There are countless types of lawn fertiliser products on the market, and trying to select the right one for your grass can be a bit of a headache.
In this blog, we're going to take a look at some of the different types of fertiliser you can buy for your lawn - but remember, if you'd rather leave it to the professionals, we offer a specialist lawn fertilisation service that's tailored to meet your lawn's unique requirements!
Nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium (NPK)
Grass needs a mixture of nutrients to flourish, but three elements are of particular importance. These are:
- Nitrogen (N) - Encourages growth and keeps your grass green.
- Phosphorous (P) - Keeps grass healthy and promotes root growth.
- Potassium (K) - Makes your grass more resilient and more resistant to drought and disease.
Most types of lawn fertiliser contain a mixture of these three elements. Fertiliser packaging will usually state the product's NPK ratio - the RHS website has some great advice on how to interpret the information on fertiliser labels.
Generally speaking, your lawn needs a good balance of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, but certain elements may be more important than others depending on the time of year. For instance, phosphorous and potassium are especially important when preparing your lawn for winter, as these nutrients will strengthen the roots and help your grass to withstand very cold weather.
What's better: synthetic or organic fertiliser?
Broadly speaking, there are two different types of lawn fertiliser: synthetic and organic.
Synthetic fertilisers are man-made, and they tend to take effect very quickly due to the higher concentration of nutrients. You do have to be careful how much you apply - using too much may result in lawn fertiliser burn.
Organic fertilisers require more labour to apply and release nutrients more slowly, but on the plus side, they are good for enriching the soil and are less likely to result in over-fertilisation.
Examples of naturally-occurring lawn fertilisers include seaweed and manure, not to mention the many organic fertiliser products that you can purchase in shops (although these do tend to be more expensive than their man-made counterparts).
Controlled-release fertilisers
We at Lawn & Weed Expert exclusively use controlled-release fertilisers when working on our customers' lawns. Instead of overwhelming your lawn with a big dose of nutrients all in one go, our fertilisation products are specifically designed to feed your lawn gradually over a longer period of time.
This helps to improve the overall health of your lawn and greatly reduces the risk of scorching.
If you would like us to improve your lawn's appearance, the first thing to do is arrange a FREE lawn survey. This initial visit gives us a chance to inspect your grass and familiarise ourselves with quality of your soil, enabling us to select the right type of fertiliser for your lawn and recommend additional measures like scarification and aeration if necessary.
Request Your Free Lawn Survey
Photo from Pixabay
