Precision Landscape Management’s Turf Care service program provides superior weed control throughout the year. To keep weeds at bay, we use a mix of pre- & post-emergent weed control throughout the year. Your lawn can be green and weed-free with Precision Landscape Management’s 7 round treatment plan. However, a good tree surgeon can help speed up the process.
In addition to our standard Turf Care, we offer disease/insect control treatments for both turf & plants.
It would be nice if plants received all the nutritional benefits they needed from the soil beneath them but this is seldom the case. Accordingly, most all plants can benefit from fertilizer as it enables them to reach their full potential in health, beauty, and bounty. Proper fertilization is not an art; it’s a science. There’s a lot to understand to fertilize correctly.
Fertilizer Basics: Understanding the Numbers
All fertilizers are labeled with a guaranteed analysis. Three numbers are prominently displayed on the bag. The first is the percentage of nitrogen by weight; the second is the percentage of phosphate and the third is the percentage of potassium. The only way to absolutely know what your soil needs is to have it tested to determine the level of these nutrients in the soil of your lawn. Most soils are generally rich in phosphate and so the second number on the bag should be lower than the other two, usually 0% to 3% (having said that, you may indeed have a phosphate deficient lawn that needs a lot more). As a general rule, the first number should be 1.5 to 3 times the third number. So you may be looking for analysis such as 20-0-11 or a 29-3-12. You should avoid products like 13-13-13 or even the most common recommendation of 16-4 8 unless you have soil test results that recommend that much phosphate. In some states, it is illegal to apply phosphate fertilizer without a soil test recommendation, so in these cases, the middle number should be 0. Confused yet? While this information is helpful, it also likely reinforces the importance of “getting it right” as your landscape relies heavily on the foundation of soil health.
The Complexities of Nitrogen
Take a close look at the ingredients statement on a bag of fertilizer. It lists the sources of nitrogen nutrients the product contains. Words like nitrate, ammonium, and urea indicate rapidly available nutrients that will create quick greening and growth. Sources such as sulfur or polymer-coated urea, methylene urea, urea-formaldehyde, and organics are slow-release sources that last longer and green more slowly but are less likely to damage grass if over-applied. The ingredient statement will also list the percentage of nitrogen that is slow release and the percentage that is rapidly available. If you are not experienced applying fertilizer you should purchase a product with 30% or more of the nitrogen in slow-release forms, since you are less likely to burn your lawn if you make a mistake. Experienced professionals have a wider variety of options available to them as they are trained in the best product application for the job at hand.