Many homeowners anticipate a sigh of relief when fall is near and mowing lawns will cease. Ironically, most really want a nice yard, generally without fertilization. Unfortunately, fertilization is an important aspect of lawn care, especially with cool season fescue lawns.
A fescue lawn grows best with cooler fall temperatures and now is the time to take advantage and begin fertilizing, especially after the plentiful rains.
Garden centers have turf-type fertilizers containing slow release fertilizers that are excellent for constant feeding over the fall and winter months. These fertilizers are generally available in premeasured 5,000 and 10,000 square foot bags. A word of warning ó be prepared for sticker shock. Rising fuel prices have made all fertilizer prices skyrocket.
Premium fertilizers may seem more expensive, but a cost comparison with grade fertilizers proves that the turf fertilizers are actually about the same price. These fertilizers are sold as 4-1-2 ratios such as 16-4-8 or 12-3-6. Other turf-type starter fertilizers are high in phosphorus, such as 11-22-6. Root systems of newly seeded fescue lawns benefit from high phosphorus starter fertilizers. Over-seeded or newly seeded lawns need the extra phosphorous to enhance root growth.
Turf specialists recommend 2 pounds of actual nitrogen fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of lawn in the fall. The rate is reduced to 1 pound in the spring. Each bag is labeled with the percent of nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK), on the side or front of each bag.
Grade fertilizers such as 10-10-10 or 17-17-17 quickly release nutrients with rapid growth occurring soon after fertilization. These are good in the fall for quick growth but not so good in the spring.
For constant growth, split fertilizer applications in September, October and November. A good way to remember is to fertilize near the holidays, Labor Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving.
Many homeowners and lawn care professionals use a combination of slow-release and grade fertilizers for extra growth or quick starts. Correct fertilization in the fall increases chances of withstanding droughts in the summer.
Don’t put away the lawnmower just yet; lawns should grow vigorously through October. Their survival next summer depends on how well it grows this fall. Carolina Lawns, an NC State University publication, has detailed and complete lawn care information. It can be downloaded from the Web at http://www.turffiles .ncsu.edu/PDFFiles/004175/CarolinaLawns2008.pdf
Darrell Blackwelder is an agricultural agent in charge of horticulture with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in Rowan County; 704-216-8970.
Web sites:
http://rowan.ces.ncsu.edu
http://www.rowanmastergardener.com
http://www.rowanhorticulture.com.