It's time to go green and make that first application of lawn fertilizer for the year. To have a green and healthy lawn requires that we follow one of the basic fundamentals of lawn care and fertilize on a regular basis.
As a general rule, lawn fertilizer should be applied four to six times a year. An easy way to remember is to use the Holidays as a guideline. The Holidays to apply lawn fertilizer are: Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.
The fertilizer label on every bag of lawn fertilizer contains three numbers.
Nitrogen is the most important major nutrient that lawn grasses need. It is always the first number on the fertilizer label. For example, ScienTurfic's Turf Fertilizer 20-20-10 2Fe 3S, contains 20 percent nitrogen by volume. Nitrogen is needed to promote growth, green color, density and overall health of the grass plant.
Phosphorous is the second number on the fertilizer label. Phosphorous helps promote vigorous root growth. The third number is potassium or potash. Potash aids in protecting the grass plants against diseases and helps develop drought resistance. It is also essential to maintain overall health and vigor. Sulfur and Iron are other important ingredients necessary for chlorophyll development and plant health in our soils here in Colorado.
Always read and follow label directions on the fertilizer bag for spreader settings, watering instructions, clean up, and storage guidelines.