After reading the thread about purchasing lawn fertiliser in bulk, I thought it would be interesting to know what others are using in relation to NPK and longevity and perhaps why. As stated in the other thread, the cheapest 25kg bag may not be, and is probably not the cheapest product per m². A more expensive 25kg bag with a lower g per m² and a better longevity, would probably be cheaper per m² and therefore produce a better profit (or lower cost to the client).
I know several of the lawn company guys round here and currently they are using fertilisers with an N of 18 - 22. Personally, I find the initial amount available too high as most clients opt for a fortnightly lawn mow, and for the first few weeks following application the grass grows wildly out of control. This is probably driven by the customer expectation to see a marked improvement within a few days of paying for a premium service.
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Hi Mark,
There are many that apply around 22%N but in most cases they are applying a product with 3 month longevity. This will give the same growth effect as a 15%N that only lasts 2 months.
From my experience, treatment programmes vary a lot in the UK lawn care industry, it can depend on personal preferences, customers, geography, timings etc. You will find a method that works well for you and your customers, embrace the difference and use it to sell your services!
Hi Daisey, I have updated my first post to better explain what I was trying to say, that the initial amount of nitrogen available is too high.
Ah, I see your point now.
That can be remedied by choosing a product with a higher percentage of coated/slow release nitrogen. A popular option in the summer is to go for 100% coated nitrogen as this produces no initial phase of growth, just steady growth throughout the longevity period, and if formulated correctly it can also be non-scorch.
Daisy, what's your email?
sales@greenbest.co.uk :)
Worth noting as well soil chemistry plays a huge part -
Depending on the lawn and the treatment programme I may use anything from a slow release 15-7-7 bespoke to a 23-2.5-2.5 blend
Today I applied a 46-0-0 urea, along with ca+boron and then a slow release 0-16-16 to a lawn on a very tough highly sodic soil - that same treatment a mile away on a sandly loam would create a meadow in a few weeks, but on a cheese-like high magnesium soil (high mg to ca ratio interfears with PK uptake in grass) the adjusted levels are needed, along with the ca lime to change the ratios.
Its all about tailoring the solution to the problem
Used it several times myself this year with good results.