Environmentally Conscious Fertilization Saves Money And Grass
Now that spring has finally arrived, it’s time to sit down with your lawn-care professional and have a heart-to-heart about your lawn.
Being green and keeping your lawn green are not incompatible goals. In fact, these days they’remore compatible than ever.
First of all, if he’s a good lawn-care professional, he’ll analyze your soil, if he hasn’t already. This is the most important step toward having a green, lush lawn all summer with the minimum addition of chemicals.
HelpH Is On The Way
The essential number your professional wants to know about your lawn is its pH. pH is ameasure of acidity in anything, from vinegar to dirt. Grass thrives in a slightly acidic soil, with a pH—technically, a measure of hydrogen concentration — of 6.5 to 7.0. pHcan be divined with a simple soil test.
The test may show your soil is acidic or basic; if your lawn-care professional doesn’t tell you the number, ask him. He may tell you your soil is acidic, which is often the case with sandy soils and yards shaded by pine trees; at that point he may recommend applying lime to your lawn.
For thicker, clayey soils your professional may apply a sulfur-based compound. Sulfur and lime are simple chemical compounds with limited environmental side effects. If the worst thing you do to the environment is apply one of these once a year, you’re living green indeed.
A non-invasive way to eyeball the pH of your lawn is to observe the weeds. A healthy crop of dandelions is a tip off that your pHis around 7.5, and it’s time to ask about adding sulfur. An overabundance of clover is a sign that your lawn needs nitrogen. Bumper crops of dandelions and clover? Ask your lawncare professional what’s best.
Fertilizer Analyzer
Once your professional has determined the chemical makeup of your soil, he’ll recommend a treatment regimen, starting with fertilizer. Many grasses are semi-dormant in the summer, so fertilizing in the late spring and early fall is often all that’s necessary. Ask your professional about fertilizers with time-released, water-insoluble nitrogen. These fertilizers get nutrients to the roots in a measured fashion, and they won’t burn your lawn with excess nitrogen when applied as directed. See if your professional offers fertilizers where up to half of the nitrogen is slow-release. Many products of this type are offered, including several types of organic products, along with sulfur-coated urea or methylene urea.
Clipping Service
Finally, to keep your fertilizer working harder longer, have your lawn aerated at least once a year (several times if your soil is dense and clayey) and leave the clippings on the lawn. Keeping the clippings can provide the nutrients of one application of fertilizer, plus it spares you the nasty problemof grass disposal. Mow frequently — or have someone else mow frequently for you — and the clippings will seem to vanish into your lawn. And believe it or not, clippings do not cause thatch.
