For that full-on lush, green look all season, your lawn will need the benefits of fertilizer. Fertilizing gives your lawn the optimal amounts of nutrients at just the right time in its yearly growing cycle.
Grasses, like all living things, need food and water to survive. And with the proper food, they can thrive. Fertilizer allows deep roots and strong, full blades to grow. Grass will look its best and withstand the stresses of weeds, heat and drought (and humans with their love of outdoor activities).
So, which nutrients exactly? The primary ones needed are:
- Nitrogen
- Phosphate
- Potassium
Check your fertilizer bag for the formula used. A 25-0-5 bag will have 25 percent nitrogen, 0 percent phosphate, and 5 percent potassium (Note the reason for a 0 percent phosphate, though it is important to plant health, most soils in Ontario are already rich in phosphates).
Nitrogen that is time-released is ideal for most applications throughout the year and the bag will usually indicate the percentage of the nitrogen that is in this slow release form.
Best case scenario, this is the standard schedule your lawn needs:
- Mid to end of APRIL – spring fertilizer – 32-0-6 slow release (fast acting)
- Early to mid JUNE (6 weeks later) – early summer fertilizer – 25-0-5 – 50% slow release
- Mid to late JULY (6 weeks later) – late summer fertilizer – 25-0-5 – 50% slow release
- Early to mid SEPTEMBER (6 weeks later) – early fall fertilizer - 25-0-5 or 32-0-6 slow release
- NOVEMBER (6 weeks later) – winter fertilizer – 32-0-6 – slow release
Be sure to check our other articles for related advice on things like proper watering or overseeding. Don’t feel able or inclined to do any of it? No problem, just give us a call and we’ll take care of it all or visit our estimating page here to get started.
Happy fertilizing!
