Plants need nitrogen for growth more than any other nutrient. Nitrogen provides them the support required for their vigorous development. It helps them develop dense shoots and offers them the stamina to resist insects and pests.
Thinking this, lawn owners sometimes give more than the required nitrogen amount to their plants. The excess nitrogen amount acts oppositely on plants.
However, like any lawn-care approach, “less of it” is never good, and “far too much” can be deadly. “Sufficient” is all that is required for the growth of plants. So, how much nitrogen for lawn should be applied comes as a basic question for lawn owners.
Nitrogen plays a signification role in giving you a green and lofty lawn. Humans need oxygen for survival; likewise, plants need nitrogen for their complete development.
Even though they get enough nutrients from the soil, plants cannot get all the nutrients they need for long-term growth. At that point, fertilizers come into the scene. More than any other nutrients, Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), and Potassium (K) is what the plants starve for the most.
Suppose you have ever read the description given on the packets of fertilizer, liquid, or granular that comes for the plants. In that case, you might notice a reference of percentages printed beside the name of all the elements present. This percentage indication explains the amount of Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the fertilizer packet.
For example, if fertilizer is branded 16-16-16, it includes 16 percent of each nutrient. You can also come across a fertilizer branded 30-0-0, which contains 30% nitrogen but no phosphorus or Potassium. Because they have nitrogen, these fertilizers are classified as straight fertilizers.
The key is determining the proper combination of nitrogen and other critical nutrients for your lawn’s requirements.
Also Read: What’s The Best Lawn Fertilizer Ratio?
When Does the Lawn Need Nitrogen the Most?
Season and time play a significant role in applying fertilizers to plants and grasses.
If your lawn has cool-season grasses like Kentucky Bluegrass, Fescue, and Ryegrass, you should apply nitrogen in the spring and fall.
The summer should provide nitrogen for warm-season grasses like St. Augustine and Black-eyed Susans.
The most critical nutrient for plant growth is nitrogen, although it isn’t the only one.
Plants also require nutrients such as phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, sulfur, and nitrogen to thrive. Plants require other nutrients besides nitrogen and phosphorus, such as iron, copper, manganese, zinc, selenium, chromium, and molybdenum. These elements can be found in grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, among other foods.
Signs That Your Lawn Soil Lacks Nitrogen
Every gardener takes pride in having a well-kept and lofty lawn. But sometimes, the beauty of the lawn gets soaked away. Therefore to bring your lawn back on track, you need to know the problem causing the harmful effect in the first place. These signs help you know if your soil lacks nitrogen.
Signs of Nitrogen Deficiency
- Yellow Patches on the plant leaves or grasses.
- Dead patches on the grass.
- Increased weed growth or recurring illness.
- Thinner grasses or leaves.
The root system will collapse if there is a lack of nitrogen in the soil, leading the grass blades to turn yellow or whither. Also, In some regions, your lawn may start to thin out. When you sweep, you may notice fewer grass cuttings than there were previously.
You may observe that the leaves on other plants and bushes aren’t growing as well as they should if the soil is deficient in nitrogen. The lowest leaves of these plants will appear yellow, which will be simple to recognize.
Plant growth may also be difficult due to a lack of nitrogen in the root system, which may not provide the necessary support for healthy new growth.
Signs of Nitrogen Excess
Excess nitrogen is not a real problem until you have overapplied with a fertilizer higher in quick-release nitrogen.
You’ll know if overfertilization is the situation because the indicators are obvious. Excess nitrogen causes grass to burn by scorching plant tissue, resulting in significant dead areas on your lawn shortly after fertilizing.
It is where the difference between slow and rapid-release fertilizers comes into the scene. According to the experts of Cornell University, you should always avoid using more than 1 pound of nitrogen (N) per 1,000 square feet (about 32 feet × 32 feet) in a single application.
Rectifying the Excess Nitrogen Application
Perfection is just an illusion. Mismaps do happen while applying fertilizers to your lawn. When such mismaps happen, the result can be observed soon. You can see your grass blade or plant’s leaf ending up with the fertilizer burn.
Since synthetic fertilizers come in salt form, they eventually cause the grass to darken and finally die when it dries up. You can call it a burn when this happens.
You can resolve these problems by following tips:
- If you have applied granular fertilizer, immediately clean up the excess.
- You should also immediately flush up with enough water. (Applied for both fertilizer use). Because most of the fertilizer must have been rinsed away, the risk of burns is considerably reduced.
Also Read:- How Often Should You Fertilize Your Lawn?
Add Nitrogen-Fixing Plants
To rectify the effect of the over-application of nitrogen, you can add plants to your lawn that excel nitrogen, for example, tomatoes, peppers, clover, hairy vetch, southern peas, Texas bluebonnet, partridge peas, golden lead ball trees, redbuds, peanuts, and many more. These plants will remove surplus nitrogen from the soil and produce a food crop for you.
Spread a Thicker Layer of Organic Mulch
A thick layer of organic mulch around the plants and grass will help hold more water to the soil and minimize nitrogen loss that happens due to soil degradation. The best mulch to apply to plants is one or two layers at most.
How Much Nitrogen Does Your Lawn Need?
Soil testing is a must-do before applying any fertilizer to your lawn. Only after testing and evaluating your soil will you know which element is sufficiently available and which ones have a low amount in the soil. Ten only you can come on the point of remedy for your soil.
However, the amount of nitrogen your grass requires is determined first by the findings of your soil test.
As mentioned throughout the article, your grass only needs one pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet.
If fertilizer is used with N-P-K in 20-04-10 proportion, you should apply no more than five pounds of fertilizer for every 1000 square feet. It’s possible to take two to four applications to promote strong development. Ensure you don’t exceed the one-pound-of-nitrogen-per-1000-square-foot limit.
Tips on How to Apply Fertilizer Correctly?
Are there any correct ways to apply your fertilizer? Yes, for better results, follow these steps.
1. Start With a Slow Release of Fertilizer
Consider the release rate acceptable for your grass before deciding on a nitrogen source. We may divide this into two categories depending on our findings. The quick-release provides an almost immediate lift to the lawn. Slow-release fertilizers, on the other hand, give a consistent and delayed supply of nutrients.
With slow-release, you can prevent the grass from burning. It also feeds your grass for longer, making it cost-effective.
It’s nothing to say separately that fast-releasing fertilizers aren’t helpful. They provide an immediate nutritional boost to your lawn and treat immediate problems. Their results are usually quicker, resulting in faster greening and development.
Slow-release organic fertilizers are classified as such. You may also use Manure, grass clippings, coffee grounds, and other materials.
2. Understanding Your Grass Type
Grass-type plays a vital role in correct fertilizer application. Hot grasses, such as Bermuda grass and Buffalo grass, benefit from fertilizer applications in late spring and early summer when they grow at their healthiest.
On the other side of the page, cold season grass such as Bluegrass and fescue grass thrive better in the fall, winter, and early spring. They usually go latent over the summer. Synthetic nitrogen-rich fertilizers might cause a lot of damage at this time.
In conclusion, fall and summer are the best time for fertilizer application.
3. Adequate Watering
You should never make the mistake of fertilizing your lawn without going ahead of watering the palace. It becomes even more important when applying granular fertilizer to the lawn.
Water acts as a catalyst for granular fertilizer because it activates the fertilizer. Also, watering your lawn before applying fertilizer prevents grass burning in case of a mismatch.
You must, however, avoid overwatering so the nutrients are rinsed away. Wet grass can also cause root rot, which you want to avoid. Never ignore the essential watering principle: “water properly and seldom.”
Conclusion
Although nitrogen works as a life-giver nutrient for plants and grasses, its amount plays a significant role in their growth. If you want proper lawn care, “enough” is typically just the correct amount. And it’s no different when putting nitrogen on your lawn.
Following this guide, you will have a healthy and lofty lawn.
Happy Gardening!