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Knowing the nutrient content and pH of your soil is the first step of a working lawn care program. Lawns are grown on a wide variety of soil types and fertilizer requirements can vary greatly depending on the conditions in the soil.

Many nutrients tend to be over-applied resulting in imbalances in the soil and harmful effects on the environment. An excess of nitrogen can cause leaching and groundwater contamination or contamination of waterways from run-off. Many current fertilizers no longer contain phosphorus because they bind with the soil, and years of needless applications have virtually eliminated the need to apply phosphorus to a lawn ever again.

A soil's pH is the measure of its alkalinity or acidity based on a scale from 0 to 14. Zero represents extreme acidity, fourteen is extreme alkalinity, and seven is neutral. The pH of a lawn's soil should be in the 6.0 - 7.5 range. If pH becomes imbalanced, it can directly affect the availability of nutrients in the soil. Limestone-derived products are applied to soil that is acidic(sour), while alkaline(sweet) soils require applications of sulfur products. Adjusting the pH of your soil may take several years but is crucial for proper nutrient uptake and plant health.

As of 2014, Maryland will not allow the use of Nitrogen-based fertilizers. It’s been a staple for many many years, so having documentation about how the lawn is reacting to the new balance of products in today’s fertilizers will be crucial to adapting to these changes.

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