Lawn Fertilization
Fertilizing is the most critical factor to your lawns health. If you want a thick, green, vibrant lawn, there is no replacement for proper fertilization, but with many different brands, properties, and types it can be difficult to choose which is best to use.
When should I fertilize my lawn?
In general, a healthy lawn usually receives around 2-4 treatments per year. Each variety and species of grass each has individual care schedules and needs when it comes to fertilizing your lawn. Thats why when planning to fertilize your lawn it is important to first find what type of grass you have. Cool season grasses such as Perrenial Ryegrass, Fescue, Tall Fescue, and Kentucky Bluegrass all should be fertilized at least once in September / early November and then again in April / March. Warm-season grasses such as Bermudagrass, St.Augustine, Zoysiagrass, and Bahiagrass are slightly more delicate and should be fertilized at least 3 times over the course of the year with one being between March and May, the second around mid-summer or whenever your landscaping company sees fit, and the third around June / August.
What do the numbers mean on fertilizer and what is a soil test?
Fertilizer is made up of a combination of minerals and nutrients that you lawn requires to stay healthy. When a company first starts fertilizing your landscape it is important that they do a soil test. Soil tests allow the company to see key statistics about your lawn that are unseen to the naked eye and allows us to fix issues before they become a problem. Sure you can see a scorch mark in your lawn and throw a bucket of fertilizer on it and call it a day, but that will then lead into more problems. A typical lawn must stay within a desired range of all nutrients. Having too much fertilizer or the wrong type will cause your lawn to absorb an excessive amount Nitrogen or other nutrients too fast, which will very quickly kill the grass, but too little and the plants will not have enough nutrients in the soil to survive. The three main macronutrients of fertilizer are Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium along with a variety of smaller micronutrients. Each fertilizer has a certain number followed by another set of two numbers in a pattern like this 23-3-8. These numbers indicate that the example fertilizer is composed of 23% Nitrogen, 3% Phosphorus, and 8% Potassium, the other remaining percentage is a material which helps spread the fertilizer and break it down into the soil. When reading a soil test we make sure to analyze every aspect of it and then adjust each individual nutrient level in your lawn to ensure it will always look its best. Tests tell us some of the most important factors about your lawn down to the smallest detail and can even tell us how often you water your lawn! Talk to your lawncare professional about having a soil test done today if they haven't already, if not then feel free to contact us and we will perform one complimentary test free of charge!
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Why should you fertilize your lawn?
Improved Color & Thickness of Grass
The main component of fertilizer is Nitrogen. Nitrogen allows for the increased production of chlorophyll in the plant, which allows for more overall growth of the grass blades. Having your lawns grass blades grow larger means the grass is then able to take in more sunlight through photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process in which plants convert sunlight to food, and when the plant consumes more food due to larger leaves it allows the root systems to grow, therefore allowing the leaves to grow even more giving your lawn a beautiful thick green look.
Overall increased resistance to disease and bugs
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Increased resistance to foot traffic and weather
By allowing your lawn to absorb the proper amount of nutrients it needs to thrive you are also increasing its overall health and strength. Having a healthy lawn means fewer dead spots due to dogs, pets, or even foot traffic. Adding fertilizer also strengthens your lawn's root system which allows your yard to not be as easily affected by harsh weather such as flooding, heavy storms, and heat.
Why choose R.L. Savage Landscaping?
R.L. Savage Landscaping serves hundreds of individual customers in the Richmond area every year. Our employees are professionally selected & trained by our owner in customer service and quality of work. R.L. Savage Landscaping is currently one of the fastest-growing landscaping companies in the Richmond area, and is highly due to our simplicity and exceptional quality of work. Contact us today and see for yourself why your neighbors love us!