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Lawn treatment programme. Best NPK mix?

Hi guys,

Just looking for some opinions on a new area I'm taking my business into this year. I run a gardening round in Norwich, just general maintenance gardening and this year am going to look into expanding into some lawn treatment work.

I was just wondering what's peoples thoughts are for the best lawn treatment programme throughout the year. So far I have devised these treatments as part of the service.

Treatment 1: Sierrablen Plus Spring Starter (3 months) 24:5:13 (March-April)

Treatment 2: Sierraform GT All Season (6-8 weeks) 18:6:18 (May-June)

Treatment 3: Sierrablen Plus Active (3 months) 19:5:18 (July-August)

Treatment 4: Sierrablen Plus Stress Control (4-5 months) 15:5:22 (September-October)

Treatment 5: Soulable iron turf hardener/Moss control (November-December)

I will be looking to apply treatments every 8 weeks, in addition to any lawn renovation/scarification/aeration I will carry out in spring or autumn. I am not too worried about a 3 month treatment and then returning in 8 weeks as have been told by a lot of lawn treatment guys that the lawns to generally look a bit tired and ready for another feed after a couple of months so 8 weeks would be okay.

I would like to hear peoples thoughts on the balance of the fertiliser I am applying. I have previously worked for a lawn treatment company and the amount of imbalance to their fertiliser was clear to see for me, essentially all nitrogen with barely any potassium or phosphorus. With this in mind I have put a lot of emphasis on potassium in this programme for good root development but could it be too much? I cant find anything online that suggest it would be but would like to hear peoples thoughts.

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Replies

  • PRO

    You are dumping far to much Nitrogen onto the lawns with that programme.

    The Sierrablen Plus range are fantastic product, however last to long for what you are planning.

  • PRO Supplier

    Hi Aaron,

    That also looks like a great deal of K to be applying. Most would apply 100-150kgs/ha of K2O per year. Your suggested plan will be applying at 213kg/hectare.

    Grass clippings have a N:P2O5:K2O ratio of about 3:1:2. Try to keep your annual programme to that ratio and you are on the right track. At the moment your plan is around 4:1:4

    If you can get hold of a spring product with ratios more like 18-6-10 or 19-5-10 that will be better.

    • There is a great selection around - we found Lebanon products good and will be giving them a go this spring and summer.

      https://www.pitchcare.com/shop/lebanon-country-club/index.html 

    • Hi Daisy,

      Thanks very much for your input. I'm still in the very early stages of developing and learning about a good fertilisation programme.

      Could you explain a little further about the grass clipping natural ratio, and why I should try and mimic this in a fertiliser programme? 

      Also what calculation did you use to work out how much nutrient per hectare I would be applying?

      Thanks for your time,

      Aaron

  • PRO

    Again, assuming your applying at 25-30g psqm, far too much nitrogen. Whoever is mowing will be busy.

    Speak to the suppliers, most will give you a more balanced programme based on their products. One of them has already replied to you, so thats a good starting point.

    Instead of going heavy on NPK, how about adding soil conditioners, trace element nutrition, seaweed etc.

  • PRO Supplier

    Hi Aaron,

    I understand you want a simple fertilising plan. If you want me to send you a sample plan with 'either/ or' options including slow release, standard granular or the same but in liquid forms plus options like mycorrhizal granules and seaweed (liquid/ dried meal) then email me with your requirements - to fit in with your aims/ maintenance schedule.

    info@progreen.co.uk
    (01778) 394052

    • Thanks very much for all your replies guys.

      The feedback really set me the questions I needed to research. I have spent the rainy day here number crunching and going through the sums I need to figure a balanced fertiliser program (With a lot of american to English unit conversion along the way).

      Doing some background reading I have come to the Idea that your average garden fescue/rye mix lawn should look to achieve, as a rough learning guideline for myself around:

      180 Kgs/ha of Nitrogen per year

      60 Kgs/ha of Phosporus per year

      120 kgs/ha of Potassium per year

      So from learning my numbers I have come up with another draft. 

      Treatment 1: Sierraform GT Momentum (6-8 weeks) 22:5:11 (March-April) 20 g per sqm

      Treatment 2: Sierraform GT All Season (6-8 weeks) 18:6:18 (May-June) 20 g per sqm

      Treatment 3: Sierraform GT Momentum (6-8 weeks) 22:5:11 (July-August) 20 g per sqm

      Treatment 4: Sierrablen Plus Stress Control (4-5 months) 15:5:22 (September-October) 25 g per sqm

      According to my maths this would deliver around:

      161 Kgs/ha of Nitrogen per year

      44.5 Kgs/ha of Phosporus per year

      135 kgs/ha of Potassium per year

      Any feedback from you guys on if I'm along the right lines here would be great, this is just a program I have derived from fertiliser that is available at a turf supplier local to me.

      • PRO Supplier

        Hi Aaron,

        Are these domestic lawns? High quality turf or average hardwearing ryegrass mixes? Still seems like a lot of N unless you intend to do the full package and provide a  weekly/ fortnightly cut as well ?

        A lot will depend whether you return clippings to the soil - you can get approx 60kg/ ha N from clippings - plus P & K....

        Average lawns on a soil base will need between 80-120kg/ha N per year going upto 200kg/ha for heavily trafficked sports/ fine lawns kept at a short height through the year.

        So if you want to apply some ferts regularly think about a slow release plus P & K in spring followed by standard release liquids/ granules with lower N values 3-4 times through the growing season. Intersperse with seaweed to stimulate microbial life in the soil and fungal disease protection.

        Richard@Progreen

        • Thanks Richard,

          I would be looking at domestic lawns. Initially I am looking to carry out the work on gardening clients which I cut the lawns of fortnightly. But once I have confidence in the programme I am using I am looking to offer a lawn care program domestically. I would be looking to do 4 applications per year of slow release granular fertiliser.

          When I cut my customers lawn I collect cuttings, but if I did offer a lawn care program it would be the choice of the customer on whether they collected the clippings, I could only advise on what is best.

          With regards to putting together a program, would it be advisable to stick to one brand (e.g maxwell, lebanon, everris) throughout the year? or is it perfectly okay to mix and match products across brands? I guess I see no reason why it wouldn't be okay to mix and match products?

          Aaron

          • PRO
            Aaron what is your background in terms of horticulture in general?
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