- Tree and Shrub Pruning
- Pine and Hardwood Mulch
- Overseeding
- Core Aeration
- Seasonal Flowers
- Weed Control
- Leaf Removal
- Fertilization
- Irrigation Maintenance
Fertilization
Why should people fertilize their lawns? Isn't that something Nature takes care of automatically?
In fact, fertilization is a natural process that involves recycling nutrients and organic materials. But lawns aren't exactly natural. So, unless herds of buffalo wander across your lawn from time to time, you need to fertilize.
Whalen Landscape Services recommends that you fertilize four times a year if you want to nurture thick, dense grass that resists disease and weed invasions.
Key fertilizer ingredients include nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. These elements are present in most soils but become depleted over the years.
A Question of Balance
However, applying an excess of any particular element can be harmful. For example, too much nitrogen can provoke rapid plant growth that outstrips the roots. So exactly what kind of fertilizer should you apply? How much should you use?
There is no magic formula; it's all a question of balance. Remember, also, that each lawn is unique.
Fertilization is also a good time to consider aeration and applications of insect controls or pre-emergent weed controls, if you have problems with crabgrass-type weeds or insects.
Liquid or Granular?
Liquid fertilizers are absorbed by plants more quickly but are shorter-lived. Solid fertilizers are slower acting but longer lasting. Nutrients from either type can be leeched away by heavy rains.
Whalen Landscape Services can determine which is best for you - liquid fertilizer, granular fertilizer, or a special formula consisting of both.