Fertilizer helps lawn for winter

Q. What is the best time to fertilize the lawn? What is the best fertilizer to use? How much do I need to apply?

A. In todays world, everyone wants to know what the best choice for anything. Part of our job as extension educators is to give unbiased information based on research. Therefore, we offer choices and will not recommend certain products over others.

One needs to realize the garden and landscape are not static. Plants use nutrients throughout the growing season. These nutrients must be replaced for plants to do well.

The three plant nutrients that are most necessary for plant growth are nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. In the 1800s, Justus Von Liebig conducted research that established this Law of the Minimum essential elements necessary for healthy plants.

12-12-12 fertilizer is a balanced fertilizer that contains 12 percent nitrogen, 12 percent phosphorous and 12 percent potassium (listed in order) that are present in the bag. Notice the percentages do not add up to 100 percent. Fillers are added so that the nutrients in the bag can be applied more evenly to the lawn.

Nitrogen is the most limiting element for plant growth. This is because chlorophyll and many amino acids and proteins within the plant and vital for plant growth contain nitrogen. Nitrogen leaches readily into water and can be carried away before the plant can use it.

Phosphorous is not as mobile. It is vital for the plant to convert the sugar it makes into energy for plant processes. This energy is necessary for the plant to grow in particular, grow roots.

Potassium is sometimes ignored as not being as important as the other two elements. Potassium is vital to control the small pores that regulate water flow from the roots to the leaves; so it is important for the plants ability to withstand drought. It has also been linked with winter hardiness in plants.

Apply a balanced fertilizer in mid- to late September. Then use a fertilizer with a higher first number (nitrogen) in mid-October to early November. Research shows that the nitrogen in the late fertilizer treatment is stored by the plant over the winter and is partitioned for root growth in the spring.

Folks can also use organic fertilizer. Keep in mind that most organic fertilizers contains lower amounts of the big three so more product must be used for the lawn to receive the nutrients it needs. However, some would argue that the microorganisms present in some organic fertilizers makes up for the difference in lower analysis. I often just spread fresh compost on my small lawn. I shovel it out so I can still see the grass but I do not completely bury the grass blades.

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Fertilizer helps lawn for winter