Things are green and growing. We are in the warm weather. It is summer. After we have prepared our lawns and landscapes in the spring for this time of the year, it is time to feed our lawns again. This time it is with a summer blend of fertilizer.
The summer fertilizer application should have a higher nitrogen content compared to the spring fertilizer application. (The first number on the fertilizer bag is the nitrogen content, #-#-#) This is to promote blade growth for the grass. Roots are not growing as fast, but the top of the plant is. There will be some phosphorus in the fertilizer for root growth, but it is not as much as nitrogen.
As the grass is actively growing, it is important to provide the necessary nitrogen to your lawn. Nitrogen is a necessary part of the photosynthesis process in plants. Photosynthesis is what plants do to turn the nutrients and elements from the soil and the air to make food for themselves, and to make oxygen.
The summer fertilizer that we use has iron in it as well. Iron helps to green up a lawn. Adding iron to a lawn can cause a noticeable green-up if your lawn is lacking iron.
Most fertilizers that are designed for summer use have a slow-release mechanism to them. How this works is that there is a coating over the actual fertilizer that needs water or microbes or the environment to break down the coating to slowly make the fertilizer available. This is how a fertilizer can have an extended or slow release action. This is desirable over the summer so that the fertilizer will continuously feed.
The summer fertilizer plays an important role in caring for your lawn through the entire season. It is the time when we feed our lawns to keep the top growth green and happy.