NewsWhile lawn care when consumers’ attention begins to wane in the autumn, it will be time to do a final fertilization treatment (also known as “winterizer”).
There are several fallacies around winterizing and the sort of fertilizer is really the most suitable for grass. Depending on the sort of grass your customer has, there are two sets of guidelines to follow.
Cool-season grasses
The standard lawn winterization fertilizer should be applied to cool-season grasses in late autumn. This group includes fescues, bluegrasses, ryegrasses, and bentgrasses. The bulk of their nutrients are used in the autumn when they recoup from the summer and prepare for the winter.
It is critical that the fertilizer include a high amount of nitrogen, since this is what promotes growth and green color in lawn.
Fine fescue is the only cool-season grass that requires a third of the average quantity of nutrients.
Warm-season grasses
Warm-season grasses including Bermuda grass, St. Augustine grass, and zoysia grass should not be fertilized at this time of year. It may promote unneeded growth at a time when the grass should be accumulating nutrients in preparation for hibernation.
A heavy nitrogen application at this time of year is especially harmful to Bermuda grass because it exacerbates the condition known as spring dead spot disease, which originates in the autumn.
As winter approaches, potassium is the nutrient of choice for warm-season grasses. According to LSU’s College of Agriculture, high potassium levels improve a plant’s resistance to environmental challenges such as cold weather.
However, before applying it, examine the soil to determine whether the potassium levels are low. If this is the case, administer up to one pound of potassium.
To reduce the possibilities of salt burn, apply as a granular powder to dry grass and then completely water.
Too much potassium may cause the plant to absorb magnesium, resulting in a light-green grass hue. Also, avoid increasing phosphorus levels in the autumn. Phosphorus encourages seed germination of winter weeds.
These easy fertilizing measures can keep your customers’ lawns safe during the winter and give them a head start on a healthy lawn in the spring.