Fertilizers can seem like a complicated, mysterious blend of nutrients that nourish your grass, but what do these things do to help your lawn? The three primary macronutrients found in fertilizers are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and for the grass common in Pennsylvania, each nutrient is vital to achieving a beautiful lawn. Nitrogen is the primary ingredient in most fertilizers and will help promote rapid, green growth throughout your lawn. Phosphorus helps grass transfer energy, aiding lawns in developing strong and deep root systems. Last but certainly not least, potassium assists your grass in developing thicker cell walls, creating more resilience against cold weather, drought, and more. These three nutrients work together to nourish and support your lawn from every side to help you achieve the lush, strong, green lawn of your dreams!

1. Nitrogen

Granular nitrogen for fertilizer in gloved professional's hands in West Chester, PA.

Typically the most highly concentrated nutrient in fertilizers, nitrogen is beneficial to lawns both new and established. This is because nitrogen is essential in the formation of proteins in your grass, promoting rapid growth and development throughout. Nitrogen also encourages the production of chlorophyll, essential to the health of the lawn by providing chemical energy for the plant's metabolism.

This makes nitrogen key in:

  • Helping grass blades grow straight and strong
  • Creating deep green color throughout the lawn
  • Producing lush, dense growth
  • Strengthening your lawn's tolerance against environmental stress

2. Phosphorus

Gloved professional with a handful of phosphorous ingredient that is in fertilizer in West Chester, PA.

Phosphorus is another essential nutrient to help lawns reach their full potential, and is particularly important in a new lawn. This is the primary nutrient needed for metabolic processes that move energy throughout the plant, making it vital to turf that needs to establish roots. Starter fertilizers will have phosphorus as the star nutrient for this reason, as without it, grass growth can be stunted and underwhelming.

Phosphorus is needed to:

  • Increase turfgrass density, reducing water runoff
  • Establish strong and deep root systems
  • Speed up the rate of seedling development and maturation
  • Improve the plant's ability to use and store energy

Phosphorus helps optimize the transfer of sugars and starches to aid in efficient photosynthesis.

3. Potassium

Potassium ingredient from fertilizer in hands in Exton, PA.

Last but certainly not least, potassium can be easily overlooked in relation to its importance for the health of a lawn. Potassium helps your grass build thicker cell wells and assists in synthesizing proteins and starches. It can also help your lawn absorb and use nitrogen more efficiently, increasing the benefits and overall effectiveness of fertilizer!

These factors make potassium:

  • Improve the ability to resist diseases
  • Increase the drought tolerance of your lawn
  • Encourage better water and nutrient uptake
  • Boost your turf's cold hardiness

High levels of potassium are typically found in winterizer fertilizers to prepare the lawn for the incoming cold weather.

For perfectly balanced fertilization, call our team today to enroll in our fertilization program!

At Countywide Landscape, we are firm believers in providing your lawn with every building block it needs to create a strong foundation to stand on. This foundation will serve your lawn by giving it something to lean on in times of stress, whether it be a change in temperature, disease, pest invasion, or something else. In our fertilization program, our team will visit your property throughout the year to provide consistent support to your grass so that it never has to go without. We've hand-picked fertilizer that provides the perfect balance of nutrients that turf needs to face the challenges unique to our area. As if that wasn't enough, our program also includes comprehensive weed control treatments! We offer these services to property owners in West Chester and the surrounding areas in Pennsylvania like Downingtown and Exton. If you're ready to see your lawn shine, get in touch with our office by calling (610) 285-9727 today to enroll in our fertilization program!