquid, granular or dry. Liquid fertilizers come in concentrated forms, which are easier to apply. The most effective one has around 25 percent nitrogen, while the next one has half the concentration. The dry ones, however, have no chemical content and are more advisable for early spring lawns.
The liquid ones are available in bags or canisters. Each one is designed to deliver the same amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash, with varying amounts depending on the manufacturer. When choosing the best lawn fertilizer, consider the ratios of these nutrients in the granular and liquid fertilizers. This is because the granular variety has a higher concentration of the primary nutrients, while the liquid tends to be lower in the concentration.
In addition to the concentration of the primary nutrients, there are other factors that affect the effectiveness of the best lawn fertilizer for your lawn. A lush green lawn looks great and attracts good attention. But lush green lawns require more water to maintain than normal. A soil with adequate moisture will also help the grass to grow healthily. However, when your soil has too much moisture or becomes too dry, the grass may wilt and even die. So you need to balance the moisture content of the soil by keeping the relative humidity up.
Another key factor is the kind of fertilizers used. Most of them are made from non-renewable resources, which pollute the air and cause toxic waste to build up in our water systems. This causes soil erosion, which leads to loss of valuable nutrients. On the other hand, the best lawn fertilizer contains renewable resources that prevent soil erosion. These nutrients include organic matter such as fallen leaves, pine needles, straw, and grass clippings.
Other benefits of the best organic fertilizer are that it doesn’t contain phosphorus, nitrogen, or potassium salts. These elements are vital to plant development and cannot be replaced. Other pros of organic fertilizers include its being biodegradable and recyclable, and that it provides valuable nutrients without causing any toxic waste. It can also burn for a longer time compared to chemical fertilizers. In fact, you can burn your organic fertilizer faster than you can plant it! Plus, biodegradable and recycled materials won’t harm the environment.
Yet another important factor to consider when purchasing the right fertilizer is the ratio of nutrients it contains. The pros and cons of each ration depend on the ratio of these two factors. There are four commonly used ratios and there are several more that experts suggest.
The best fertilizers use either a natural or a synthetic process to increase the fertility of the soil. Natural fertilizers, such as manure, contain nitrogen and potassium, while synthetic fertilizers, such as sawdust and industrial waste, contain phosphorus, copper, and iron. In addition, these fertilizers improve the texture and condition of the soil. However, they are less effective in increasing the fertility of the grass since they don’t contain the basic nutrients that grass needs to grow. If you really want to increase the health and quality of the soil in your garden, make sure you use the right fertilizer.
