A Seasonal Treat For The Grass
The growing season is winding down and many people will start to think about final mowings for the lawn ready to prepare it for winter. There is often an acceptance that the lawn will be sickly until the following spring - but that need not be the case.
Despite cooler temperatures, grass will continue to grow slowly in all but the harshest weather. A weak lawn, with no feed, will emerge from five winter months looking poor and requiring work to get it back upto scratch. Autumn grass still requires energy to grow, however, care should be taken not to apply too much fertilizer ( Nitrogen) because this can make a bad situation worse. A standard spring fertiliser will cause a massive flush of growth, leading to straggly, gangly growth which is more susceptible to fungal disease such as red thread and rust. Increased rainfall also means Nitrogen (Nitrate) is more easily flushed through the soil and potentially into nearby lakes and rivers.
Phosphorous is another nutrient which can be over applied. A lack of phosphate (P) will show up in turf as poor growth and rooting, combined with a dark/ purplish discolouration to the leaf. However It does not pass through soil easily and appliations every year may just build up and up. Some golf courses have had a ‘zero phosphate’ rule for over 30 years so, unless there is a clear deficiency, we recommend no extra phosphorous outside of spring time. Always choose Autumn/ Winter fertilisers which are formulated to have less Nitrogen and includes other nutrients to help prepare the lawn for the rigours of winter
Progreen has a range of granular fertilisers. Late season application look to; Amvista no.5 and Amvista Long Life - which are both formulated with low Nitrogen and zero Phosphate.
Amvista no.5 (3-0-12 +2MgO+2Fe) also has added Magnesium and Iron to harden the grass and provides a nice green colour, while Amvista Long Life (10-0-20+3MgO + 6 CaO + 4 SO₃) is a slow release granule which will drip feed Nitrogen in small amounts whilst the weather conditions suit continued grass growth. This can be applied throughout a mild winter to keep the turf fed - this will also better withstand disease and repair itself quicker after aggressive use or harsh weather.
For advice and questions please contact Progreen: [email protected], 0800 032 6262
