Hold on to Your Fertilizer!
Contrary to popular practice,
spring is not the time to fertilize your lawn.
If you fertilize in early spring, the blades will
grow at the expense of the roots developing. This can lead to disease and insect
problems later in the season. In addition, you will have to mow the lawn more
frequently.
Fall is the best time to fertilize, when
the roots that will sustain the plants through the following summer are actively
growing. Even if you missed fall fertilization, you should limit spring
fertilization to a light feeding (.5 lbs. of 10-10-10 per 1000 sq. ft.) after
the initial flush of growth has subsided in May or early June.
Lime, on the other hand, should be applied in
early spring if soil tests show it is necessary. Most lawn grasses grow best
at a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Look at the recommendations in your soil test report
to see how much lime to apply. Then spread lime instead of fertilizer.
When your lawn requires its first cutting, do not
cut it too short. Mow to about two inches during the spring and then raise the
cutting height another half inch or more when summer’s heat arrives. Mow
frequently so that you remove no more than one third of the grass blade at one
time.
For more information about lawn care, contact
the Fairfax County office of Virginia Cooperative Extension at 703-324-8556, TTY
711.
No comments:
Post a Comment