Lawn Care Tips

Fertilizing Your Lawn

Don Schlup

As a general rule we fertilize 3 to 4 times a year. (Easter, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Halloween). If you choose to fertilize once, do it in the fall. If you choose to fertilize twice, do it in the fall and spring.

Bluegrass is a wonderful plant! Humans, through management, have changed the way the grass first grew. Originally, the grass was a "clump" grass growing in pastures. As time passed, with additional water and nutrients, the plant grew more closely together making a better lawn.

Its natural growth cycle was to be green in the spring with natural moisture, go dormant during the dry summer, and green up again with fall rains. However, people aren't satisfied with this cycle. We want it to green early in the spring, and stay green until fall. A dormant lawn in the summer isn't acceptable!

Fertilization is one way to alter the natural pattern of growth. It is the cheapest and easiest thing we can do for our lawns. As a general rule we fertilize 3 to 4 times a year. (Easter, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Halloween). If you choose to fertilize once, do it in the fall. If you choose to fertilize twice, do it in the fall and spring.

There are generally 3 numbers on a bag of fertilizer. They refer to the percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

  • Nitrogen - growth, color, density, and chlorophyll formation
  • Phosphorous - growth of new roots and rhizomes, plants vigor
  • Potassium - plant health, stress resistance, cold hardiness

Grass plants require 15 to 16 different nutrients that in most cases are found in the soil. Additional elements such as iron and sulfur are found in ScienTurfic Turf Fertilizer's 20-20-10-2Fe-3S. The healthier the lawn, the greater chance of survival and recovery during stressful times.

ScienTurfic recommends the cyclone or rotary spreader. It will apply the granules more evenly which avoids dark green and yellow strips that often happens with a drop spreader. Always read and follow directions on the label. It is always advisable to sweep up fertilizer on sidewalks, especially if the fertilizer contains iron.