We all know that growing plants takes a certain level of TLC. The amount of care a plant needs varies depending on its variety. At a minimum however, plants need a basic amount of proper soil, water, and sunlight.
We instinctually know this we pot plants for inside or want to plant a raised bed garden. We go to the store and buy the best potting soil or composted soil to help us have the prettiest flowers and largest vegetables. The same applies on a larger scale to home lawns and larger farms. Our lawns are a little bit different, however. The grass is still a plant that needs the same basic ingredients, but we can’t just buy more healthy soil and spread it over lawns to improve their overall health.
This is why our lawns need soil amendments. Soil products come in a variety of forms and provide value in different ways. Some help to naturally increase organic matter that forms a less compacted layer of soil helping roots to grow deeper and spread out. Others will “unlock” micro-nutrients that are bound up in the soil allowing the plant to more easily absorb what already there.
Rather than having to add more nutrients, the soil releases what it has in store. Soil amendments help to regulate pH levels which also impact how nutrients are absorbed by the root system as well as having a direct impact on color. Healthier soils generally require less synthetic inputs to achieve similar color and growth results. When the soil has the proper nutrient balance, it will naturally have an impact on the types of weeds present in your lawn as well.
It is kind of just like the human body when you think about it. We can take a fist full of vitamins, but our bodies will probably only absorb a small percentage of what intake, especially if the rest of our lifestyle is unhealthy. Vitamins alone are not going to provide great health for us. We have to incorporate exercise, rest, and getting more nutrients from healthy food sources rather than synthetic vitamins.
If you apply that turf, the fertilizer and the weed control products that are added to your lawn are like vitamins. They will provide some good results. However, if you incorporate proper watering, mowing, and soil conditioners, the impact of the fertilizer and weed control is greatly enhanced. Hello, best lawn ever!
At Loyalty, we use an all-liquid soil conditioner called Hydra-Hume. This product offers many benefits to the soil:
- Increase fertilizer efficiency
- Improve nutrient uptake
- Enhance soil structure and biology
- Improve agronomic conditions for stronger plant and root growth
- Helps prevent nutrient tie-up
- Increases nitrogen uptake
- Helps keep nutrients in the root-feeding zone
- Improves availability of applied nutrients