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THIS WEEKS SPECIAL ON-LINE@
NEW ON-LINE GARDEN PLACE MAGAZINE
Fall/Winter 2010 |
BASIC KNOWLEDGE-LAWN FERTILIZINGJust as plants require light, water and trimming -they also need nutrients to maintain good health and appearance. Nutrients are important because plants cannot thrive without them. To achieve the beauty gardeners desire, landscape plants have higher requirements for nutrients than those that grow in the wild. Plants used in the landscape cannot rely solely on the nutrients that are present in the soil to produce the beautiful foliage and blossoms that gardeners demand. They must be fed in order to flourish and produce those results. There are two basic types of plant food -or fertilizers -that are available to feed plants - fast-release and slow-release. A fast-release fertilizer is one that is available to the plant as soon as it is applied, and is easy for the plant to use right away and its up" in a short period of time. Conversely, a slow-release fertilizer is one that is "metered out" to the plant slowly, over a specific period of time -from a few weeks to a few months. While there are many nutrients contained in both fertilizer types, there are three primary ones that comprise the basics that all plants need to thrive. First is Nitrogen -abbreviated N on the fertilizer package. Nitrogen is responsible for turning plants green and stimulating leaf or top growth. Lawns, for example, do their best when they are fed with a fertilizer that has a higher concentration of Nitrogen. The second of these three primary nutrients is Phosphorus -abbreviated P. Phosphorus is excellent for promoting new root development, healthy blossoms and abundant fruit. Naturally, flowers and vegetables will thrive when they are fed with a fertilizer that has a high Phosphorus content. The third basic nutrient- abbreviated K -is Potassium which promotes overall hardiness -helping plants tolerate extremes in weather -like temperatures that are too hot or too cold or conditions that are too wet or too dry. Potassium also helps plants tolerate diseases and insect infestations. Thus, all types of plants benefit from Potassium. How to choose the formula that will work best for the lawn or the garden? It's very simple. Every fertilizer package contains the N-P-K -Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium -percentage of content on its label. So remember -if you're looking at the package and the N -or Nitrogen percentage is higher than the P, or Phosphorus percentage --that fertilizer would be better suited for lawns. And, the reverse -if the P -or Phosphorus percentage is higher than the N, or Nitrogen percentage, that fertilizer is better suited for your garden areas. And, as we mentioned earlier, the K or Potassium percentage, will help all types of plants thrive over time protecting them from insect, disease and weather-related problems. It's very important to remember that these percentages are only stating the concentration or quantity of each nutrient. Thus, the quality of the fertilizer cannot be determined by the numbers. Selecting the right type of plant food -and applying it following the instructions on the label- will make your lawns and gardens develop to their fullest potential and produce lasting and beautiful results! Let's take a closer look at the types of fertilizers customers have to choose from. There are: 1.Water-soluble types - 2.Coated, Simple-mix blends - . 3.All-In-One Particle@ types ~ Water-soluble Fertilizers: - Dissolve easily and completely in water -.Can cause "fertilizer-bum" damage - Feed through the roots and grass blades very quickly - Feed the grass for a period of 2-3 weeks before they are used up Coated, Simple-mix Fertilizers: -Dissolve more slowly in water -Feed through the roots only -Only coat a small portion of the total mix -Feed the grass for periods of 6 -8 weeks (some feed as long as 4 months) AIl-ln-One Particle@ Fertilizers: -.Do not dissolve in water; therefore they do not generate "bum" potential - Feed through the roots at a very steady, predictable even rate of feeding -.Feeds the grass evenly and consistently for a period of up to 8 weeks-
Scotts the best Fertilizer In addition, ALL-IN-ONE PARTICLE fertilizers, such as TURF BUILDER, contain all three major nutrients- Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium - in each granule. This ensures the most consistent, most uniform feeding possible. The release of nutrients in SCOTTS fertilizers is not dependent on water, but on microbes in the soil. Weather is not a factor. Wet or Dry, the lawn will always receive it's full 8-week feeding from any of the Scotts Fertilizers.
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