To all of our friends and clients out there, A1 Fence hopes you had a happy Labor Day!
Yesterday marked the unofficial end of summer, meaning that school is back in session, white shoes are to be banished to the back of the closet, and the swimming pools start closing. Still, it doesn’t mean the end of fun or work in the garden. As many gardeners know, there are a lot of varieties of plants that are readying to deliver up a second round for harvesting before the frosts come in.
It also means that it’s prime time to lay down some fall fertilizer and start preparing your lawn for cooler, rainier days and the eventual arrival of winter.
Soil Testing and Fertilizers
There are a lot of different types of fertilizers out there to service a variety of different lawn needs. The best way to figure out what you need for the season is to do some soil testing. Check the nutrient status and pH levels of your soil before you get your fertilizer.
You want to aim for a soil pH of about 6.0 to 6.5. Anything below that is acidic, and anything above is alkaline. If your soil’s acidic, plan on getting some lime to help it get back to neutral. For alkaline soils, get some gardener’s sulfur.
Once your soil’s pH levels are back under control, now you can get your fertilizer. Each bag of fertilizer is marked with three numbers to represent its nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Most common, all-purpose fertilizers are a straight 10-10-10, representing 10% of each important nutrient in the mix. You may need something different from the all-purpose mix, depending on your variety of grass and how much shade you have across your lawn.
How Much to Use
Instructions are included on each and every bag of fertilizer that your purchase. If you don’t know how much lawn area you have, measure out the square footage. It’s important that you get the right amount on there. If you lay down too much, you’ll burn your grass and get large patches of dead, ugly brown.
Too little fertilizer, and your lawn’s growth will be stunted. Once you’ve got what you need, the best way to spread it across your lawn is with a fertilizer spreader, readily available from most hardware and gardening stores.
At A1 Fence we care about making people’s lawns and gardens look great. That’s why we offer some of the finest custom-made gazebos, pergolas, and fences in Wisconsin. If you live in Whitefish Bay, Wauwatosa, or anywhere else in the Milwaukee metro area, just give us a call. We’ll be happy to give you a free estimate.
