Best Fertilizer for Bermuda Grass in Arizona
Think all fertilizers are created equal? Think again! Fertilizers are comprised of different variations of chemical compounds, each of which has its own duty where lawncare is concerned. Choosing the right fertilizer depends on your answers to the following questions:
- What kind of grass are you trying to grow?
- Where do you live?
- What time of year is it?
Read on to learn about the best fertilizer for Bermuda grass in Arizona.
What Does Fertilizer Do?
Fertilizer provides nutrients to the soil, which, in turn, help your grass grow and turn it that beautiful green color we’ve all come to know. Most soil doesn’t provide enough nutrients to support the healthy growth of grass. Fertilizer acts as a nutritional supplement, delivering essential ingredients that absorb into the ground so plants can more readily take on nutrients needed to sustain healthy development.
Unfortunately, many homeowners don’t understand the importance of fertilizer, which can be particularly impactful in Arizona’s high desert regions. In short, a lack of nutrients fosters yellowing lawns at best. At worst, malnourished lawns can present significant bald spots. Fertilizers help fill in the gaps and facilitate growth.
How Much Fertilizer Does Your Arizona Lawn Need?
Determining how much fertilizer you actually need is important. You don’t want to put too much fertilizer on the ground, as the organic elements can overwhelm your grass. On the other hand, you don’t want to fertilize too little because you’ll just be wasting time and money on resources that won’t do your lawn justice.
If you give your lawn too much—or too little—fertilizer, your efforts can have unintended negative consequences. Bermuda grass needs regular fertilizing for good growth and color during the growing season. As a good rule of thumb, apply fertilizer monthly during the summer to produce a lush and fruitful lawn.
If Evergreen Turf is installing your lawn, you won’t have to worry about the preliminary steps associated with outstanding yards. We fertilize every yard we install with 15-15-15 fertilizer right after we lay your sod, allowing optimal nutrition to make its way to your yard’s roots and setting the stage for a lush lawn long after we’re gone.
To expedite growth in the early phases, fertilize with balanced fertilizer two weeks after your lawn has been installed. Be sure to adhere to proper watering practices during this time, as water will help push the nutrients from the surface of the soil to the grass’s roots, which will help facilitate a healthy, lush lawn as your plants establish themselves.
On the other hand, you may notice your lawn is growing faster than you’d prefer. In this case, switch to a slow-release fertilizer such as 28-3-10 or 32-4-7, and reduce your fertilizing frequency to every eight weeks. Slow-release fertilizers allow your lawn to absorb vital nutrients over time, so they don’t get overloaded with minerals all at once, which can cause sudden growth that’s hard for some homeowners to keep up with.
What’s the Best Fertilizer for Bermuda Grass in Arizona?
For established lawns, a balanced fertilizer (preferably one with an analysis that’s high in nitrogen) is ideal. If this describes your situation, opt for a fertilizer with an analysis of 16-8-4 for best results. Alternatively, 21-7-14, 26-4-2, or 24-0-4 work well for established Arizona lawns.
If you’ve just installed your lawn—or plan to install a new lawn soon—that requires a different approach. For new lawns, the fertilizer of choice should be similar to a 6-20-20 analysis (6% nitrogen, 20% phosphorus, 20% potassium) or a 15-15-15 (15% nitrogen, 15% phosphorus, 15% potassium). For best results, apply the fertilizer right before—or immediately after—the sod is installed.
How Do You Know if Your Fertilizer Isn’t Working for You?
Your lawn will tell you readily if it’s not getting the balanced diet it needs to maintain a healthy lush look. An improperly nourished lawn will go one of two ways.
Under-Fertilized Lawns:
- Thin
- Yellow
- Slow to recover from wear
Over-Fertilized Lawns:
- Grow at excessive rates of speed
- Produce excess thatch build up
- Make a ton of extra work for you.
Chances are, if your lawn is “too healthy”, you’ll notice because you’ll suddenly find yourself spending a whole lot more time in your yard than you used to; and it’s usually for chores, not leisurely activities!
It’s important to note that you may be fertilizing and watering just the right amount, but if you’re not using a fertilizer with the proper analysis for your situation, the care you take in planning and executing your fertilizing schedule won’t matter much because the imbalance of nutrients will skew your results.
A beautiful lawn starts by picking a top-of-the-line product. At Evergreen Turf, outstanding lawns are what we do best! From helping you find the perfect fertilizer for your lawn to providing pest control and maintenance tips, our experts are here to guide you to greener grasses. Call or email us if you have lawn care questions only the pros can answer!