FERTILIZE APPROPRIATELY LANDSCAPING PRINCIPLES FOR FLORIDA -FRIENDLY YARDS.

Transcription

1 FERTILIZE APPROPRIATELY 3 LANDSCAPING PRINCIPLES FOR FLORIDA -FRIENDLY YARDS 47

2 FERTILIZE APPROPRIATELY At the most basic level, fertilizers feed plats, helpig them to grow better. Did you kow that you ca choose fertilizers that ca direct your plats growth i specific ways? Differet types of fertilizers ecourage plats to develop: More or larger blooms Faster growth Greeer leaves More fruit Fertilizig ca be doe by applyig composted orgaic material, packaged fertilizer or a specific mieral, such as iro. Differet types of plats beefit from differet fertilizers, so we ll discuss fertilizig laws, woody ladscape plats ad palms i separate sectios. Fertilizig Laws Grass that receives appropriate levels of fertilizer ot too little ad ot too much produces a dese root ad shoot system capable of filterig out impurities or other compoets of leachate or ruoff. A properly fertilized law absorbs opoit source pollutats, helps stabilize soil, reduces ambiet air temperatures ad promotes a healthy ecosystem of its ow. Sice it grows more vigorously, a properly fertilizered law might also require fewer cultural or chemical cotrols for weeds, isects or diseases. Overfertilizig ca aggravate pest problems, stimulate excessive growth ad require frequet waterig. I additio, whe people use too much fertilizer o their ladscapes, it ca seep through the groud, past the root zoe of the grass, plats or trees ad ito the aquifer. It ca also be washed off by raifall directly ito surface water or via stormwater systems. The way you fertilize your law iflueces how much fertilizer is take up by grass ad how much might be lost to leachig or ruoff. Several factors determie pollutio potetial from law fertilizig. Amog these are: Type of fertilizer How much you apply How you apply it Whe you fertilize How much irrigatio you apply afterwards Overall health of the law Home Law Fertilizatio: 48

3 Before you apply fertilizer, it is very importat that you read ad uderstad the label. If you do ot feel cofidet i your ability to comprehed ad follow label istructios, cosider hirig a law service professioal. Selectig a Fertilizer Whe selectig fertilizer, look at the three umbers o the bag. They will read somethig like or The first umber represets the percetage of itroge i the bag, the secod refers to phosphorus ad the third umber refers to potassium. For example, a 50 lb. bag of is 16% itroge, or eight pouds of itroge, 2% phosphorus, or oe poud, ad 8% potassium, or four pouds. The remaiig weight is usually comprised of iert igrediets. Nitroge ad phosphorus cause the most problems with regard to water pollutio. What fertilizer is safest to buy? Look for slow-release fertilizers, or fertilizers that have a high percetage of slow-release itroge i them. These products have less potetial to leach or ru off ito Florida s waterways tha quick-release sources. Nitroge promotes shoot growth, so if you use slow-release itroge, you ll have less growth surge. I laws, that meas less thatch accumulatio followig fertilizer applicatio which ultimately meas less mowig. How do you kow if a fertilizer is slow-release? Look at the fertilizer sources listed o the back of the bag ad fid the amout of itroge that is slow-release. The higher the percetage of slow-release, the less chace of leachig ad less thatch ad mowig! FYN Glossary Box Slow-release fertilizer: a fertilizer that releases its utriets gradually, over a period of time Thatch: a layer of dead ad livig plat matter that accumulates betwee soil ad turf, ofte blockig water ad utriet movemet ito soil 49

4 How much phosphorus ad potassium should I look for i a fertilizer? May Florida soils are aturally high i phosphorus, so you should use a soil test to determie if you eve eed to apply this utriet. Cotact your couty's UF/IFAS Extesio office to get a soil test form ad lear how to take oe. If you have ample phosphorus i your soil, look for a fertilizer with o more tha 2% phosphorus. As for potassium, look for a fertilizer with at least half as much potassium as itroge (16-2-8) or equal amouts of itroge ad potassium ( ), depedig o the results of your soil test. How much fertilizer should I apply to a law? How much to apply depeds o three thigs: 1. Your desired level of maiteace 2. The amout of itroge i the bag 3. What percetage of that itroge is slow-release To get the maximum poits based o FYN guidelies outlied i The Florida Yardstick Workbook, apply the lowest of the fertilizer rages recommeded by the UF Turfgrass Sciece program. Uderstad that at times a uderfertilized law may be less pest- or disease-resistat ad uable to perform as well i prevetig erosio. O the other had, laws receivig more fertilizer tha recommeded by FYN guidelies geerally require more mowig, additioal irrigatio ad may develop more pest problems. Regardless of the level of maiteace you desire, adhere to the followig guidelies. If you are applyig a fertilizer with less tha 30% of its itroge i a slowrelease form, oly apply ½ poud of itroge per 1,000 square feet of law per applicatio. If it has at least 30% slow-release itroge, you may apply up to 1 poud of itroge per 1,000 square feet of law per applicatio. For more help calculatig the amout of fertilizer to apply to your law, see Tables 1 ad 2 (pages 51 ad 52). Regardless of the total itroge applied over a year, eve at high maiteace levels, it is the amout of itroge applied at ay oe time ad the proper applicatio ad waterig-i that has the greatest impact o the potetial for creatig pollutio. Figurig Out Fertilizer for the Home Law: 50

5 How should I apply fertilizer to a law? Follow these simple steps: 1. Determie the aual fertility eeds of your grass species by referrig to Table 1 below. 2. Measure the square footage of your law area. Do ot iclude ladscape plats i this area calculatio. 3. Determie how much slow-release itroge is i your fertilizer. Table 1. Fertilizatio Guidelies for Established Turfgrass Laws i Three Regios of Florida Nitroge recommedatios (lbs N/1000 ft 2 /year) * Species North Cetral South Bahiagrass Bermudagrass Cetipedegrass St. Augustiegrass Zoysiagrass * Homeower prefereces for law quality ad maiteace will vary, so we recommed a rage of fertility rates for each grass species ad locatio. Also, effects withi a localized regio (for istace, shade, drought, soil coditios ad irrigatio) will require usig a rage of fertility rates. These recommedatios assume that grass clippigs are recycled. 51

6 4. Refer to Table 2 (below) to fid out how much fertilizer to apply to your law area, based o the percetage of itroge i your fertilizer product. These figures are based o ½ poud of soluble fertilizer per 1,000 square feet. If you are usig a product with over 30% of itroge i slow-release form, double these amouts to apply 1 poud itroge per 1,000 square feet. 5. Broadcast the fertilizer over the law with a drop spreader. Table 2. Proper Applicatio Rates for Specific Fertilizer Products 1 Area (sq ft) % Nitroge i Fertilizer Bag 6% 10% 12% 15% 16% 23% 27% 1.3 oz 0.8 oz 0.7 oz 0.5 oz 0.5 oz 0.4 oz 0.3 oz 3 TB 1½ TB 1½ TB 3½ tsp 1 TB 2½ tsp 2¼ tsp 6.6 oz 4 oz 3.3 oz 2.7 oz 2.5 oz 1.7 oz 1.5 oz 14 TB ½ c. 7 TB 6 TB 5¼ TB 4½ TB ¼ c oz 8 oz 6.7 oz 5.3 oz 5 oz 3.5 oz 3 oz 1¾ c. 1 c. 14 TB ¾ c. 10½ TB 9 TB ½ c. 8.4 lbs 5 lbs 4.2 lbs 3.3 lbs 3.1 lbs 2.2 lbs 1.9 lbs 17½ c. 9½ c. 8¾ c. 7¼ c. 6½ c. 5½ c. 4 ¾ c. 13 lbs 7.5 lbs 6.5 lbs 4.9 lbs 4.8 lbs 3.3 lbs 2.9 lbs 26¼ c. 14¼ c. 13 c. 11 c. 9¾ c. 8¼ c. 7¼ c lbs 15 lbs 12.6 lbs 9.8 lbs 9.4 lbs 6.6 lbs 5.8 lbs 52¼ c. 28½ c. 26 c. 21¾ c. 19½ c. 16½ c. 14½ c lbs 25 lbs 21 lbs 16.4 lbs 15.8 lbs 11 lbs 9.8 lbs 87¼ c. 47½ c. 43½ c. 36½ c. 32½ c. 27½ c. 24½ c. 1 The chart explais the approximate weight of fertilizer to use for a give law or ladscape area i pouds (first umber) ad also i cups (secod umber) to deliver ½ lb N/1000 sq. ft. (the recommeded rate for a sigle applicatio of soluble fertilizer). Florida Gree Idustries BMP Maual: 52

7 Oe of the mai thigs you ca do to prevet pollutio is to use cautio whe applyig fertilizers. Do ot spill fertilizer graules. If you do have a accidet, sweep the graules up. Risig fertilizer off with a hose could sed it dow the storm drai. Do ot spread fertilizer oto water bodies or impervious surfaces, such as driveways or sidewalks. Particles o hard surfaces ca wid up i waterways. Use a drop spreader, which puts particles dow directly beeath the spreader, rather tha a rotary spreader, which fligs particles a farther distace. Avoid usig weed ad feed products that cotai herbicides ad fertilizer together. These products ca ijure some trees ad shrubs. Tree ad shrub root systems ca exted far beyod the visible foliage, itermiglig with turf. I additio, pesticides should be applied oly to affected areas, rather tha broadcast over the etire yard as occurs with a weed ad feed product. Do ot fertilize if heavy rai is forecast. This icreases the potetial for fertilizers to ru off ito storm drais or to leach through soil with the raiwater. I summer, whe turf is actively growig, apply a iro source istead of a itroge fertilizer to gree the law without icreasig growth. Use chelated iro or iro sulfate. Whe should I apply fertilizer to a law? Some parts of Florida have year-roud growig seasos; other parts have dormat laws for parts of the year. Apply fertilizer whe grass is actively growig, ot whe it is dormat. Do ot apply too much itroge at oe time i summer moths whe grass is already growig rapidly. Cosult your couty UF/IFAS Extesio office with questios. FYN Glossary Box Herbicide: a chemical that kills plats or ihibits their growth; typically iteded for weed cotrol Chelate: a complex orgaic molecule that surrouds certai trace elemets, such as iro, ad keeps them dissolved i a solutio 53

8 How do I water-i fertilizer? Most fertilizers eed to be watered i to move fertilizer just below the soil surface to grass roots. This process requires oly about ¼" of irrigatio water. To fid out how log it takes your sprikler system to deliver this much water, read the Florida Yard Tip, Calibratig Irrigatio Systems, o page 45. Do ot overwater or you icrease the potetial to move fertilizer past the root zoe ad ito groud water. Whe fertilizig laws, follow recommedatios i the Florida Law Hadbook, available for viewig at all couty UF/IFAS Extesio offices. Fertilizig Woody Ladscape Plats I the soil, roots of trees, shrubs, turfgrass ad beddig plats itermigle ad compete for water ad utriets. I fact, the roots of a sigle mature tree may exted 60 feet or more out ito your law or flowerbeds. Fertilizer applied to oe plat is ofte absorbed by the roots of a earby plat. Every treatmet you apply to your law (fertilizer ad herbicide, for example) ca impact your trees ad shrubs. Coversely, treatmets applied to a tree, such as pruig ad fertilizig, ca ifluece the appearace ad health of uderlyig turfgrass. Table 3. Fertilizatio Guidelies for Established Ladscape Plats Amout of Nitroge Level of Maiteace (lbs N/1000 ft 2 /year) Basic Moderate High 0-2 lbs 2-4 lbs 4-6 lbs FYN Glossary Box Beddig plats: herbaceous aual or pereial plats that are used i flower or vegetable gardes Mature tree: a tree that has reached at least 75 percet of its fial height ad spread Associatio of Florida Native Nurseries: 54

9 I areas where tree or shrub fertilizatio zoes overlap with law fertilizatio zoes, fertilize for oe or the other of the plat types, but ot both. If trees ad shrubs are ot located ear fertilized turfgrass, you ca apply additioal itroge to ehace growth of established trees ad shrubs. Refer to Table 3 (see page 54) for specific rate recommedatios. Tables 2 (page 52) ad 4 (below) cotai helpful iformatio o calculatig the amout of fertilizer to apply to a give area. Broadcast fertilizer uiformly over the desired areas of the ladscape. Apply watersoluble fertilizers at o more tha ½ poud of actual itroge per 1,000 square feet per applicatio. Applicatio rates of cotrolled-release fertilizers deped o release rates of the product. Photo by: UF/IFAS Magesium deficiecy is quite commo o some species of palms i Florida, icludig this Caary Isald Date Palm (Phoeix caariesis). Magesium deficiecy of palms ad cycads usually appears as broad yellow bads alog the margis of the oldest leaves with a gree midrib. Later leaves become completely yellow with tip ecrosis. Table 4. Equal Plat Bed Areas with Differig Shapes Bed Area (sq. ft.) Circle diameter (ft.)

10 Fertilizig Palms Palms have differet utritioal requiremets tha other ladscape plats. Fertilize ladscaped areas withi 30 feet of large established palms with a Mg (N-P 2 O 5 -K 2 0-Mg) ratio fertilizer (a Mg is a example of a fertilizer usig this ratio). Nitroge, potassium ad magesium should have equivalet percetages of each utriet i cotrolled-release form. If you use a fertilizer with a ratio other tha specified, you may brig about or itesify utriet deficiecies i palms. Base fertilizatio rates o Table 3 (see page 54). Palms are highly proe to several potetially fatal microutriet deficiecies, so ay fertilizer you apply to them should cotai 1% 2% iro (Fe) ad magaese (M), plus trace amouts of zic (Z), copper (Cu) ad boro (B). Florida Yard Tip: Turf Fertilizer Apply graular grass fertilizer (bottom left) ad slow-release fertilizer (bottom right) with a drop spreader. Both of these fertilizer forms are recommeded for use o turf. Soluble powders (top), such as the kid used o houseplats, are dissolved i solutio. This form is ot recommeded for laws. MORE INFORMATION For more detailed iformatio o how to properly maitai your law, icludig fertilizer schedules, disease ad pest maagemet, please refer to the Florida Law Hadbook, available for viewig at all couty UF/IFAS Extesio offices. Palm Nutritio Guide: 56

11 For Additioal Iformatio: For refereces o the iformatio cotaied i this book ad liks to additioal resources o each of the ie Florida-friedly ladscapig priciples, icludig may articles o the EDIS website (Electroic Data Iformatio Source of UF/IFAS Extesio), go to ad follow the lik to the FYN Hadbook. You ca also visit FloridaYards.org for more iformatio o Florida-friedly ladscapig, or cotact your couty s UF/IFAS Extesio office ad ask for the Florida Yards & Neighborhoods program. See edu/offices.html or check the govermet pages i your phoe book to fid your couty s Extesio office.

12 Create a Florida-Friedly Yard Yards ad ladscapes ca be a positive asset to Florida. You ca desig ad maitai your ow Florida-Friedly Yard by followig the simple, commo sese practices i this book. You will lear the basics of desigig a ladscape featurig carefully selected plats suited to Florida s uique climate, atural coditios ad wildlife. We offer you cost-savig tips that, if implemeted properly, will help you reduce water, fertilizer ad pesticide use. There is also a helpful sectio for waterfrot homeowers that addresses the special cocers of shorelie ladscape maagemet. Whether you are startig from scratch with a ew ladscape or cosiderig chages to a existig yard, the Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Hadbook offers helpful cocepts, tools ad techiques for creatig your ow Florida-Friedly Yard. We hope you ejoy the publicatio ad we look forward to assistig you i creatig a aesthetically pleasig ladscape that will also help to protect Florida s atural resources. FloridaYards.org