When homeowners have lawns, they usually want a lush, green expanse of grass. However, they might not realize how much work goes into creating and maintaining such a lawn. Part of the work needed to promote such a beautiful, healthy lawn is regular application of fertilizer.
You may have some misconceptions about the application of fertilizer and the health of your lawn. Below is the truth about some common lawn fertilization myths.
1. You Don't Need Fertilizer
Some homeowners think that lawns will just take care of themselves. While grass can grow on its own without fertilizer, you're not going to get that thick, green mat of a lawn that's so prized. Turfgrass, which is what's used for lawns, needs supplemental nutrients to promote both growth and thickness. Additionally, you can leave clippings after mowing to impart more nutrients.
2. Spring Is the Best Time to Fertilize a Lawn
Now that you know you need to fertilize your lawn, you might think you have to fertilize only in the springtime. This myth is actually partially true because the best fertilization time depends on whether you have warm-season or cool-season grasses. You should fertilize warm-season grasses in both early and late spring, while cool-season grasses only need one spring fertilization.
3. You Can Use the Same Fertilizer All Year Long
To add to the above debunking, you should fertilize your lawn around six times a year — the Landscaping Network suggests a schedule for every couple months. The time of year dictates the kind of fertilizer you should use. For instance, your spring fertilizer might include nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, while a summer application includes iron, copper, and boron.
4. Fertilizer Can Fill in Bald Spots in Your Lawn
Since fertilizer makes turfgrass grow thick and lush, some homeowners think it's enough to fill in bald spots in the lawn. In fact, the truthfulness of this myth depends on the type of grass you have. If it's a clump grass, fertilizer won't fill in bald spots. If the grass knits together, spot fertilizer can encourage enough growth to fill small spots. Large or numerous spots are still a problem, though.
5. You Can Use Beer to Fertilize Your Lawn
A funny myth is that you can use beer as a sort of tonic for your lawn. The thought is that the beer will add yeast to the soil, which in turn helps your lawn grow lush and green. Truthfully, beer also contains sugars and alcohol that inhibit lawn growth. As for the yeast itself? Yeast can actually promote fungus growth, which creates patchy spots.
Have lawn fertilization services help you devise a fertilization schedule for your yard.
