Species, composition, application and more

the essentials in brief

• A well-balanced composition Lawn fertilizer is important for a healthy, green lawn.
• Regular fertilization replaces the loss of nutrients caused by mowing and stress.
• The amount and composition of the lawn fertilizer depends on the composition of the soil, the types of grass, the local climate and the load on the lawn area.
• The right time to fertilize also determines the effectiveness of the lawn fertilizer.

Which lawn fertilizer is optimal?

For a healthy and beautiful lawn, special lawn fertilizers are indispensable because only these have the necessary nutrient composition. Grasses have special needs that cannot be met by universal fertilizers that are otherwise used in agriculture or horticulture. Unsuitable fertilizers, for example, lead to greater height growth, which in turn necessitates more frequent mowing of the lawn. In addition, the grasses are weakened in this way and are more susceptible to disease.

Such universal fertilizers often have too high a nitrate content, which the lawn plants cannot absorb in this amount and is instead leached into the groundwater. Incidentally, the universal fertilizers available on the market for lawns do not always serve the purpose of supplying nutrients in line with requirements. What your lawn actually needs depends on many different factors. This primarily includes the composition of the lawn mixture, but also that of the soil. Since the different lawn fertilizers have different mixtures, they are not equally suitable for every lawn and every soil.

What lawn fertilizers are there?

Not all lawn fertilizers are created equal

But let's first take a look at what types of lawn fertilizers there are and for what purpose they can be used.

• Slow release fertilizer: These consist of up to 80 percent nitrogen, which is available for a long time. The effect starts slowly and lasts for several weeks. These fertilizers are very suitable for a start fertilization in spring.
• Short-term fertilizer: These fertilizers release their active ingredients within a few days and are therefore very suitable for targeted applications with a quickly desired effect. A good example of this are special lawn fertilizers with iron that are supposed to remedy an iron deficiency.
• Combination fertilizer: These types of fertilizers contain both rapidly and slowly available nitrogen compounds. Their effect sets in quickly and, depending on the Long-term fertilizer share and application rate, extend over a longer period of time.

So-called multiple fertilizers are usually quite sufficient for your lawn. These lawn fertilizers contain all the necessary nutrients that the grasses need for healthy and optimal growth. There are multiple fertilizers in different compositions, with individual components in different Concentrations are available and you use these varieties specifically to compensate for deficits and nutrient deficiencies can.

When should I use which lawn fertilizer?

So that there is neither an over- nor an undersupply of nutrients, you should generally keep the following tips in mind when fertilizing your lawn:

• Phosphate fertilizers: apply primarily when sowing new and reseeding, because seedlings and young plants need phosphates for fast and healthy growth.
• Potassium-based fertilizers: apply before summer dry periods and as the last fertilization in autumn. Potassium promotes the absorption and storage capacity of water in the grasses.
• Long-term nitrogen fertilizer: are useful when the ground is warm.
• Fertilizer with readily available nitrogen: bring out mainly in autumn as well as in spring. Liquid fertilizers are very suitable here, as they - unlike granulates - do not have to first dissolve and are therefore available more quickly.
• Nitrogen based fertilizers: may no longer be applied from mid-September, as they reduce the resistance of the grasses to cold and disease.
• Fertilizer with trace elements: are useful on emaciated grass base layers or when certain elements are missing or in the soil the plants are already deficient. In addition, the regular administration of trace elements promotes the biological activities in the soil and thus also its composition.

In addition to the mineral fertilizers already described, the wide range of products also includes organic and biological lawn fertilizers as well as mixed forms. Organic fertilizers are very suitable as a supplement to the mineral fertilizers, but cover only because of them Their composition and form of administration do not meet the special needs of a classic lawn away. Therefore, mixed forms of organic and mineral components are the best choice.

How should a lawn fertilizer be composed?

Ideally, the ratio of the most important individual components in lawn fertilizer - namely nitrogen, phosphate and potassium - is 6: 2: 3. This ratio has worked well on most lawns.

The most important information at a glance

A lawn fertilizer is ideal for supplying your lawn with nutrients if it meets the following conditions:

• In terms of quantity and composition, it corresponds to the special requirements of the lawn.
• With the correct dosage and use according to the manufacturer's instructions, there is no damage from burning.
• The fertilizer does not use up within a short time, but releases the nutrients continuously over a longer period of time. In contrast to short-term fertilizers, an overdose is less likely here. Therefore slow release fertilizers are preferable.
• The fertilizer promotes the growth in thickness of the grass and not in its growth in length.

In addition, the nitrate nitrogen contained should be quickly available and in low doses so that it is absorbed by the roots and not washed out.

What else do you think about the Lawn care should be noted, you will find out in this very informative video:

What nutrients does the lawn need? Composition of lawn fertilizer

Plants basically need water, carbon dioxide, oxygen and minerals to grow. While the first three components are absorbed from the environment, they - with the exception of water - usually do not have to be administered artificially. Plants in turn take up minerals through their roots with the soil water. They are in the form of chemical compounds that are water-soluble and therefore available to the plants. Based on the quantities that the plants need for healthy growth, these nutrients are divided into three different groups:

If the lawn fertilizer is not properly composed in terms of the composition of the main nutrients, the effects become apparent very quickly and must be remedied just as quickly. Both over- and undersupply are to be avoided.

If there is an undersupply of a secondary nutrient or a trace element, this often remains invisible for a long time. Temporary deficiencies can usually be compensated for. However, sooner or later, deficiency symptoms will also show up here. If these are not remedied, they can have serious effects over time.

Why does the lawn have to be fertilized at all?

When the lawn is mowed, some of the nutrients that have been used are returned to the soil

Basically, plants get the nutrients they need from the soil. However, a well-manicured lawn must be sufficiently fertilized, as the soil simply by mowing and removing the Nutrients are withdrawn from clippings from the surface - the natural nutrient cycle is interrupted at this point, which is why fertilization is essential. In addition, after a cut, the grasses need more nutrients to compensate for the loss of leaf mass. The plants react to a lack of nutrients initially with stunted growth and clear symptoms of deficiency in the form of discoloration. In addition, they become susceptible to disease. As a further consequence of the insufficient supply, there is foreign growth in the form of undesirable herbs and grasses that feel comfortable on the nutrient-poor soil and compete with the original Types of lawn step.

How high is the fertilizer requirement?

When and how much fertilizer you apply to a lawn depends very much on how intensively the lawn is used. An ornamental lawn that is almost never used needs less nutrients and care than a lawn that is heavily used, for example by children playing. Other factors that determine the amount and composition of lawn fertilizer are:

• Soil type: Some soils have the ability to store nutrients. Others bind them and are reluctant to give them back. Still others cannot hold nutrients at all because they are washed out very quickly. The more humus a soil is, the more nutritious it is.
• climate: The climatic conditions of a location also influence the natural supply of nutrients. Precipitation influences the absorption of soil nutrients: the more often and more regularly it rains, the less often you have to fertilize.
• Reseeding: Basically, newly sown lawns have a higher nutrient requirement than existing ones. This applies above all to the nutrients nitrogen and potassium, which can only be administered to a very limited extent as long-term administration. A stable biological soil equilibrium and thus a lower need for fertilizer only come about after around five years.

The following table gives you an overview.

The rule of thumb here is that the more intensively a lawn is stressed and used, the better the supply of water and nutrients. Conversely, this does not mean that a lot of fertilizer also helps a lot! On the contrary, because an oversupply of nutrients is just as harmful to the plants as one Inadequate supply and is also ecological due to the leaching of superfluous minerals into the groundwater not justifiable.

Lawn fertilizer in the test: which products can you buy?

Anyone who has pets should be particularly careful when choosing lawn fertilizer

First of all: there is basically no such thing as the “best” lawn fertilizer, as different lawns naturally have different needs. A product with which your friend or neighbor has had good experiences is therefore not necessarily also suitable for your lawn. In addition, the choice of product depends on whether you need pure fertilizer or one with a special effect. In some areas, for example, there is lawn fertilizer

• with weed killer
• against moss / with moss killer
• against clover
• with or without iron

useful, but not with others. In principle, you can get good quality lawn fertilizer both on the Internet (e.g. B. Amazon or eBay) as well as in brick-and-mortar stores. It is not only the specialist trade that has a wide range, because you can also find many good products at dealers such as

• Aldi
• Lidl
• Obi
• bauhaus
• Toom
• Hornbach
• Thomas Philipps

at an affordable offer. Tried and tested brands such as those shown in the following table have proven to be particularly effective with many gardeners.

Digression

Non-toxic lawn fertilizer for dogs?

What else can you fertilize the lawn with?

In view of the abundance of different lawn fertilizers, the question arises whether other preparations than those presented here might not also serve their purpose.

• Blue grain as lawn fertilizer: chemical NPK fertilizer, which delivers visible results quickly (green lawn), but also quickly leads to over-fertilization and thus weakens the lawn in the long term
• Coffee grounds as lawn fertilizer: Due to the low pH value, fertilization with coffee grounds acidifies the soil and is therefore for Grass plants are not very suitable, and coffee grounds do not contain all the necessary nutrients in the right amount composition
• Ash / wood ash as lawn fertilizer: Wood ash is very suitable as a fertilizer in an over-acidic soil, works very well against moss and has a high proportion of various minerals and other nutrients, only use ashes from untreated wood!, ashes from briquettes or coal is not suitable
• Horn shavings as lawn fertilizer: Due to the high nitrogen content, horn shavings are very suitable as a starter fertilizer with a long-term effect for newly sown lawns; existing areas, on the other hand, should better be used Horn meal be fertilized, both work well against clover, but are not sufficient as a sole fertilizer

Digression

What is effective against moss in the lawn?

About the correct application of lawn fertilizer

In addition to the "what", the "when" and "how" are important questions so that the lawn fertilizer applied can develop its full effect.

When to apply lawn fertilizer

Lawn fertilizer should not be applied in hot or very dry conditions

The best time to fertilize the lawn is in the evening, if possible before a heavy downpour. On the other hand, the worst is dry and hot weather, especially when the fertilizer is applied on dried out soil. In this way, burn damage occurs with absolute certainty, which can even kill the plants on the affected area completely.

This damage only disappears again when healthy grass grows back or through reseeding. So it is essential to irrigate fertilized areas to avoid such unpleasant surprises. The fertilizer is only dissolved through the water and flows off into the root space, where it can be absorbed by the plants. This applies equally to organic or liquid fertilizers.

How is fertilization done?

So that the lawn remains evenly green and there are no unsightly irregularities in the form of differently colored spots and stripes or Even if there are few overgrown or bald spots, it is important to distribute the fertilizer evenly. Your best bet is to use one for this purpose Gritteras he did with the sowing is used.

When filling in the fertilizer, make sure that the holes are closed. It also makes sense to use the Gritter not necessarily to be filled on the (future) lawn: the fertilizer could fall through the collecting device and then practically overfertilize one area. The necessary amount of fertilizer per square meter is usually specified or specified by the manufacturer. You calculate this yourself.

You can achieve maximum evenness if you fertilize the lawn twice, each time with half the amount of fertilizer. The second pass is made across the first to avoid unfertilized gaps. You can avoid overlapping tracks on longer stretches with optical markings.

Digression

To keep the lawn healthy: remove leaves in autumn

frequently asked Questions

What should you water the lawn before or after fertilizing?

The best time to water the lawn depends primarily on the lawn fertilizer used. If you apply a pure lawn fertilizer, you should only irrigate the area afterwards - but vigorously for about 20 to 30 minutes. Then the fertilizer can dissolve well and penetrate the deeper soil layers. If, on the other hand, you want to use a lawn fertilizer with a weed killer, the lawn should be well moist before it is applied. Only then does the pesticide stick to the weeds. Water the lawn one more time after about two to three days.

Why shouldn't you step on lawns when it is frosty?

You should not step on the lawn during winter frosts. The reason is this: The tissue water of the grasses is also frozen, so that the plants no longer yield elastically when stressed. Instead, they just break. This causes tissue damage that makes it easier for various pathogens - especially fungal spores - to penetrate. In winter it is mainly the snow mold that spreads quickly. Such an infestation later leads to gaps in the Swardthat must be closed by reseeding - otherwise weeds will spread in the green area.

Why does it make sense to sand the lawn after scarifying?

Scarifying is important in spring to remove thatch and allow the grass to "breathe". Subsequent to this, the so-called sanding is a useful addition: the holes in the ground that are created are made new with sand The material also gets deeper over time as a result of further processing measures and precipitation Layers of soil. Due to its granular structure, sand promotes aeration of the soil and thus also the water supply to the grass roots.

I'm thinking of getting a mulching mower. Does that really make sense?

In fact, buying a mulching mower can make sense because such a device does a lot of work for you. Mulching mowers shred the grass clippings and leave them as organic fertilizer on the surface, where they in turn were converted into valuable ones by microorganisms living on the ground humus being transformed. In addition to the classic mulching mower, the popular robotic lawnmowers also serve the same purpose. If you want to maintain your lawn in this way, you should mow it about every three to five days - but only when the lawn is just dry.