How to Choose Fertilizers for New Lawns
Have you ever been to the lawn and garden center and been confused about which fertilizer you need? There are many different formulations and brands of fertilizer for new lawns. The only way consumers can make wise decisions and purchase the right fertilizers for new lawns is to be able to understand the numbers on the bags.
When you go to purchase fertilizer, you will see three numbers listed on the bags. These numbers are important. These numbers will tell you the percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the fertilizer.
The first number listed on fertilizer bags refers to nitrogen. Nitrogen is good for lawns because it can really help to green up a dull yard. If you already have a mature, existing lawn, you will probably not need a high percentage of nitrogen in your fertilizer.
The second number listed on fertilizer bags refers to phosphate. Phosphate helps the grass seed to germinate and it promotes root health. New lawns will need an application of fertilizer fairly high in phosphate.
The third number listed on fertilizer bags refers to potassium, or potash. Potash helps to strength lawn grass. Strong roots and healthy grass is the key to great ground cover.
You should consider doing a soil test on your soil before you choose a fertilizer for new lawns. Soil test results can truly save you money in the long run. Who wants to purchase fertilizer if it is not needed? Likewise, you may damage your lawn by adding things to it that it does not need.
Lawn grass grows best when it is planted in soil that has a pH of 6.2 – 6.5. This means that your lawn grass will receive the most nutrients if planted in soil within this pH range. Most soil tests will give you recommendations on what amendments to make or fertilizers to add to your soil to get it to the desired pH level. Soil tests will show you the levels of phosphorus, magnesium and calcium that are currently in your lawn soil so you don’t make costly mistakes.
If you have cool-season grass such as Bentgrass, Kentucky Bluegrass, Rough Bluegrass, Tall Fescue, Creeping Fescue, Annual Ryegrass and Perennial Ryegrass, you will want to fertilize your new lawn in the fall. The months between September and December are the best months for fertilization. This will promote root growth and help the grass to be tolerant to heat and drought in the summer heat. It will also help your grass to green up faster in the spring, which is a major plus.
If you have a warm-season grass, such as Argentine Bahiagrass, Pensacola Bahiagrass, Common Bermuda, Improved Bermuda, Carpetgrass, Centipede, St. Augustine and Zoysiagrass, you should add fertilizer to new lawns in the spring and summer. The months between April and July are the best time to add fertilizer.
Basics Of Lawn Maintenance
There was once a time when it was a very fashionable to have stately homes and gardens, with a number of gardeners taking care of the garden grounds and lawns. But technological methods have improved drastically since then and we no longer need a scythe to maintain a well-kept lawn. Nowadays, there is a number of gardening implements which can be used to ensure that your lawn is kept in the perfect green velvety form with never a weed daring to raise its impertinent head.
First of all, we need to remember that the basics of lawn maintenance start with the necessary implements. This means investing in an excellent lawnmower, depending on how large your lawn is. A grass lawn positively enjoys being trimmed drastically, and mowing your lawn is going to be extremely good therapeutic exercise for you when you have nothing else constructive to do. And if you happen to be behind a good lawnmower, lawn mowing becomes a positive pleasure. The end result of an well-groomed lawn is going to be worth the effort of lawn mowing. After that, you can always invest in an edger and a trimmer. These can either be manual or even gas and electric models and can be used for trimming grass in inaccessible places where no lawnmower has ever gone before.
Along with these tools, you need an tool for spread fertilizer on your lawn. This is known as a spreader and is basically a tub which is pushed all over the lawn, spreading the fertilizer evenly over the surface of the grass. The spreaders last a long time, and if you want to add seed to some areas of on your own, you can buy a spreader which has a rotating handle and can be held in the hand.
It is a necessary fact of gardening that autumn leaves fall and drift down past your window every year. However, if they manage to spread a blanket all over the lawn, they are going to dehydrate the grass by not allowing it to get water. That is the reason for having a good rake, as the collected leaves can be used as compost. The rake can also be used in the winter to remove any snow thatch from the surface of the grass, giving your lawn air to breathe.
It is also necessary to have a shovel with a narrow blade and a long handle. Rounded blades are good for digging and doing other gardening tasks. Getting these basic implements organized means you are now prepared to take on the task of caring for your lawn.
