YARDQUICK Fertilizing Tips:

The objective of having a great looking lawn is to have a nice green color nearly twelve months out of the year using as little water as possible with as little work as possible. That is mowing every five to seven days. To accomplish this you have to have the right seed varieties of grass seed, the right fertilizer mix and proper watering schedule. When everything is in balance it can be very rewarding , you can be the envy of the neighborhood.

Depending on the degree of perfection you want, your lawn’s appearance is directly related to the kind of fertilizer you use, frequency of application and the rate of application. It takes no more water to have a well fertilized lawn than it does to have a poor fertilized lawn. It actually takes less water to keep an adequately fertilized lawn green than a lawn that is under fertilized.

Never use simple or Ag. grade fertilizers on your lawn. This includes Urea Ammonium Nitrate and 16-20-0. These fertilizers are very hard on your lawn– they cause uneven growth, build up thatch and cause diseases. Ferry Rings are just one disease that is caused by using simple fertilizers and not time-released fertilizers. Slow-release fertilizers release the nitrogen over time, break down thatch and keep Ferry Rings in-check. Time-release or slow-release fertilizers cost more than simple fertilizers but are well worth the extra cost, remember you get what you pay for. When purchasing fertilizer you will find the higher the time release, the higher the cost.

When purchasing fertilizers look for at least 50% time release or slow-release fertilizer. The higher percent of the time-release the less chance you have of burning the grass, and it will also keep your lawn greener for a longer period of time.

To keep your lawn in perfect shape, apply a good slow-release fertilizer every 4-6 weeks. This is especially true of a newly seeded lawn. It takes ½ pound per 1000 sq. feet of nitrogen per growing month, per year. Usually it takes about 5 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 sq. feet per year in the Northern Idaho, Eastern Washington area.

When using slow-release fertilizers, you should always fertilize when your lawn is looking its best. It takes 2-3 weeks for the fertilizer to start feeding the plant. If you wait to fertilize when your turf has a yellow color, it will stay yellow for another 2-3 weeks before starting to green. This is a common mistake people make when they wait too long to fertilize. After waiting to fertilize when the lawn appears in poor condition, and in a week or two the lawn does not green up, the general thought is “I did not put on enough fertilizer” and they fertilize the lawn again. About that time the first application of fertilizer “kicks in” and the turf gets a double dose of fertilizer. This may result in a burnt lawn.

To keep your lawn in excellent shape, fertilize four times a year. Fertilize once in mid-spring, two times in the summer and again in the fall. The fall fertilizer is the most important. If you are going to fertilize only one time a year, fertilize in the fall.
For a great looking lawn, fertilize three times a year. Once in mid-spring, once in the summer and once in the fall.

For best results “water-in” the fertilizer within 24 hours of application. After that, when watering you should apply approximately one inch of water every 5-7 days. If everything is in balance, you should have to mow every 5-7 days. Remember, never cut more than 1/3 of the top growth off in one mowing. If you want to lower your grass height; cut the grass, wait a day or two and mow the grass again. This will be much easier on your lawn. If you have any weeds it is best to spray late in the fall. You will get a much better kill on all weeds late in the fall than any other time of year.