Every plant needs nutrients for healthy growth, and the same applies for the grass in lawns. Unlike other plants, all types of grass, including lawn grass, lose nutrients due to normal wear and tear caused by human or animal activities. Moreover, mowing also causes some damage to the plant. This has to be compensated by adding sufficient amounts of fertilizers. Hence, feeding is vital in the maintenance of your lawn, But, you should be careful while selecting the right lawn fertilizer, because it can cause harm to your kids. It should also be a pet safe lawn fertilizer and should not be harmful to the environment as well.
Benefits of Natural Lawn Fertilizers
Like in any other area, lawn care has also imbibed the spirit of the 'go green ' campaign. Even though, there are so many commercial preparations available in the market, more and more people are turning to natural or organic lawn fertilizers, which are free of chemicals. These chemicals, found in conventional fertilizers, can cause harm to every living organism which interacts with it. The same happens to the microbes in the soil, which is necessary for the healthy growth of the plant. These microbes assist in providing nutrients to the plant. They play an active role in breaking down the nutrition in the soil, to a form which is suitable for absorption by the plants. These microscopic organisms also undertake the function of aerating the soil, thereby reducing the chances of pest attack and diseases in the plants. In short, natural lawn fertilizers do not cause harm to these microbes, and at the same time, add nutrients to the soil, thereby enhancing the health of the plants.
Some Organic Lawn Fertilizers
There are many natural products like seaweed fish extract, manure and compost products, which have been used as natural lawn fertilizers. The most common ones are seaweed, crab shells and fish emulsion. Fish emulsion is very popular as it is made from fish parts, a rich source of trace elements needed for the healthy growth of plants. Apart from adding nutrients to the soil, crab shells are also useful in pest control. Seaweed extracts help in the growth of plants and also aid in blooming. They contain more than sixty nutrients and many amino acids.
With the advent of newer technologies, the application of natural lawn fertilizers has also been made simpler. The earlier versions were to be applied to the soil like seeds, but the latest liquid fertilizers can be sprayed through spray canisters. If you are confused over when to apply lawn fertilizer, then the best time is the warm climates, which makes it easier for the microbes to break down the nutrients. One of the disadvantages of these fertilizers is that some of them are very expensive. This problem can be tackled by homemade lawn fertilizers, which can be made easily from household items. One such fertilizer is compost, made of the decomposing plant matter and kitchen waste, but while using compost, make sure that some protein source is included. A natural lawn fertilizer is considered the best, if applied in ideal situations and in the right proportions. According to some studies, such fertilizers are far more effective than the conventional ones in most situations.
