Maintaining The Environment

At the most basic level, fertilizers feed plants, helping them to grow better. Did you know you can choose fertilizers that can direct your plants’ growth in specific ways? Different types of fertilizers encourage plants to develop:

Fertilizing can be done by applying composted organic material, packaged fertilizer or a specific mineral, such as iron. Different types of plants benefit from different fertilizers, so we’ll discuss fertilizing lawns, woody landscape plants in separate sections.

Grass that receives appropriate levels of fertilizer -- not too little and not too much -- produces a dense root and shoot system. A healthy grass cover conserves water and soil and rejuvenates the air. Lawns can reduce summer temperatures around the house by 15 to 30 degrees compared to bare soil. Thus the absorptive, filtering, protective and moderating qualities of a lawn are well worth the inputs to keep it thick and healthy.

Many soils lack good fertility and need our help in maintaining an adequate and balanced level of nutrients. However, over-application of fertilizer will result in developing lush, soft turf plants that require more mowing, are more prone to diseases and insects and are more sensitive to environmental stresses. In addition, when people use too much fertilizer on their landscapes, it can seep through the ground past the root zones of grass, plants or trees and end up in the aquifer. It also can be washed off by rainfall directly into surface water or via stormwater systems. The way you fertilize your lawn influences how much fertilizer is taken up by grass -- and how much might be lost to leaching or runoff. Several factors determine pollution potential from lawn fertilizing. Among these are:

Before you apply fertilizer, it is very important that you read and understand the label. If you find the directions difficult to follow, consider hiring a lawn service professional.