May 12, 2011

Here's Randy's Weekly KTRH GardenLine Tip:

Issue #211

It's interesting how many e-mails I've received this month asking if one should stay on my fertilization schedule despite the lack of rain. In all the years I've been doing this GardenLine thing, I can't remember when we've ever had a drier April and early May.

But the simple answer is YES!

Thanks for reading, and we'll talk again next week!

Okay, so it's not quite that simple. Mother Nature's rain is the best way to water in a fertilization application. The pH of rainwater will green up grass that has any kind of fertilizer on it quicker than any other method known to man. But, if you've been following the fertilization schedule and your lawn is healthy because you have a good watering program, stay on track. A truly healthy yard is its own best defense against drought, and the only way to keep a yard healthy is to keep adding nutrients.

Still, there are some things to keep in mind:

• Hyper-watering can cause a depletion of soil nutrition faster than consistent rains. Your lawn may be in need of nutrients if you're watering more than Mother Nature would under more normal conditions.
• Municipal water may contain a high level of chlorine, further causing nutrient depletion and yellowing. That may indicate a need for a general feeding.
• If your irrigation system is not working well, you should probably suspend the schedule until it is fixed. Nitrogen-rich fertilizers (even organic ones) require a lot of water to break down their components.
• If you fertilize and forget to water, you will likely burn the lawn.
• You can wait a few days or weeks to do the fertilization application if you prefer to hold off until more rains are in the forecast. When we start to see increased precipitation, put down the fertilizer per the schedule just before a drenching shower comes through. Remember, "It's never too late to do the right thing."
• If your lawn is healthy looking or greener than your neighbors', you can wait until the weather changes if you'd like.
• In areas where there has been obvious drought stress, consider using soil activators or liquid organics to help soften the soil before any granular fertilizer application.

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