6 Essential Steps in a Lawn Fertilization Program in Westchester County, NY

If you want to have a thick, lush stand of grass when spring arrives, then you should pay close attention to fertilizer. These essential fertilization steps can help to transform your Westchester County, NY, landscape.

Related: Why Fertilization Is an Essential Part of Lawn Maintenance

Benefits of Fertilizer 

Fertilizer works in conjunction with the sunshine and air to give your grass the boost it needs to become strong and healthy. Unfortunately, over time, the soil in your yard becomes deficient in the nutrients that grass needs to grow faster and hardier. Fertilizer can replenish what is missing so that your lawn has everything it needs to fight off the pests, harsh sun, and other factors that can cause problems. 

Fertilizer is composed primarily of three nutrients: phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium, each of which is needed to keep your lawn in optimal health. Phosphorus stimulates the grass to form healthy roots and stems while nitrogen promotes healthy leaf development. When the leaves grow strong, the grass can conduct a process called photosynthesis, which allows the plant to create its own food. Lastly, potassium helps the grass to withstand the hot summer days and the lack of water that can accompany that season.

Fertilizer Steps

Pre-emergent for Weeds: Start the process of managing weeds before they even have a chance to germinate. Pre-emergent herbicides work to prevent weeds by creating a barrier over the soil that coats the seeds of the weeds. This then prevents them from growing shoots that root into the ground and crowd out the grass.

Weed and Feed: This weed deterrent targets crabgrass and dandelions, which can spread their spores through the air and into your yard. Crabgrass looks like a plant version of a crab with its legs and claws and it can spread quickly to all parts of your lawn. The feeding should be a targeted fertilizer for your specific grass type to encourage strong root production and a healthy leaf.

Grub Control: Grubs are those June beetles that infest your yard when, in the early summer, they lay their eggs under the grass. When the larvae hatch, they eat the tender new roots of the grass for food, causing the grass to die. When this happens, you can lift the grass like a carpet since all of the roots have been chewed away. 

Early Summer Fertilizer: An application of organic fertilizer in the early summer season can help to nourish your grass all through the hot summer days. It also encourages drought resistance for your lawn in the heat of summer.

Early Fall Fertilizer: The early fall application of fertilizer helps to revive the weather-stricken grass for a lush fall return of autumn grass.

Late Fall Fertilizer:  Late fall fertilizer provides the nutrients for your lawn to use during the dormant winter months. This critical winterization can mean that your grass comes back in the spring to be lush, green, and vibrant. 

If fertilizer applications seem too complex and frustrating, then you should consult a trained landscape expert. When you want a beautiful lawn but don’t want to spend hours trying to figure out the right fertilizer, the ideal application time, and exactly how much to apply, then seeking help can be just what you need to bring out the beauty in your Westchester County, NY, lawn.

Related: 4 Myths You May Have Heard About Lawn Maintenance in Hopewell Junction, NY