The lawn mower is setting in the garage covered with a layer of winter dust as it is months away from the first cut of the year. Even though mowing is a distant chore it is not too early to start thinking about lawn care.
Winter is a good time to review the basics of fertilization.
Plants need seventeen nutrients to survive, thrive, and reproduce. These nutrients are present in adequate quantities in the soil, water, or air. Every bag of fertilizer has three numbers prominently displayed, separated by dashes. These numbers stand for the percentage of nitrogen, phosphate, a form of P, and potash, and a form of K. Balanced fertilizers will contain the three nutrients in a ratio similar to the relative amounts needed by the turf. These ratios are generalizations.