There are so many enemies to a healthy green lawn. Every lawn has its own unique challenges to overcome. Microclimates are caused by the amount of sun, shade, wind, and moisture a given area receives. It’s hard to know exactly what is best for your lawn. We will expose our professional techniques we use for our clients. Every situation will be different but this should help with the majority of your fertilizer application needs this year.
Before we get started you should know what the NPK numbers on the bag represent. Nitrogen(N), Phosphorus(P) and Potassium(K) are the three common elements. There are generally filler materials in a bag of fertilizer. Each number indicates the percentage of that element in that bag. For example 25-0-0 would have 25% Nitrogen in it and 75% filler material. Nitrogen is used to generate external plant growth. In the case of lawns it creates thicker, lusher, green blades of grass. Phosphorus allows for healthy root development. This ability to store and use energy created by photosynthesis is vital to fighting disease. Lastly, Potassium strengthens roots, provides disease resistance, and protects the lawn in during a cold snap.
Preventative treatments such as pre emergent usually work better than herbicides which are reactive solutions. For our seasonal lawn care clients we recommend a four application fertilizer program. In our experience four applications are the best for most situations. If there is a need for specific special treatments or applications those can be added on a case by case basis. If you would like to spread out your applications to 6-7 you can generally reduce the application rate and apply more frequently. However, with the advancements in slow release fertilizer technology there are generally diminishing returns to more applications.
For the first application we highly recommend using a pre-emergent. This will prevent crabgrass and other early Spring weeds from germinating. A good way to measure when to apply is when the soil temperature reaches 55F, which is generally sometime in March. This first application should be moderately high in Nitrogen and have a medium amount of Potassium. If you don’t apply early enough you will miss crabgrass germination and have to take a more reactive approach to weed control.
On your second application is when we weed and feed. This will contain a dandelion preventer and encourage growth of strong and deep roots. This is required to prepare the lawn for the upcoming heat of summer. Larger roots increase the capacity to hold water. This application should contain a medium amount of Nitrogen, small amount of Phosphorus and medium to small amount of Potassium. The second application should be applied before the heat of summer with sufficient time to allow root growth to occur.
For your third application a slow release late summer fertilizer will feed and strengthen your lawn for a deep thick green grass. Now that the heat of summer has passed we can apply a large rate of Nitrogen. September is generally the best time for application but it will depend on the weather for that given year.
For the fourth and final application we will apply a winterizer. This will protect and strengthen the lawn for better Spring growth. Because weeds are also dormant we can apply a very heavy application of Nitrogen, with a mild amount of Phosphorus and medium application of Potassium. This application should be applied late fall and after all lawn and weeds are dormant.
In addition to our four app program we we also recommend overseeding lawn areas in fall or Spring. This can be a great way to give your lawn an extra boost. It will help fight weeds by displacing growable area, reducing weed competition. A starter fertilizer should be applied in combination with overseeding to promote new root growth. Careful planning with your 4 application program should be used to prevent over fertilizing and chemical burn. This application should contain a mild amount of Nitrogen, a heavy amount of Phosphorus and Potassium.
Special Treatments for fungus, insects and grubs can be controlled on a case by case basis. Lawn diseases can be difficult to diagnose and treat. Timing can be critical to resolving the issues. Fungicides are best applied during the hot months of summer (June – Aug). Insecticides are generally applied June and July but depending on the product some may be applied as early as May and as late as September. The key to treating these specific lawn issues is correctly diagnosing the issue. In many cases time and money is wasted on treating the wrong issue with the wrong product at an incorrect time leading to poor results.
Keeping your lawn green can be challenging. Using the correct mix of fertilizer and applying at the correct time will give you and your lawn the edge on those pesky weeds. If you follow these simple helpful steps your lawn will be healthier and lusher than ever. Cheers to greener lawns everywhere!
Jasper Ridge landscaping provides “Professional Landscape Services” to the Joplin and surrounding areas; including Carl Junction and Webb City. Our service area is contained within Jasper and Newton Counties in Missouri (MO). For more information about Jasper Ridge LLC please contact us using the contact form.