When & When NOT to Add Iron to Your Lawn to Keep It Green
If your lawn is suffering from a yellow or brown tint, there are several reasons you may not be seeing green. For the most part, yellow grass is caused from a lack of nutrients that would otherwise facilitate healthy growth. Chlorosis, for example, is a condition that occurs when the green chlorophyll in the grass leaf tissue is unable to develop. Iron and nitrogen are key nutrients that keep your lawn looking its finest, and if the roots are unable to absorb these valuable elements, you’ll almost assuredly find yourself with an unpleasant-looking lawn.
To keep things looking green, iron additives are often a vital resource in our high-desert Arizona climate, but rest assured, there are do’s and don’ts to the application process. Here’s a brief run-down on how to determine if you have a lawn iron deficiency.
When Can You Add Iron to Your Lawn?
You can add iron to your lawn just about any time of year. If you’re applying iron spray to newly planted grass, the key is to do so when the temperatures have cooled. When it’s hot and the sun is intense, iron can burn new, young grass leaves. If you’re working with an established lawn, or anticipating application of iron during cooler months, you should be in good shape if you adhere to the instructions of the element itself.
How Can You Add Iron to Your Lawn?
If you have determined that you have a lawn iron deficiency, then it’s time to get to work fixing the problem. Iron comes in two easy-to-use forms: spray and granular.
Spray Iron
When it comes to adding iron to your lawn, foliar feeding works faster. This is a technique where you apply the iron directly to the blades of grass, and it goes straight into the system. It lasts three to four weeks. Spray-on Ironite is fast-acting and can be helpful if you’re trying to see results quickly. Just be careful not to over-apply it, as that can turn your lawn gray.
Granular Iron
The granular version of iron goes directly into the soil. Its molecular structure needs to be broken down to be efficient, which means it takes longer to be effective than spray iron. However, granular iron tends to last longer than its spray counterpart. When you use granular iron, you should expect a 60- to 90-day wait time as for efficacy if you’re using granular iron.
What to Watch for When It Comes to Adding Iron to Your Lawn
Anytime you apply iron, be aware that it can cause orange stains that can be difficult – if not impossible – to remove. Avoid applying the substance to cool decks, surfaces, sidewalks, and pool decks, as these places will almost assuredly suffer the orange stains when the chemicals go to work.
Mind the temperatures, and shoot for application of iron when external temperatures are between 40 and 80 degrees. In Arizona, our grasses don’t adhere to the rules of the rest of the country when it comes to timeline. Fall, winter, and spring usually offer the best opportunities to add iron to your lawn without damaging the grass’s roots and foundations because the temperatures are milder during the colder months.
Be careful not to overdose your lawn with iron. It’s important to follow the package instructions to ensure your sod lawn isn’t exposed to undue harm as you add nutrients. Grasses generally don’t require a lot of iron, but they do need some. If you’re uncertain as to the next step in your lawn-enhancing process, it might behoove you to seek the assistance of a soil test to determine whether your property is iron deficient or not. With that knowledge in hand, you can seek the most viable routes to help you make the most of your lawn and home landscape, one blade at a time.
Check out our lawn nutrition and fertilization page for more information on how to achieve a healthy lawn in Arizona.
At Evergreen Turf, green lawns are our business! If you’re struggling to get your grass green, consult with our team of lawncare experts. Reach out to us today to if you’re in need of fresh sod in Arizona.