Fertilization Management For Sarasota Florida Landscapes
Your Florida lawn and landscape plants need the proper balance of nutrients to stay healthy, lush, and green. In some cases, the soil does not contain enough nutrients to keep your grass and ornamental plants healthy. In those cases, fertilizer can be very beneficial. GreenEdge offers fertilization services that can help restore your lawn back to a healthy state, but also help protect the environment and reduce fertilizer runoff that can lead to algae. We don’t just apply fertilizer, we also work on rebuilding the soil’s health to provide essential nutrients naturally.
Fertilizing Lawns
When your lawn gets the appropriate fertilizer treatment, it will result in a dense root and blades of grass that can filter out impurities. Proper fertilization will also stabilize the soil, develop a healthy ecosystem, absorb non-point source pollutants, and may need less use of chemicals for weeds or insects. Fertilization is a science and requires a variety of soil testing methods and identification of the environmental factors that can impact fertilization such as the time of year, type of grass, existing soil content, and irrigation and drainage. Understanding the interplay of these factors can ensure a healthy application of fertilizer.
Soil Testing
Our fertilization process starts by identifying the underlying issues in your soil such as what nutrients are present and what are missing. Most of the soil in Southwest Florida is naturally high in phosphorus, so we generally focus on amending the missing nutrients like nitrogen and potassium. However, our nutrient remediation strategy depends entirely on the results of our soil testing. We also test for the pH level to determine the acidity or alkalinity of the soil. The ideal pH of soil for a healthy lawn is around 7, but Florida soil is slightly acidic and tends to have around a rating of 6. Although this can vary, thus it is very important to run these tests. Finally, we’ll look for other variables beyond soil health that may be the real cause of your unhealthy lawn such as pests, disease, and improper irrigation before designing a fertilization strategy.
Organic Versus Inorganic Fertilizer
The primary purpose of fertilizer is to give your lawn the nutrients they need that may not be found in your soil. Organic and inorganic fertilizers deliver nutrients in different ways.
1. Organic Fertilizer: Organic fertilizers are natural, and the nutrients are only composed of the byproducts or end products of plant or animal materials. This includes manure, compost, decayed leaves and other organics. Organic fertilizers release their nutrients and improve the soils as they break down slowly. They do however require the ability to break down microorganisms, so may take longer to feed your lawn and plants. Organics are slow-release and carry little risk of toxic chemical overdose and help the health of the soil.
2. Inorganic Fertilizer: Inorganic fertilizer is completely synthetic and is made of minerals that are mined and chemicals. The nitrogen in inorganic fertilizer is usually made from petroleum. Most inorganic fertilizers contain ammonium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, and potassium chloride. Inorganic fertilizers are a great food source for your plants, but do not help the soil so long term is not as effective as organic.
There are pros and cons to both forms of fertilizers, and which is used depends on the larger fertilization strategy. However, at GreenEdge, we are very cognizant of the impact of fertilizers on our environment. Even when applying an inorganic fertilizer, we still maintain the highest standard of ecologically sound practices.
Fertilizer Application
Applying fertilizer for optimum results is a science. We take in mind numerous factors including the temperature, the moisture, and the type of fertilizer being applied. Then we set up a fertilization schedule to ensure that the fertilizer has the most optimal results and the application is safe and effective. Fertilizer application is also a multi-step process that is best coupled with soil health and repair strategies to ensure that your lawn is healthy for the long term. We also pride ourselves on the safe application of fertilizer to ensure that your family, pets, and plants are protected during the process.
Fertilization is important for the long-term health of your lawn, but specifically when coupled with other strategies to improve soil health, irrigation, and aeration. Working with the Landscape Gurus at GreenEdge will guarantee that you won’t just get a simple application of fertilizer, you’ll get a long-term strategy to keep your yard lush, healthy, and green for years to come.
For help with Fertilization Management for your southwest Florida home or business contact GreenEdge today at 941-371-1933.