Keeping the Lawn Fertilized and Watered

A well-groomed lawn is a pleasant sight to behold, but as any homeowner knows, takes some effort to accomplish. Keeping the lawn fertilized and watered properly is essential. Most lawn fertilizers for the home lawn have three elements in them: nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. You will see three numbers on the package that indicate the amount of each of these elements in order; the most basic lawn fertilizer would be 15-0-15. For most lawns, this is sufficient, however, if your lawn is low in phosphorous, you will need to purchase a fertilizer that has a higher second number on it.

Applying the fertilizer properly is extremely important. If you put too much fertilizer on your lawn, you run the risk of damaging it, and if you do not put enough on, it will not grow as lush and green. Using a fertilizer spreader will help eliminate the guesswork in applying the fertilizer; however, be certain to read the instructions and follow them closely.

How you water your lawn is every bit as important as how you fertilize it. You need to water your lawn immediately after applying the fertilizer, otherwise the blades of grass will burn from the direct contact with the elements in the fertilizer. Be certain to water the entire area you fertilized to where the water seeps down at least a quarter of an inch. If you water much more than that, the nutrients will leech down beyond the root zone and be of no value to the grass. It is best not to fertilize your lawn within twenty-four hours of a heavy rainfall. Following these general rules of keeping the lawn fertilized and watered properly will pay off in a lush, green, healthy lawn.