Fertilizer remains the most essential component of a bright, thriving lawn and landscape. To ensure that your lawn looks great, you need to know when and how often to fertilize, what type of fertilizer to use — and how to distribute the fertilizer. Doing these things correctly will give you a radiant landscape year in and year out.

The initial fertilizing of the year jumpstarts your lawn’s growth for the season. Ideally, plan to fertilize in the early spring, when plants begin to blossom and grass starts growing again. The second feeding should come about four weeks later. For the remainder of the spring and summer, feedings should be done every six to eight weeks depending on the amount of water your lawn receives from routine watering and rainfall. The more often you water your lawn, the more often you will need to fertilize it. The end of October should be the last feeding, which is also the most important because the grass is still growing and needs to have deeply established roots before winter comes.

Buying the right fertilizer blend for your lawn can be a challenge, especially if you do not know what the numbers and letters on the fertilizer bags mean. The letters N-P-K on the bag show the Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium levels in the fertilizer. So, a 15-10-15 bag will contain 15% nitrogen, 10% phosphorous and 15% potassium. The rest of the bag is made up of other filler materials that make it easier to spread. For springtime applications, fertilizer composed of approximately a 20-5-10 mixture is best. Consider switching to an organic fertilizer — such as manure or compost —  after the first three or four applications of the year.

Distributing the fertilizer throughout your lawn must be done evenly and precisely. Using a broadcast spreader is the easiest way for homeowners to do this. Fill the spreader in your driveway or on the sidewalk so that any fertilizer granules that spill will not burn spots in your lawn. Make sure to sweep up any excess fertilizer when you are finished. Then open the spreader about halfway, and slowly push it through your yard in straight even lines. Doing this will spread the fertilizer thoroughly and effectively.

For more information about fertilizing your lawn from KV Landscapes, please contact us here or call us directly at 616.340.2463.

The post The Best Way to Fertilize Your Lawn appeared first on KV Landscapes.

Most property owners fail to understand that grass and plants need different amounts of water. Watering too much is just as bad as watering too little; as both can kill your plants and grass. Most plants need to be watered for about fifteen minutes each day, but grass only needs to be watered once or twice a week. For plants specifically, make sure to water directly at the base of the plant and not at the leaves or branches.

Grass, although it requires water less often, needs a deeper and more thorough watering. Watering your lawn with about one inch of water weekly will promote deeper rooting, keep it looking healthy and prevent frequent water dependency.

In addition to the amount of water needed, the time of day that the watering occurs has an impact on your plants and grass as well. Early in the morning is the best time to water because the air is cooler and the water will be able to reach the roots more easily. However, if your schedule prevents you from watering early in the morning, late afternoon or early evening is the second best time to water. Avoid watering between the hours of 10 am – 4 pm, as it is usually too hot by then for plants to absorb enough of the water before it evaporates.

While tending to your yard, pay attention to local weather forecasts to avoid overwatering or underwatering, use mulch to reduce surface runoff and water evaporation and use less water on potted plants than on in-ground plants. Following these guidelines will help ensure that your landscape stays vibrant, beautiful and looking great for years to come.

For more information about watering your lawn and plants from KV Landscapes, please contact us here or call us directly at 616.340.2463.

The post When to Water Your Lawn and Plants appeared first on KV Landscapes.