Fertilizer can be seen as food for plants and grass, making it an important part of any healthy garden. But what exactly is in fertilizer? Have you ever wondered how fertilizer works? Simply put, fertilizer offers the main ‘foods’ that plants need, much like the food groups we consume.

What is fertilizer made of?

Plants also have main ‘food groups’ and specific nutrients that they need to stay healthy all year long. These elements are what makes up fertilizer and it is referred to as NPK. This can also be seen on fertilizer bags, showing the nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) content. Plants, including your lawn, need a lot of these, in just the right ratio.

To be more specific, some of the important elements that plants need include:

• Carbon, oxygen and hydrogen available from the air and water;
• Macronutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium;
• Secondary nutrients like Sulphur, magnesium and calcium;
• Micronutrients like boron, cobalt, copper, manganese and iron.

Many people believe that you should only give your plants water and enough fertilizer for them to be healthy; but in fact, plants need a little more. Although water and NPK are important, plants also need trace elements, such as iron, zinc and copper. You can buy fertilizers that have added trace elements, which is always a benefit.

If any of the macronutrients are missing from the soil, the plant’s growth rate will be limited. In these cases, fertilizers can help and that’s also why most fertilizers contain only nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium as the rest can be found in lower quantities in the soil.

Related Article: Instant lawn for sale

Organic fertilizers

Organic fertilizers refer to fertilizers that are natural and not made by mixing chemicals together. They consist of natural ingredients that are high in N, or K and contain trace elements as well. Keep in mind that these should still be in the right ratio.

Plants are always healthier when fed a wholesome, healthy diet, much like we are. They get this from healthy soil, with lots of organic matter, teeming with worms and beneficial organisms.

But, what is the best fertilizer to choose? Understanding how fertilizer works will help you to choose the right fertilizer at the right time, to benefit your plants, but keep in mind that most of this should come from their natural environment. Plants can’t always get everything they need from the environment around them, and that is when fertilizer can help them.

Landscaping in Pretoria specializes in professional landscaping services in the Gauteng area. For more information about our services, contact us on 087 550 3923 or visit us online.

A beautiful lawn is a great complement to any home and summer is definitely the time to make sure your lawn looks its best. But the heat of summer can quickly take its toll, which is why you need to make sure that you focus on the right summer lawn care.

Here are five great tips to ensure your lawn looks its best this summer:

Mow at the right height

When summer approaches, adjust your mower height to leave the grass taller. Taller grass will shade the soil, reduce water evaporation and lead to deeper roots. Although the ideal mowing height will vary between grass types, try to never cut more than a third of the surface at a time says John at NGB Landscaping company.

Clean up after your pooch

When your dog urinates on the grass it may cause dead spots, so always flush the area with water to dilute the urine into the soil. A good summer lawn care tip is to create a pebbled area and train the dog to use that for bathroom breaks. Also make sure that you always pick up waste as soon as possible and dispose of it properly.

Avoid parking on the grass

It’s never a good idea to drive or park on the lawn. It can lead to soil compaction, which in turn can cause a host of other problems, including dead grass. When it’s dry or very warm during summer, try to limit foot traffic on the grass to avoid damaging the turf crowns.

Sharpen your mower blade

When your mower blade is dull, it can lead to ragged, brown edges as it tears the grass. This also creates an opportunity for disease organisms to set in. Be sure to regularly sharpen your mower blade and consider purchasing a second blade to make sure you always have a sharp one available to use.

Keep it clean

With summer causing you to spend more time outside, these activities can lead to toys, water games and lawn chairs being left all over your lawn. Be sure to pick everything up regularly to avoid damage to the grass and leaving dangerous objects behind when you mow.

If you don’t have an established lawn, or your lawn is struggling make sure to learn more about our instant lawn for sale (click here) or our fertilizer (click here).

Landscaping in Pretoria offers professional summer lawn care services in the Pretoria and Gauteng area. For more information on our services, contact us on 087 550 3923 today.

Your lawn is one of the first things anyone notices about your home. A beautiful lawn with lush green grass will make a great first impressions when entertaining friends and family.

Get your lawn in perfect condition with our LM, evergreen or kikuyu instant lawn. We deliver and install instant lawn in the Pretoria East, and greater Pretoria area.

Our Pretoria instant lawn experts will do a thorough analysis of your current lawn to ensure we supply the correct product. We will use top fertilizers to increase the soil quality, and will also ensure that you have a outdoor living area that is water efficient.

Your backyard will be perfectly balanced eco system ensuring a lush green carpet of grass all year round.

Contact us today on 087 550 3923 for a competitive instant lawn quote.