What does this mean? Fertilizer is not always the first step in getting a deep, lush, weed free, green lawn. Before you start with any fertilizer you need to check a few things first…
- Before your lawn is even installed make sure you have a good clean screened topsoil base. Generally the soil left on site as a “finished grade” by builder is not sufficient. This soil can be rocky or have large clay lumps in it. We recommend to install a basic screened brown loam soil at least 2-4” thick before seed or sod is installed. When it comes time to install seed make sure you are using an appropriate high quality seed for this area. (Be prepared, seeded lawns will take approximately 3-5 years to look as lush as a sodded lawn, will have some weeds when trying to establish and more fertilizer applications may be needed)
- If you have an established lawn check your mowing height. When mowing at the proper height you will usually be using one of the 2 highest setting on your mower and will want a mowed height of 3”. This will help the grass grow thick to shade weed seeds, so it’s harder for them to grow. You should also only be mowing every 7-10 days depending on weather.
- Water your lawn as needed. A new lawn will need more water as it is trying to establish a root system. A more established lawn can also benefit from watering deeply and infrequently, this will encourage deeper root growth. We recommend to water lawn in early morning if possible. Watering at night hours can lead to more fungus and bacteria growth that can potentially damage lawns.
- Evaluate your lawn. Walk over your yard and find out what issues you want to manage… Do you think you may have a fungus? Vole damage? Pee spots from dogs? Are weeds your biggest concern? This will help you decide what fertilizer is needed.