Allyn Hane, “The Lawn Care Nut,” draws on his 15+ years of professional lawn care experience to break down exactly why Nitrogen is so important for your lawn’s health.

“When it comes to the macro-nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium seem to get all the attention. But in today’s Toro Yard Hack, we’re going to talk about the leader of the pack, the alpha dog, the big growth pusher, the one that makes the vigor happen. Of course, I’m talking about….that’s right, you guessed it. We’re talking about our old friend, nitrogen.”

The Fertilizer Analysis

“You’ve applied fertilizer to your lawn and undoubtedly noticed the three numbers on the back: the analysis. The nitrogen content of that fertilizer is always marked as the first number of the three and is typically the highest, as well. That’s because out of all the macros, nitrogen is needed in the greatest quantities and plays so many different roles in the grass plant, that it’s irreplaceable. Quite possibly, its most important role is in stimulating shoot and root growth in spring, which then helps the lawn remain vigorous and strong during summer stress.

Nitrogen also plays a vital role in the production of chlorophyll, which as you know, is what gives grass its green color. And as you’ll remember from your junior high science classes, chlorophyll is vital to the process of photosynthesis. And it’s our good friend, nitrogen, that serves as the fuel of it all.”

Applying Nitrogen to Your Lawn

“You can get nitrogen in the form of synthetics and organics. The type you choose will be based on your own site situation and most big box stores will offer several options.

The key is to apply nitrogen during essential growing seasons. For cool season lawns, this is typically going to be spring and fall, and for warm season grasses, typically the summer. And a lot of times, your local county extension service can provide some general application rates for you, based on the lawns all around your area and what they see on a regular basis. And most will publish them online, as well.

For Toro, I’m Allyn Hane, The Lawn Care Nut. Thanks for watching, and as always, I’ll see you in the lawn.”

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