a basic guide to fertilizers

MFCGMFC

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hey all

i'm going to try and explain a bit about fertilizers for use in the lawn


heres the basics;

The 3 main nutrients that your grass needs is Nitrogen Phosphate and Potassium

Nitrogen is for colour and strength, Phosphate is for root growth and development and Potassium for overall health

On a fertilizer container you will see N+P+k this stands for Nitrogen+Phosphate+Potassium, then it shall be followed by a number, like 12+5+10

so 12% is Nitrogen 5% is Phosphate 10% is Potassium

Types of fertilizer:

There are two types of fertilizer, Granular, which is the most commonly use in gardens.Granule fertilizer comes in either 25kg bags
or small boxes depending on where you purchase from.


And

Liquid which is mostly used in the trade as you may need qualifications in some areas to use apply liquid fertilizer.

Liquid fertilizer gives quicker results due to quicker intake by the plant whereas granules take longer to break down into the soil.

Liquids are usually stronger than granules, NPK in liquids can be as high as 70+0+0 which gives quicker results and a greener plant.

there are other nutrients that grass needs to survive, they are iron, boron,manganese and magnesium but these are found in soils and traces of them are in fertilizers so don't rush out and buy these!!

if iron is applied to a grassy area in high quantities then it can kill it, when spraying a grassy area like a football pitch iron is sprayed at 0.08l (8ml) per hectare which shows how strong it is!

fertilizer does not work on its own though, you need plenty natural light, water and heat to make grass grow. Fertilizer is only a small part of a healthy lawn.

Granular fertilizer can be applied by hand or by using a fertilizer spreader depending on the size of the area

here is an example of a spreader
Rittenhouse | Lesco Fertilizer Spreader - 091186 High Wheel

If applying fertilizer make sure you keep it away from flowers because the nitrogen will attack flowers and kill them.

once you are finished applying the fertilizer you must water the grass to encourage breakdown of the granules.

Fertilizers high in nitrogen will be the common choice by many a keen gardener due to them giving the grass its colour.

if you have any questions please feel free to use this thread, pm me or start another

i will help where i can

Cheers
MFCGAVMFC
 
Well explained post mate, just to add a quick note for the keen gardeners that the nitrogen as well as making it greener will make it grow at a rate of knotts so the higher the nitrogen the more often the mower will be out lol
 
Well explained post mate, just to add a quick note for the keen gardeners that the nitrogen as well as making it greener will make it grow at a rate of knotts so the higher the nitrogen the more often the mower will be out lol

knew i forgot something lol

quick tip for keen gardeners

for the first 5 cuts of the season use a rotary mower then for finer finish throughout the season use a cylinder mower with the odd cut in between with a rotary mower cut just to pick up all the loose rubbish at the bottom of the leaf

rotary mower
Big Bear BBB149GLM 38cm 1400W Electric Lawn Mower - Screwfix.com, Where the Trade Buys

cheaper models found elsewhere lolol

cylinder mower
35cm 3hp Qualcast Cylinder Petrol Lawn Mower - Screwfix.com, Where the Trade Buys

again you will get cheaper models elsewhere

but always switch the machine off and leave for 10minutes if before cleaning or maintenance

i've already seen a friend maul his hand on a cylinder mower due to sheer stupidity this year

Cheers
MFCGAVMFC
 
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