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Picking the Best Lawn Fertilizer

Fertilizing
4 min read

By understanding the basics about lawn fertilizer, you will have no trouble picking the best products with confidence. Jonathan Green’s selection of top-quality lawn fertilizers can help your lawn reach its full potential.

About Us

The Jonathan Green name has represented genetically superior grass seed, innovation, integrity, determination, and a commitment to excellence since 1881. Today, six generations later, we remain committed to producing superior lawn and garden products.

We are leaders in organics and have developed an environmentally sound approach to lawn care called the New American Lawn. This Plan combines our Black Beauty® grass seed mixtures with organic and traditional soil amendments, lawn fertilizers and control products that feed your lawn AND your soil so air, water and nutrients get absorbed by the grass plants.

What the N-P-K Ratios Mean

Fertilizers are designed to supplement plant growth when the soil does not provide sufficient nutrients for optimal growth.  Different plants have different requirements, so we offer many different formulas based on the N-P-K numbers on the bag (e.g., 21-0-3). 

The first number is nitrogen (N), which is needed for a rich green color in lawn grasses. The second number is phosphorous (P), which encourages strong root development. And the third number is potassium (K), which helps supply disease resistance and overall plant health.

Often called primary macronutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are among the 17 nutrients essential to all plant life. Plants need larger quantities of these three than any other plant nutrients.

Because plants use larger amounts of N-P-K, these nutrients need to be frequently replenished. There are also other factors. Nitrogen, for example, is water-soluble, so irrigation and heavy rains often cause it to leach from the soil. The fertilizer you apply will replenish the lost nutrients so that your lawn stays nourished.

A beautiful lawn needs the vigorous growth and deep color that nitrogen supplies, so many lawn fertilizers have a N-P-K ratio where the first number is much higher than the other two. The soil usually provides enough phosphorus and most of the potassium that healthy grass needs, so the numbers for those nutrients are low except in a new seeding fertilizer formula which contains lower levels of nitrogen and higher levels of phosphorous to rapidly grow the new roots on the young grass plants.

Using a combination of traditional and organic lawn fertilizers will allow your lawn to Veri-Green based on the time of year and soil temperatures.  A healthy growing lawn is the best defense against weeds, insects, and drought conditions.

Which Fertilizer Should You Choose?

If you typically have crabgrass in your lawn, use Jonathan Green Veri-Green Crabgrass Preventer plus Lawn Fertilizer (20-0-3) to help prevent the problem.  Sometimes it is best to delay application of this product until late spring to gain better control over summer-germinating crabgrass. 

Be sure to feed your lawn again before summer arrives with Veri-Green Weed & Feed Lawn Fertilizer (21-0-3).  Early fall and late fall feedings with Winter Survival Fall Lawn Fertilizer (10-0-20) will help repair summer damage, encourage winter disease prevention, and promote early spring Veri-Green.

For more tips on picking the best lawn fertilizer, visit Jonathan Green online, or locate your nearest independent garden center or hardware store where you will get reliable lawn and garden advice.

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