How to Choose the Right Fertilizer for Your Lawn: A Guide to Better Grass Growth
The hallmark of a beautiful home is a great-looking lawn. You ideally want your yard to be lush, green, and thriving. After all, it’s one of the first things you’ll see coming home each day. Plus, it dramatically ups your curb appeal when your lawn is healthy and growing correctly. Using the right fertilizer is one of the best ways to ensure your grass lawn is the best. So, how do you know which fertilizer is right for better grass growth? Here are some tips that will help you understand fertilizer from Duda Sod. We’re your leading sod and remodeling lawn care company in Florida.
Conduct a Soil Test
This is the first step you want to take in figuring out which type of fertilizer to use. Conduct a soil test on your lawn. A soil test will show you exactly what nutrients are in the soil under your grass. When you know the nutrients that are there, it can help you determine what your grass will need to grow better. A test like this can tell you what nutrients are lacking in the soil, which is preventing it from being healthy. Then, you can supplement those nutrients for better growth.
Look at the NPK Ratio
You’ll learn the NPK ratio from the soil test. It stands for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. These are the numbers on all fertilizer packaging that you’ll see. So, when you know what your soil is lacking, you can purchase fertilizer with these nutrients.
What Each Nutrient Provides for the Grass
Each nutrient in fertilizer will affect your grass differently. A higher nitrogen level is best to ensure your grass is green, indicating healthy growth.
Phosphorus is a nutrient necessary for proper root growth, so your grass will be strong. This is important if you spend a lot of time on that grass running around and playing with your kids.
Finally, potassium is the nutrient responsible for strength in your grass. It makes the grass more tolerant of stress and weather events, like excess rain and storms.
If you are low on any of these nutrients, look for fertilizers that specifically list high levels of nutrients your grass needs after your soil test.
Where to Get a Soil Testing Kit
Most soil testing kits are available at local garden centers. Sometimes, your county, an extension of the US Department of Agriculture, offers soil testing as a service through its Cooperative Extension System.
Keep in mind to check with your city to find out if there are ordinances in place that prohibit the use of certain fertilizers during parts of the summer. For example, in Florida, some cities say you can’t use nitrogen or phosphorus fertilizers from June 1 to September 30. Check with your local county government to make sure.
Understand Your Grass Type
Another way to choose fertilizer is by knowing your grass type. Do you have warm or cool-season grass? Is it St. Augustine grass, Zoysia, Bahia, or Bermuda? If you have purchased sod installation from Duda Sod, we’ll make sure you have all the information you need about your grass type to be able to take care of it correctly.
More Questions About Fertilizers?
If you have questions about what fertilizer to use, give us a call today at Duda Sod. We’re happy to set you on the right path to having a gorgeous lawn you can be proud of. Or if you need a complete remodel of your lawn with some replacement sod, we’re your go-to company to spruce up that lawn with beautiful South Florida sod.