Service Request Client Portal
info@locustridgelandscape.com 717-446-3089

Category: Fertilizer

Helpful Tips for Organic Lawn Treatment

Locust Ridge LandscapeFertilizer, Landscaping, Lawn Care, Organic Lawn Treatment

Locust Ridge Landscape, LLC now offers organic lawn treatment in the Chambersburg & Shippensburg, PA area and surrounding Fayetteville, Carlisle, and Greencastle areas. Our lawn treatment services will help maintain a healthy and vibrant lawn while having little to zero impact on the environment. To learn more about the various services we offer, contact us today! The following are just a few tips for successful organic lawn treatment.

Grow the Right Grass

Growing the proper grass that’s well adapted to your region will lead to a successful lawn. Before planting new grass seed, put down grass sod or over-seed an existing lawn. Your choice of grass seed will later determine your fertilizing needs.

Perform a Soil Test

Soil testing kits are available for the do-it-yourselfer or through commercial testing services. Make sure to amend the soil as indicated by the test. After the initial test you should be set for a few years before requiring additional testing unless conditions have changed. If your soil is lacking organic matter, you should add 1 or 2 inches of rich compost to the top of your lawn prior to seeding.

Aeration

Your soil can become compacted over time so proper aeration will improve your soil to reduce compacting and make room for additional grass roots. Make sure to aerate when your soil is damp so that the corer can reach deep into your lawn and make several passes over your lawn.

Water Responsibly

Signs that your grass requires moisture can vary by grass type. Curling of the blades or dulling of color can indicate it’s time to water your lawn. You may also drive a long spike into your soil to determine if it’s time to water. If the spike slides easily and deeply into your soil, you are all set. However, if it is unable to penetrate beyond an inch or two, your lawn likely requires watering. Deep watering helps establish a strong root system and lush lawn that naturally defends against weeds.

Natural Fertilizer

The easiest way to go organic is taking advantage of the natural fertilizer at your disposal, and this includes mulching your grass clippings. It’s much better to allow mulch grass clippings to decompose into your soil instead of bagging it up for removal. This will return a generous amount of nitrogen to your soil over the course of a mowing season.

Proper Mowing

You should never remove more than a third of the length of your grass. Proper lawn mowing will facilitate deep-rooted grass that won’t require chemical fertilizer. Set your lawn mower at a high setting and maintain a sharp mower blade to your grass blades are cut and not torn.

How and When to Fertilize Your Lawn

Locust Ridge LandscapeFertilizer, Landscaping, Lawn Care

Various components go into creating beautiful, lush lawns. Lawn maintenance involves ensuring lawns have all of the nutrients they need to thrive. Fertilizer is essential when feeding lawns, but fertilizing a lawn involves more than spreading fertilizer around the yard and hoping for the best. Fertilizing is a process that should be done carefully and timed correctly for optimal results.

No two lawns are alike and each lawn has different needs. The type of grass and whether a lawn is mostly in the sun or shade may dictate fertilizer requirements. While many lawns are comprised of several different grasses, a general rule of thumb is that the lawn will need to be fertilized in the spring at the very least. After that, fertilization schedules should be customized according to grass type, climate and other factors.

Spring is a prime time to fertilize because the lawn is reviving after a long season of cold weather and dormancy. Come spring, lawns need to be fed to turn green and grow. Soil supplies some of the nutrients grass needs, but many soils lack elements that lawns need to survive the growing season. Lawn and garden experts at Lowes say a healthy and actively growing lawn uses a great deal of energy, and fertilizer will provide the boost it requires. Fertilizer helps promote new root and leaf growth, aid in recovery from damage, reduce weeds, and replace nutrients lost to water runoff.

Fertilizing the right way

Follow these steps to feed the lawn and help it thrive.

  • Identify the type of grass in your lawn and consult with a garden center to find the right type of fertilizer for your grass. Many grasses are categorized by season and may be referred to as cool season, transitional or warm season grasses.
  • Test the soil to check for pH. You want the soil to be as close to neutral as possible so it can readily process the nutrients in the fertilizer.
  • Broadcast or rotary spreaders will evenly distribute fertilizer and will not cause striping on the lawn like drop spreaders might. Resist the urge to fertilize by hand, as you may lay an uneven amount of product, producing burns and brown spots.
  • Fertilizers come in slow-release, fast-release, and weed and feed formulations. Which fertilizer you use will depend on the type of grass you have and how much time you have to devote to lawn maintenance. Slow-release fertilizers may be preferable because they do not need to be reapplied often.
  • Use caution and set the spreader to distribute less product if you are unsure how much to apply. Excessive fertilizer can damage a lawn.
  • Water the lawn well after application, and always follow the fertilizer manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Keep people and pets off of the lawn for a day or two after application.
  • Scotts recommends that lawns with warm-season grass be fed over the summer as they grow steadily from spring to fall.
  • Another application of fertilizer in the fall will supply lawns with nutrients to continue to grow and then survive winter.

Build a strong lawn by feeding it effectively. Dense, healthy lawns can strangle weeds and lead to beautiful landscapes.

The landscaping professionals can help transform your lawn and offer advice to keep your lawn looking green and healthy. We service customers in Chambersburg, Shippensburg, Fayetteville, and Carlisle, PA. Contact us today for a free quote!

Select the Right Fertilizer for Your Needs

Locust Ridge LandscapeFertilizer, Gardening, Landscaping, Planting

For plants to truly flourish, the right growing conditions and soil that offers the right nutrients is of paramount importance. Fertilizer enhances soil so that plants and flowers can thrive. However, fertilizer is not a one-size-fits-all mix.

Choosing fertilizer can be a little overwhelming thanks to the variety of formulations available at neighborhood lawn and garden centers. Shelves contain all-purpose products, such as those billed as vegetable fertilizer, and even formulations geared toward specific flower varieties. Others may feature buzz words like “all-natural” or “organic,” and consumers may not be sure just what they need to keep plants healthy. The following guidelines can help any would-be gardener or landscaper grow more vibrant plants.

Start with a soil test

It’s difficult to determine what plants need without an accurate picture of what’s going on in the ground. A soil test can paint a picture of what’s going on and indicate if any nutrients are lacking. A common misconception is that gardeners fertilize plants. But fertilizer amends the soil that feeds plants, according to the soil-testing lab professionals at Virginia Tech. Soil types vary by region, and conditions may even vary between spots on a landscape. Testing where the plants will be placed can yield the most accurate results. Soil tests are available at gardening centers and online. Otherwise, landscaping professionals can conduct tests.

Know the N-P-K ratio

Most fertilizers will come with information concerning the nutrients within. Most notably it will have a breakdown of how much nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) is in the mix. Judging by the soil test, gardeners can choose a product that will give them the right ratio to amend the soil for the type of plant they are hoping to grow. Complete fertilizers often have NPK in the formulation. Incomplete fertilizers may have only one or two nutrients. This allows a person to customize fertilizer even more without overdoing it with a particular nutrient.

Grow plant knowledge

A cursory knowledge of the plants being planted in the garden also can be helpful. Gardeners must recognize that some plants will not tolerate excess amounts of a particular fertilizer component, while some may need more. Checking books out of the library, seeking information online and consulting with landscaping experts will help expand homeowners’ knowledge about plant types and the needs of each particular plant they hope to grow.

Solid and liquid fertilizer

Fertilizers are generally sold in pellets, spikes and liquid forms. Pellets or granules are dispersed over large areas and will gradually offer nutrients when the soil is watered. Liquid fertilizer is concentrated and fast-acting. These may be used for container plants or smaller areas. Spikes usually are placed in houseplants or to feed individual trees or shrubs. Depending on the formulation, fertilizer may need to be reapplied once a month or more. Consult the product packaging for the correct application advice.
Fertilizer amends soil to grow stronger, more resilient plants.