The Basics of Fertilization and Lawn Care
Your grass is a plant growing in the soil
Your lawn goes through cycles during the spring and the fall when the soil temperatures hit 55 degrees. This enables your lawn to uptake nutrients from the soil rapidly and produce vigorous root and shoot growth. Whenever your lawn reaches the beginning of these cycles, it needs to have the minimum of each of the nutrients required. This is the fundamental concept of lawn care for tall fescue.
Shoots and Roots
A give and take relationship
Shoots grow above the soil. They're used by your grass to produce carbohydrates, via photosynthesis, and to produce seeds. Roots grow below the soil. They're used by your grass to extract water and nutrients from the soil, and they also serve as a storage bank for carbohydrates.
If you remove too much of your grass shoots, you'll cause a stress response in your lawn. The most common stress response is for the grass to absorb the bottom 1/3rd of its root system and convert it to carbohydrates. This allows the grass to regrow its shoots quickly and to produce more carbohydrates; however, this also reduces its ability to absorb nutrients and water. This weakens your lawn over the long-term.
Nutrient Deficiencies Stress Your Lawn
Creating the Conditions for a Weakened Immune System
Having deficiencies in the soil causes similar stress reactions in the grass, typically stunting shoot growth, root growth, or cell vigor. These symptoms can be subtle but all contribute to your lawn's reduced ability to successfully respond to stress events such as drought, disease, insects, etc. Soil testing allows us to see the nutrients in your soil and their availability to your lawn.
