lawn fertilization Archives - East Coast Sprayers

Posted on December 14, 2023December 14, 2023 by East Coast Sprayers

While our winters in South Florida lack snow, sleet and frostbitten landscapes, many homeowners in Palm Beach County may still be wondering how to maintain their lawns during the colder months. The answer lies in lawn fertilization, specifically grass fertilization. While it may seem counterintuitive to focus on fertilizing during the winter, it is actually a crucial step in achieving a lush green lawn. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of lawn fertilization and how it can help you maintain a healthy and beautiful lawn throughout the winter season in Palm Beach County.

The Challenges of Winter Lawn Care in South Florida

Maintaining a lush and green lawn in Palm Beach County during the winter months can be a challenge. The colder temperatures can wreak havoc on your lawn, leaving it looking brown and patchy. While it may be tempting to think that your lawn doesn’t require as much care during the winter, neglecting it can lead to long-term damage.

One of the main challenges of winter lawn care in Palm Beach County is the lack of sunlight. With shorter days and less sunlight, your grass may struggle to photosynthesize and generate the energy it needs to stay healthy. This can result in brown grass and a dull, lifeless lawn.

Another challenge is the cooler temperatures. When the temperature drops, the growth rate of your grass slows down significantly. This means that any damage or bare patches may take longer to recover, and your lawn may struggle to maintain its vibrant green color.

In addition to these challenges, winter lawn care in Palm Beach County also requires specific attention to soil conditions and moisture levels. Proper watering and drainage become even more crucial during this time to prevent lawn fungus and other issues that can damage your grass.

To overcome these challenges, it’s important to take a proactive approach to winter lawn care. This includes regular landscape fertilization to provide the necessary nutrients for your grass to thrive. Additionally, proper lawn maintenance practices, such as aerating and overseeding, can help promote healthy growth and prevent the spread of diseases.

Why Your Lawn Turns Brown and How Fertilization Can Help

During the winter months in Palm Beach County, it’s not uncommon to notice that your once lush green lawn has turned brown and patchy. But why does this happen? And how can fertilization help bring your lawn back to life?

One of the main reasons why your lawn turns brown during the winter is due to the cooler temperatures and reduced sunlight. Grass needs warmth and sunlight to thrive, and when the temperature drops, it goes into survival mode, focusing its energy on the roots instead of the blades of grass. This results in brown, dormant grass that can make your lawn look dull and lifeless.

Fertilization plays a crucial role in reviving your brown lawn. By applying the right nutrients, you can provide your grass with the essential elements it needs to bounce back and maintain its vibrancy even in the cooler months. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are three key nutrients that grass needs in order to grow and stay healthy.

Applying a winter lawn fertilizer in Palm Beach County, specifically formulated for the type of grass you have, can help replenish these nutrients and promote healthy growth. Slow-release fertilizers are especially effective, as they release nutrients gradually over time, providing a steady supply of nourishment to your grass without overwhelming it.

Tips for Maintaining a Beautiful Lawn in Palm Beach County through Winter

Maintaining a beautiful lawn in Palm Beach County during the winter months may seem like a daunting task, but with the right tips and tricks, you can keep your lawn looking lush and vibrant. Here are some helpful tips to help you maintain a beautiful lawn this winter season:

1. Adjust your watering schedule: While it may be tempting to water your lawn less during the winter, it’s important to adjust your watering schedule to ensure your grass receives adequate moisture. Water your lawn deeply but infrequently to promote healthy root growth.

2. Clear away debris: Keep your lawn free from fallen leaves, branches, and other debris. This will not only keep your lawn looking tidy, but it will also prevent suffocation and disease.

3. Avoid heavy foot traffic: During the winter months, your grass is more susceptible to damage. Avoid walking or driving on your lawn as much as possible to prevent compaction and bald spots.

4. Aerate your lawn: Aerating your lawn helps to improve soil drainage and allows air, water, and nutrients to reach the roots. This promotes healthy grass growth and reduces the risk of disease.

5. Overseed if necessary: If your lawn has bare patches or thinning areas, consider overseeding. This process involves spreading new grass seed over existing grass to promote denser growth.

6. Monitor and control weeds: Weeds can still be a problem during the winter months. Keep an eye out for any weed growth and address it promptly to prevent them from taking over your lawn.

The Benefits of Professional Lawn Fertilization Services

Professional lawn fertilization services from East Coast Sprayers offer numerous benefits that can help homeowners in Palm Beach County achieve a lush, green lawn during the winter months. Here are some of the key benefits of hiring professionals for your lawn fertilization needs:

1. Expertise and Knowledge: Professional lawn care companies have the experience and expertise to assess the specific needs of your lawn and provide the right fertilization treatments. East Coast Sprayers understands the unique challenges of Palm Beach County’s winter conditions and can tailor their services to ensure optimal results.

2. High-Quality Products and Equipment: Professional lawn care companies have access to high-quality fertilizers and state-of-the-art equipment that may not be readily available to homeowners. These products and equipment are specially designed to deliver the right nutrients to your grass and promote healthy growth.

3. Time and Effort Savings: Lawn fertilization can be a time-consuming and labor-intensive task. By hiring professionals, you can save valuable time and energy that can be better spent on other activities. Letting experts at East Coast Sprayers handle your lawn fertilization allows you to sit back and enjoy a beautiful, green lawn without the hassle.

4. Customized Fertilization Plans: Professional lawn care companies will develop customized fertilization plans based on the specific needs of your lawn. We will take into account factors such as grass type, soil conditions, and climate to create a plan that maximizes the health and beauty of your lawn.

5. Consistent and Regular Maintenance: Regular lawn fertilization is essential for maintaining a healthy lawn throughout the winter. Professional lawn care companies can provide ongoing maintenance services, ensuring that your lawn receives the necessary nutrients at the right times. This consistency is crucial for achieving long-term success and preventing issues such as patchy grass or lawn fungus.

If you live in Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, or surrounding Palm Beach County areas, contact East Coast Sprayers today for your free lawn fertilization estimate. Our licensed team can evaluate your lawn to find the root cause – then come up with the perfect lawn fertilization plan to get it back into tip-top shape.

Posted on October 20, 2021 by East Coast Sprayers

Keeping freshly cut, lush green grass is the hallmark of a beautiful lawn. This seemingly easy task is endlessly complicated by factors ranging from your soil, grass, weather, and proximity to the ocean. If you’re debating lawn fertilization services in Jupiter, FL, you aren’t alone. Many homeowners choose East Coast Sprayers for perfectly green lawns.

Things to Know Before Fertilizing

Fertilizing is a practical step to take to ensure your grass has the nutrients it needs to grow. To fertilize correctly, it takes a planned approach rather than doing so when you have the time. Feeding your lawn with energy needs to be calculated and precise for superior results.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

The peak grow season for your grass
The pH levels of your soil
The type of grass you have
How much fertilizer you’ll need

Failing to account for one of those may result in harm to your lawn, opening up further problems for you. This is why many homeowners rely on our services as opposed to DIY solutions. While less expensive by default, choosing the right fertilizer got your unique needs will be endlessly difficult if not impossible.

How Often Should You Fertilize

While the bulk of the answer lies in the grass you have, it’s always a good idea to fertilize at least three times a year. However, those with turfgrass in Northern and Central Florida will see a shorter growing season than those in Delray. Therefore, the longer the growing season, the more you’ll need to fertilize.

Fertilizing in the spring, fall, end of winter, and summer are the four best times to fertilize. Partner with east coast sprayers today to never forget these highly important months.

Why Choose Professional Fertilization Services?

If you’re interested in having a lawn that the neighborhood is envious of, you’ll need professional care. Our skilled and experienced lawn fertilization team can service both residential and commercial clients, delivering superb results for both.

We take a very personalized approach to greening your yard. Why? No two plots of land are the same. Our team will:

Identify your grass type
Assess your soil thoroughly
Consider your location and its impact on your turf
Analyze your weather patterns

After pouring over any factor contributing to poor growth, we can formulate a tailored plan for your unique circumstances.

You may still be wondering why you need professional services. If you’re like the rest of us, you’re likely to have a hectic schedule with free time at a premium. In these cases, we encourage you to sit back, relax, and let our trained professionals handle the problem for you.

Other Services We Offer

While treating your soil and grass is one thing, perhaps the issues you’re having are caused by pests. If so, our multifaceted team can help with these concerns as well. No matter the cause of your less than green lawn, East Coast Sprayers has the knowledge, experience, and tools to resolve any problems you may have.

It’s Time to Receive Lawn Fertilization Services in Jupiter, FL

You see your lawn daily, so don’t settle for less than lush green. At East Coast Sprayers, we understand that brown, dead grass is an eyesore, so we’ve made it our mission to correct the problem one lawn at a time. Call us today!

Posted on June 15, 2021July 16, 2023 by East Coast Sprayers

Although cutting your commercial property’s lawn can help reduce the appearance of those unsightly weeds, it doesn’t stop them from coming back. Sometimes you may even feel like ten weeds have taken the place of the one you just killed. If you want nothing more than a flourishing lawn without all the hassle of yard work, you’ll want to hire professional weed control services in Boynton Beach.

Major Benefits of Hiring Weed Control Services for Your Commercial Lawn

If you want to keep your business looking good from its exterior, you’ll want to stay proactive in the fight against weeds. Why wait for these undesirable plants to grow and spread until they completely take over your commercial lawn? Let the pros handle your weed issues while keeping your landscape green and healthy!

They’re Highly Trained To Handle the Job

Many people who choose to go the DIY weed-killing route make the huge mistake of using store-bought solutions to fix their weed problems. These products contain toxic chemicals that can hurt humans, animals, and plants.

The last thing you want is to kill healthy grass in the area that you sprayed the weed killer, harm the trees in your landscape, or suffer the consequences of breathing in spray mist. While killing weeds may be important, it’s not really worth the risk. Alternatively, trusted professionals are trained to handle weed control solutions that won’t compromise your health or cause harm to animals and plants.

They Produce Long-term Results

DIY solutions aren’t sustainable because store-bought weed-killing solutions require you to spray each new weed that sprouts back up. As the seasons wear on, your commercial lawn would have dead spots all around it.

On the other hand, weed control specialists offer effective and hassle-free weed spray services that can eliminate a wide variety of invasive weeds. To ensure lasting results, they begin with an inspection of your lawn to assess its condition before creating a customized plan to control the weeds on your property.

They Provide Season-Based Treatments

Identifying your lawn care habits that promote weed growth is extremely important because lawn care and weed control vary from season to season. Working with an expert can help you put an end to those bad habits and achieve that lush scape of grass all year round.

They Negate an Unintentional Spread

With DIY weed killing, you won’t be able to tell the long-term effects it will have on your commercial lawn. Since the spray covers a wider berth than you may have initially thought, you may end up causing an unintentional spread of those toxic chemicals throughout your landscape. Moreover, when the wind carries the chemicals all around your lawn, they can cause your grass and plants to die by accident.

When the professionals apply their weed control services, they’re certain about how their treatments will affect your lawn. They use safe but effective sprays that prevent weed growth while keeping your delicate plants safe in the process.

Looking for the Best Weed Control Specialists in Boynton Beach?

For more than 30 years, East Coast Sprayers has transformed the exterior landscapes of various residential and commercial properties in the Palm Beach County, FL, area. We offer a wide variety of services including lawn fertilization, weed control, tree and shrub care, and more! Contact us today to receive 15% off your first application service!

Posted on May 15, 2021July 16, 2023 by East Coast Sprayers

Chinch bugs may be tiny, but they’re responsible for millions of dollars in lawn damage annually. If these grass-killing insects are threatening to take over your commercial property, you should reach out to the team of experts at East Coast Sprayers. With their personalized lawn spraying treatments in West Palm Beach, FL, you can finally say goodbye to all of your turf troubles.

What Is a Southern Chinch Bug?

Unlike other insects, the Southern Chinch Bug (Blissus insularis Barber) undergoes incomplete metamorphosis. This means that it goes through gradual changes throughout its three life stages – egg, nymph, and adult.

What Does It Look Like?

Depending on its host plant and environmental conditions, a female chinch bug can produce up to 300 eggs within the course of its life with an average of four eggs per day. Its oval-shaped eggs measure about 1 mm in length and are usually deposited in the thatch layer, on the surfaces of leaves, and within the leaf sheath.

These eggs hatch into yellow larvae before they morph as nymphs. Although nymphs look a lot like adults, they’re smaller, they have bright red or orange bodies with white bands on their abdomens, and they don’t have wings.

On the other hand, adult southern chinch bugs are flying insects with white patches on their wings and measure about 0.2 inches (4.7 mm) long. While those that have long and full-length wings are called macropterous, those that have short and reduced wings are called brachypterous. Depending on the temperature and food supply, adult chinch bug lifespans can range between ten to as many as 70 days.

Are They Hardy Species?

If you think that southern chinch bug colonies die off with seasonal changes, think again. These are hardy creatures that can manage to survive cool weather. Since South Florida’s winter weather is extremely milk, these bugs won’t stop populating and recolonizing as they spread across your entire lawn.

What Does It Feed On?

Although these insects love to feast on St. Augustine grass, they also feed on other turfgrasses including the following:

Bahiagrass
Bermudagrass
Kentucky bluegrass
Fescues
Perennial ryegrass
Crabgrass
Zoysiagrass
Centipedegrass.

Both juvenile and mature southern chinch bugs live in the thatch and feed on grass stems, stolons, and crowns by piercing these parts with their needle-like mouthparts and sucking the plant juices. To facilitate easy feeding, their bodies automatically release enzymes that continue to cause damage to the grass even after feeding.

Furthermore, these insects tend to feed in clusters or groups. Once they exhaust a food supply in one area, they move in a mass migration to another spot within the lawn area.

What Are the Signs of a Southern Chinch Bug Lawn Infestation?

You may be dealing with a southern chinch bug infestation if your lawn displays circular, sunken patches of yellowish-brown grass. In most cases, these infected areas occur first along the water-stressed edges of the lawn or areas where the grass is growing in full sunlight.

When the infestation is at its worst, you’ll see these insects running over the grass blades. In South Florida, severe lawn damage typically becomes more evident in the months of March through November.

Are You In Need of Pest Control Lawn Spraying Treatment in West Palm Beach, FL?

If left unchecked, southern chinch bug colonies will continue to multiply until they kill your once-healthy lawn. Luckily, the lawn care professionals at East Coast Sprayers can help you eliminate these pests and bring your dying lawn back to life. Contact us today to schedule an inspection.

Posted on September 14, 2019July 16, 2023 by East Coast Sprayers

Did you wake up and find areas of your grass seemed to have yellowed overnight? Do you notice these yellow and brown patches of grass are forming in an irregular, donut-like shape? If you answered yes to these questions, you may have a lawn fungus called brown patch.

Causes of Brown Patch Fungus

Summer in Palm Beach County is hot, humid and sunny; what we at East Coast Sprayers like to call the brown patch trifecta. Brown patch fungus typically develops (but remains dormant) during the cooler months when the temperature is below 80 degrees, but flourishes in the summer when the heat and humidity conditions are just right. Over watering your lawn during the summer months can increase your chances of a fungus outbreak.

Brown Patch Fungus Preventative Tips

Water in the morning, giving your lawn time to dry out before nightfall
Mow your lawn frequently to help dry out leaf blades
Shut off your sprinkler system during periods of heavy summer rain
Avoid high levels of nitrogen – fast release form especially!
Continue pre and post-emergent weed control to avoid sprouting weeds in those thinning areas
Fertilize your lawn to replenish vital nutrients necessary to fight off fungus and disease
Use preventative fungicides from May to September

If you have already noticed signs of brown patch fungus, it’s too late for preventative treatments. Not to worry! Brown patch doesn’t typically kill a lawn. Your grass can grow new blades come spring with proper care and spring-time lawn fertilization.

Brown Patch Fungus Treatment and Help

When it comes to brown patch fungus, prevention is always the key. East Coast Sprayers can develop a preventative treatment plan specifically designed for your Palm Beach County lawn. We carefully consider our South Florida weather conditions and apply weed control or lawn fertilization treatments during the most optimal time. Contact us today to see how we can help keep your lawn pristine year round!

Posted on July 27, 2019July 16, 2023 by East Coast Sprayers

Look around – your neighbors and friends are enjoying summer family gatherings on their green, well-manicured lawns. Don’t be envious; you too can have a beautiful lawn at your own Palm Beach County home! All it takes is regular lawn fertilization and feeding to keep your grass green year round. East Coast Sprayers is here to help explain the benefits of feeding and fertilizing your lawn.

Weed Reduction

Grass with deep, healthy roots are less susceptible to weeds. Regular feeding and fertilization gives your lawn the vital nutrients it needs to grow strong and healthy – leaving no room for menacing weeds to invade. Weed control is hard to overcome, so it’s best to prevent weeds before they even have the chance.

Resistance to Pests

Whether or not your fertilizer contains pesticides to protect against bugs, a strong lawn has better defenses to stand up against pest damage and healthy roots leave them with little room to dig or burrow into the soil. Proper fertilization can provide insect control simply by strengthening the root system and overall health of your grass.

Disease Defense

Think of fertilization as a regular supplement to support the immune system and fight off illness. Feeding and fertilizing your lawn gives your it the health-boost to protect against ruthless disease that can wreak havoc on your landscape.

Overall Lawn Health

Feeding and fertilizing your lawn gives it the essential nutrients it needs to flourish. Just like we need food and water, your grass needs the perfect blend of nitrogen, potassium and phosphate to maintain it’s dense, green appearance. The overall health of your grass can be easily improved with proper fertilization on a regular basis.

Lawn Fertilization and Feeding Help

While there are many do-it-yourself techniques, it’s always best to leave the health of your lawn up to the professionals. East Coast Sprayers can quickly establish which nutrients your lawn is lacking and customize a fertilization plan specifically for you. Our team of lawn “doctors” will evaluate, diagnose and prescribe a regular treatment program to keep your Palm Beach County lawn healthy. Contact us today at (561) 203-5555 for a free evaluation!

Posted on April 6, 2019 by East Coast Sprayers

Spring in Palm Beach County is a beautiful time of year, and the ideal time to consider lawn fertilization. Caring for your lawn and keeping it looking its best year round can be a challenge. South Florida weather can bring drought conditions and heavy rains, so knowing the right time to fertilize is vital to keeping your grass healthy and growing. That’s where East Coast Sprayers can help!

Why Fertilize My Lawn?

Every living thing needs essentials to survive, and your lawn is no different. You’re supplying it with water and the South Florida sun gives it plenty of light, but your grass needs food! Think of fertilizer as the best plant food for your lawn. Proper fertilization of your turf can provide deeper root growth, reduce weeds, and can protect your lawn from pests and environmental stress.

When is the Best Time to Fertilize in Palm Beach County?

Spring is when everything is blooming and plant life is most active. This is when your grass is actively growing and the optimal time to apply fertilizer. Fertilizing too early may not benefit your grass, as it isn’t able to absorb all the nutrients when it is dormant. Some areas of Palm Beach County have restrictions on fertilizing in the summer which means spring is your best chance at a healthy lawn. Don’t get caught with dead turf for those summer BBQ’s!

What Kind of Fertilizer Should I Use?

Using the right type (granular or liquid), mix and quantity of fertilizer (in additional to when you apply it) is extremely important to sustaining a beautiful lawn. Palm Beach County soil is typically high in phosphorus (one of the key ingredients in fertilizers); applying a fertilizer with too much or too little can cause damage to your lawn. The professionals at East Coast Sprayers will create a fertilizer program to keep your landscape green and healthy all year long, beyond the spring!

Trust the Pros to Fertilize Your Lawn

At the end of the day, it is always best to entrust a professional when it comes to your lawn and landscape. We are trained to know what your grass needs and when it needs it most. Contact East Coast Sprayers today to discuss your springtime lawn fertilization options and let us build a plan to suit your needs!

Posted on October 22, 2018 by East Coast Sprayers

Do you dream of a picturesque yard with an abundant amount of plants and lush green grass, but are stumped when it comes to picking out a lawn fertilizer?

You’re not alone.

Keeping your yard looking picture-perfect can feel like a burden sometimes, but not when you properly fertilize.

Now, not all fertilizers are the same, and there is no one-size-fits-all in terms of lawn fertilizer. In fact, the selection of lawn fertilizers can be quite intimidating when you go to make your purchase.

Luckily, we are here to make purchasing lawn fertilizer as easy as possible.

What is Lawn Fertilizer?

Yes, fertilizer makes your grass grow, but what exactly is it? Fertilizer is made up of three nutrient components, which can be found on the front packaging of any fertilizer product in the following order.

1. Nitrogen promotes the lush green color of grass and rapid growth.

2. Phosphorous promotes floral growth and a strong root system.

3. Potassium promotes drought resistant and prevents any plant diseases.

To learn more about what fertilizer is and how it benefits your grass, click here.

Choosing a Lawn Fertilizer

Now you know what fertilizer is made of, but you may be wondering where to go from here. There are many ways to determine what kind of fertilizer you want to use.

Based on pH Levels

To start off, take a sample of your soil to determine the ph level. This is important because if your pH level is off, it will affect the ability of the grass to absorb the nutrients.

Any soil below the pH level of 5.5 needs a lime fertilizer, and any soil below 7.0 needs gardener’s sulfur fertilizer.

Based on Location

The state that you live in determines the type of climate that is affecting your lawn. If you live in a cooler, northeastern state, you want to purchase a slow-release, organic fertilizer, and you want to fertilize your lawn around St. Patrick’s Day.

If you live in a warmer southern, central or western state, your grass is going to need a little more attention due to the harsher climate. Look for a high-nitrogen, slow-release fertilizers, and you want to fertilize your lawn around Easter.

Types of Lawn Fertilizer

There are three types of fertilizer you can find at the store. The question is, which one should you buy for your lawn?

Organic Fertilizers

These can be purchased at the store or even made at home with compost. This makes them all-natural, and they slowly release into the soil as it breaks down over time.

Granular Fertilizers

These allow you to control exactly when your lawn is fed with their wide selection of time-release formulas. This fertilizer can come in handy when you are looking to fine-tune your lawn fertility. Plus, it is cheaper when it is bought in bulk.

Water Soluble Fertilizers

These are ammonium-based, which means it is quickly absorbed into the grass. Water soluble fertilizers yield fast results in both growth and color. This is where your backpack and push sprayers will come into play.

What Lawn Fertilizer Will You Choose?

Now that you know a little more about what fertilizer you are looking for, you can get started on that lush lawn you have been longing for. Contact us today so we can help you make that first step.

Posted on September 24, 2018 by East Coast Sprayers

A healthy lawn increases the value of your home and makes your business stand out from the crowd.

There’s something about that glorious green that makes people sigh with pleasure as they pass by.

Have you recently planted your first lawn? Your next step is to make sure it stays lush, healthy, and green.

Here are five advantages of fertilizers that can give your lawn a helping hand.

A Note on Lawn Fertilization

Lawn fertilizers are either organic or synthetic, and each one has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Organic fertilizers can be homemade and inexpensive, but they’re slow to decompose and take some knowhow to use.

Synthetic fertilizers can make your grass grow more quickly, and will give it the vibrant green color you’re likely looking for. But they can sometimes burn your lawn if applied incorrectly, and can negatively impact the properties of the soil.

1. It’ll Supply the Right Nutrients at the Right Stage

If you’re growing your grass from seed, your new lawn will need different nutrients at different stages.

New grass requires nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in different quantities than an established lawn. Using fertilizer will make sure your grass gets the correct nutrients it needs.

2. It Encourages Your Grass to Grow

Whatever the type, fertilizer adds nutrients to your grass and will help it to grow.

Depending on the type you choose and if you’re in a hurry, you can even make your grass grow super-fast. Make sure you know when and how to use it.

3. Organic Material Helps Your Lawn Absorb More Water and Nutrients

Your grass is thirsty, and with organic material, you can give it a helping hand to get the water it needs.

Things like old grass cuttings and dry leaves can add an extra porous layer at the base of your soil. This also helps your lawn hold water that the blades of grass can then use when they need a drink.

4. It Can Make Your Lawn Greener

As we mentioned earlier, fertilizer can improve the color of your lawn. The best lawn fertilizer is dependant on you, and what you want for your land.

Natural fertilizer gives a more muted green. Synthetic fertilizer will give you the strong, vibrant color that home and business owners are looking for.

5. It Can Improve the Quality of Your Soil

All fertilizers add nutrients to the soil. Synthetic fertilizers have specific percentages of each vitamin and mineral printed on the package. This takes some of the guesswork out of the application.

It can be a little more tricky to work out the nutrient content of your organic fertilizer, but it will often improve the pH of your soil. It also produces a higher-quality soil with a better composition and texture over time.

Reap the Advantages of Fertilizers With Your Lawn

If you’ve recently planted your nice new lawn, you’ll want to keep it looking healthy, green and, well, grassy. The advantages of fertilizers on your lawn are good and plenty.

Both organic and synthetic fertilizers have their own characteristics. You’ll have to choose what’s right for your lawn depending on the specific result you’re going for.

Do you want to fertilize your home or commercial lawn, but aren’t able to do it yourself? Contact us for a quote, and see how we can help.

Posted on September 17, 2018 by East Coast Sprayers

We all have that one neighbor with the gorgeous lawn. You know the one, so deep green and lush it almost looks fake. You want one too?

We hear you! Their secret is lawn fertilization. Keep reading to see how you can benefit from using it on your lawn too.

What Lawn Fertilization Can Do for Your Grass

In simple terms, applying a lawn fertilizer provides your grass with the nutrients it needs to grow and thrive. Kind of like how we take vitamins and eat right to nourish our bodies. The environment threatens your lawn’s health, as well as the type of soil it’s growing in, insect attacks, and disease.

Applying a yard fertilizer has the following benefits:

Deep green color
Thicker grass density
Faster growing grass
Lower air temperature through the transpiration process
Quicker damage recovery
Greater resistance to stress

As you can see, these are significant benefits for your lawn. Getting them through the simple act of fertilization is a no-brainer.

Choosing the Right Kind of Yard Fertilizers

Nutrient Profiles Explained

There are many kinds of fertilizers in various formulas, so how do you know which one to buy? Let’s start with the number combinations on the container. For example, 20-10-5.

In order, these numbers represent the percentage of the nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the lawn fertilizer.

Nitrogen is responsible for the green color and is also the most important element in a fertilizer. Phosphorus helps seeds and roots grow which is essential if you’ve planted new grass seed. And lastly, potassium makes the grass healthier and builds a tolerance to disease.

Choose a ratio that specifically helps your lawn issues and local weather conditions. If you have sandy soil, you’ll likely need more nutrients for your grass since the nutrients can leave when the water drains out through the soil. Clay ground tends to hold nutrients well, but the lack of drainage can also cause problems.

Complete vs Incomplete

Not all fertilizers have nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in them. Complete formulas include all three nutrients.

In contrast, incomplete yard fertilizers only contain one or two. You can tell an incomplete version by a zero in the number label, such as 20-0-10.

Organic and Synthetic

Synthetic forms of fertilizer come in two types, quick-release or slow-release. Which one is best for your lawn? Let’s review each so you can make an informed decision.

The quick-release formulas allow the nitrogen into the soil faster resulting in a greener lawn much faster. However, since the yard cannot absorb all the nutrients as fast, you risk future damage and disease. The quick-release formulas may also burn your grass leaving it brown and sparse, defeating your purpose for grass fertilization in the first place.

The slow-release granules won’t give your lawn that instant deep green color, but they won’t burn your lawn or require frequent applications either. These types of fertilizer allow the grass to retain more of the nutrients. Organic fertilizers are slow-release and made from all-natural sources such as feather meal.

When to Fertilize

Naturally, your budget of time and money should determine how often you fertilize. However, according to agronomy research, the most effective regimen is to apply your fertilizer three times throughout the year:

Spring (light application)
Early Summer (light application)
Fall (heavy application)

What’s the Bottom Line?

The benefits of lawn fertilization far outweigh the effort involved in applying them. Now that you know more about yard fertilizers, get started making your lawn the envy of the neighborhood.