If we provide our body and mind with the correct nutrients we will remain fit strong and healthy whilst enjoying longevity of life. Exactly the same principle applies if we want to own a beautiful lush green and healthy lawn.
Here we will explain why feeding your lawn is so important and why it does not need to be a complicated affair.
Just like a human if you provide the body with poor quality nutrients and bad diet the body will be weak prone to ill health and possible disease.
To keep your lawn healthy and in tip top condition a steady supply of quality nutrients is a must, without this supply the grass will not perform, re growth will be slow and the roots will be weakened.
A weakened lawn over time can become thin and sparse and potentially allow bare patches to appear hence creating the perfect space and environment for weed or disease to take hold.
Grass and plants use photosynthesis to make the food they need. Feed is derived from a combination of water, carbon dioxide and chemicals from a lawn fertiliser. It’s pretty easy to remove nutrients from you lawn. Long periods of extreme weather can rapidly deplete your lawn of vital nutrients, heavy rainfall is particularly damaging as it will just wash away the nutrients leaving you with a weakened lawn and ideal conditions to attract vigorous diseases such as fusarium patch.
The weather is not the only enemy, every time you mow, you will remove vital moisture food and nutrient which is stored in the leaf. Busy hectic lives can mean it is a fairly common occurrence to allow your grass to grow long then cut it short, whilst this may appear to make sense for reducing your mowing regime you will not be doing your lawn any favours as you remove a whole heap of nutrient in the process. Even if you are a regular mower you will still remove nutrient every time you mow the decline in health will be slower and more gradual, however either way you will still need to replace nutrients if you want to keep your lawn healthy.
Soils often lack all of the desired nutrients they need, fertiliser provides the building blocks required for a healthy lawn.
So what are the nutrients my lawn needs to thrive?
The three most important components are NPK, all are necessary to support the photosynthesis process
Nitrogen (N)– Is responsible for helping the plants to grow quickly, it is also used to make up chlorophyll which is essential if the plants are to develop a lush green colour.
Phosphorous (P) — Phosphorus helps the plants to withstand stress and transforms sunlight into chemical energy which is key for plant development, promoting healthy & strong roots.
Potassium (K) — Promotes growth and vigour helping the plants to resist disease by keeping metabolic functions running smoothly.
Alongside the 3 main macro nutrients required, your lawn feed should also contain a wealth of micro nutrients including sulphur (S) and Iron (FE)
It is important to apply a different feed during different times of the year, it can be very detrimental to your lawn if you give the wrong nutrients at the wrong time as this will potentially cause stress and disease.
In the spring and summer you need a higher dose of nitrogen and potassium as the grass grows quickly at this time of year along with some phosphate
In the autumn and winter it’s time to concentrate on the roots, a much reduced amount of nitrogen is required and a good amount of potassium to strengthen the root and prepare it for the potentially harsh weather ahead.
To conclude it is really important to apply regular food if you want a beautiful lawn. Feed your lawn at the correct time and don’t miss an important feed, a missed feed can mean lots of extra work to bring your lawn back to good health, just as our own health will suffer if we don’t provide our body with the essential nutrients and building blocks required for optimal health.
