Fertilizer – Some Pros and Cons

Q: I planted new bermuda sod last summer. I used 10-10-10 fertilizer the remainder of the year. Should I stick with the 10-10-10 or go with products that have a higher first number, like 29-0-4?

A: Do you eat your entire day’s meals at one sitting or do you spread them out? 10-10-10 fertilizer releases all of its nutrients at once, giving immediate green-up for your lawn. But after the first couple of rains, the nutrients have all been dissolved and used by the plants, leaving nothing for them until the next feeding. Turf fertilizers are coated with various products that slow the release of nutrients. This gives your lawn constant nutrient availability for several weeks, which is much better for the grass.