Fertilizer Tips for Oklahoma City, OK

Taking care of your lawn may be your pride and joy, something you look forward to each week. Or, it may be something you dread—a mandatory chore. No matter what side of the spectrum you’re on, you know that you need to mow, irrigate and fertilize your lawn to not only keep it green, but to keep it alive in general. Here are some tips to help you fertilize your Oklahoma City lawn.

Fertilizer basics

Oklahoma is in the transition zone, which means that your lawn may be a mix of a variety of different turfgrasses known to grow well in the area. This is important knowledge because the fertilization requirements vary by turfgrass type.

Fertilizer feeds the grass so that it can thrive. Your grass may need different nutrients than your neighbor’s lawn, so consider getting your soil tested to see what’s lacking. Typically fertilizer has three primary ingredients—nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium—as well as a handful of other secondary nutrients to help grass grow taller, greener, and more strongly rooted.

The Right Time to Fertilize

In Oklahoma City, fertilize warm-season grasses, such as bermudagrass or Zoysiagrass, between April and September. Use about 2 to 5 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer per 1,000 square feet, depending on the needs of your grass. You don’t want to fertilize too late though because if the grass keeps growing when the weather cools off, it will become more susceptible to diseases.

Fertilize cool-season grasses during November and March when they’re the most active. Apply 1 pound of nitrogen fertilizer per 1,000 square feet to help your fescues and bluegrasses grow. Don’t fertilize in the summer to avoid heat damage.

Choosing Your Fertilizer

This depends on what your grass needs. Are you low on nitrogen, or phosphorus? Learning about your soil with a soil test will help you figure this out. However, you’ll need to consider whether you want to use an immediate release fertilizer or a slow-release fertilizer. This means whether or not to apply double the amount of fertilizer—but less often as the nutrients slowly reach the soil due to time and watering cycles.

Need help preparing your lawn? Visit our Oklahoma City lawn care page to get in touch with a professional! In addition to Oklahoma City, we provide lawn care services to other Oklahoma cities, including Tulsa.

Featured image source: Zillow Oklahoma City