Allen Wilson is a Vancouver gardening professional. Email Allen Wilson at [email protected].
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My yard has actually not come through this hot, dry summertime extremely well. Is now a good time to fertilize?
Lawns will naturally begin looking better quickly as they react to the fall rains. Fertilizer today will make them look even better. By late October or November yard is green however stops growing. Fertilizing in October increases the green color without stimulating development. It likewise keeps the yard greener during the winter.
Root growth is still really active, so turf plants take up the fertilizer, specifically nitrogen. The nitrogen is used to make amino acids which are stored in the roots and crown. The amino acids are offered for early spring growth before roots can actively use up nitrogen.
The three significant fertilizer components are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Nitrogen is the most essential for leaf development so a lot of yard fertilizers contain 15 to 25 percent nitrogen. According to Washington law, there is no phosphorus in lawn fertilizers. The majority of brand names of lawn fertilizer have a fall blend, which includes about half as much potassium as nitrogen for much better winter season growth. Iron is another nutrient which is very important for lawn growth and dark color. Just small amounts as low as 1 or 2 percent are appropriate.
Because of heavy rainfall, Northwest soils are quite acid. Lawns will benefit from an annual application of lime or comparable soil-sweetening items that contain calcium. Up to 5 pounds per 1,000 square feet can be used. Rhododendron, azalea, camellia, heather, mountain laurel, magnolia, holly, dogwood, andromeda, leucothoe, blueberry and raspberry prefer acid soil and must not be treated with lime.