Fertiliser

...

A pre-turf fertiliser really helps to produce a healthy lawn that will grow strongly and evenly. If you care about lawn care then it is important that your lawn is healthy from the very beginning. If your lawn is strong from the beginning it will repel weeds, resist possible disease infection and look so good that jealous neighbours may become a problem.

At The Grass People we care about quality and suggest to our customers to look for a high quality pre-turf fertiliser that contains basic plant foods for lawn seed. Nitrogen is an essential component in strong growth of stems and leaves. Magnesium oxide, additionally, is another complex compound that is essential to the production of chlorophyll and therefore boost the growth of plant sugars and lead to lush, full plants. Phosphorus, another essential element in plant growth and in strong root growth needs to be present in any high quality fertiliser and will guard against infection from fungal and bacterial infection by produce strong plant bodies. Potassium will also help grasses avoid pathology and increase water absorption.

The Grass People recommend Quick Release: Pre-seed fertiliser.

Why does grass need lawn fertilizer?

It may seem obvious that grass does not need to be feed. After all it grows in many spare patches of ground without much trouble. We find in by the sides of polluting motorways, breaking through the cracks in the pavement and even thrusting up through the tarmac in the middle of lesser used country roads. So why would it make any sense to feed the grass on our lawns to any degree?

The simple answer is that it's not the same type of grass. There are about 12,000 different grass species and of course they all have different properties and characteristics. It's quite rare that we find a person wanting the type of grass growing down a quiet country lane to be sown in thier family lawn or on the local golf course. And so it makes more sense that the types of grass humans find more pleasing and suited to their needs, are the ones that require a little more care and attention that the grass that loves the climate we find here.

The grass that sprouts up everywhere around would look very rough cut to lawn length and it would require cutting a lot more than most of us are prepared to think about. In juxtaposition the grasses that produce beautiful lawns, golf courses and gardens are specially bred to look that way. Much in the way we breed certain types of dogs with other dogs to achieve the desired result we cross breed very specific types of grass to achieve the beautiful, lush green results we see at the likes of Wimbledon and The Masters.

You may have noticed that these types of grasses have thinner or finer leaves than their counterparts in the field and they can cope with being regularly cut and regrowing, so that we can maintain our lawns at an almost constant length. They grow quickly and heal from cutting quickly so they require increased amount of food, hence the need for pre-turf fertiliser before seeding and a high quality lawn fertiliser for continued growth.

New turf needs nutrients and slow release fertiliser

Turf as a product has grown in popularity over the last few decades and growers pick areas with a lot of sunshine and plenty of precipitation to produce the best possible turf to sell. The quality of soil in the fields used for turf growing is very high as turf is a premium product that is sold to golf clubs, football teams and many other high profile customers. The soil has a healthy profile and has the depth needed to develop very strong root systems for the grass. Strong root systems are important for the health of the grass as the deeper the root systems allow for greater access to sub-surface water and nutrients. Essentially speaking, longer roots, means stronger plants.

Turf harvesters are used to cut away the uppermost 2-3cm of soil and grass growing on top. Unfortunately they leave the generous root systems of the plants within the earth, which also leaves a proportion of the nurtinet matter resisting within the growers soil. The turf gets formed into rolls that are easily transported and to making the laying turf process that much easier when they finally get to the customers home. The remaining root systems then biodegrade over time and return the nutrients they possess back to the soil, to be used when the next crop of lawn grass is grown.

Because most of the root structure is gone by the time the turf is laid at a customers home this means the plants are crying out for a good feed of nutrients to help support new root growth. But generally the nutrient content of the average homeowners garden isn't enough to support this growth and as the root system can take a little time to develop fully into the healthy root structure they once had and the form of root structure that will make a lawn stand in good stead for the years to come.  Slow release fertiliser feeds the soil with an additional source of nutrients for around 3-4 months, giving the plants that extra boost through, controlled release, that they need to develop their new root systems.

The Grass People recommend Slow Release: Spring/Summer for the first half of the year, and for the second half of the year we recommend Slow Release: Autumn/Winter.

What nutrients are the best lawn feed for new turf?

Living creatures of any kind all require some form of nourishment and it's no surprise to anyone who studied biology at school that the basics are similar across most living things. Fats, carbohydrates and proteins obviously make up the bulk of our food needs with essential minerals and vitamins ensuring health even in their small amounts. The photosynthesis pocess actually creates carbohydrates in the form of sugars that the plant uses as an energy source . Grass plants use Phosphorus, Nitrogen, and Potassium as their primary nutrients for vitality with simple minerals to help with health and to stave off disease and malnourishment. A lot of soils contain what plants need, but to ensure your soil has everything a plant needs and in abundance, it's important to use the correct fertiliser to feed your lawn.

How much do Lawn Fertilisers cost?

The cost of fertilisers for your lawn is not prohibitive in any sense. Either for pre-turf fertilisers, pre seed fertilisers, slow release fertilisers or quick release fertilisers the prices do not vary much and are relatively inexpensive for the amazing results achieved.

In conclusion, using the right fertiliser will yield amazing results and at The Grass People we pride ourselves on minimising cost without sacrificing quality. Please peruse our selection of fertilisers and find the right one for your needs. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about how to water in the fertiliser you are using or for any other grass, lawn or wildflower questions you may have.