Fertility and Soil Management

Lawn fertilization is an essential step in ensuring healthy soil and encouraging active turf growth. On this page, access valuable information on turfgrass fertility and soil management, including soil testing and using compost. Advice on how much lawn fertilizer to apply – as well as tips on calculating fertilizer ratio – is available.

Lawn Fertilizers

Turfgrass fertilization is one of the most important management practices needed to maintain a healthy lawn. While soil naturally supplies essential nutrients, grass plants often require larger amounts. To establish the nutrient requirements needed for a regular fertilization program, a lawn soil test should be made.

When selecting a turf fertilizer, attention should be paid to its quality. This is often determined by the product’s physical characteristics, as well as the amounts and types of nutrients it contains.

Normally, turfgrass fertilizers contain plant nutrients, most commonly nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. On the fertilizer label, these three nutrients are represented by numbers, indicating the percentages by weight. This is also referred to as the fertilizer grade.

A fertilizer ratio indicates the nutrients application proportions. The simplest method of calculating the fertilizer ratio is to divide the weights of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium by the lowest weight of the three.

Granular lawn fertilizers, as well as pesticides, are often delivered by spreaders. Correctly calibrating your fertilizer spreader is essential for proper application at the appropriate rates.

Turfgrass Soil Management

Healthy soil and proper soil conditions play a fundamental role in all phases of turfgrass development. When choosing turfgrass species it’s important to keep in mind that each grass plant has varying needs and may respond differently to different types of soil. Other factors that should be considered include the site’s location, as well as the soil’s depth, texture, and quality.

Making a test soil every three to five years is an often advised practice. This allows professionals to easily track the progress of the cultural and fertilization practices recommended from the previous soil testing.

Another important soil management practice is incorporating organic matter – such as composts, manure, and spent mushroom substrate – into the soil. Organic matter can increase soil water-holding capacity, regulate soil temperatures, and promote the growth of microorganisms.

Find Expert Tips and Advice on Turfgrass Soil Fertility

With Penn State Extension, access a comprehensive list of educational resources on lawn fertilization and soil management. Topics covered include testing and reducing lead exposure in residential soils, applying lime, and recycling turfgrass clippings to reduce lawn fertilizer applications.

Landscape managers and turfgrass professionals can further make use of online courses and workshops on managing lawns and turfgrass. Several conferences, such as the Green Industry Conference and Turf and Ornamentals Conference, are available.