Lawn & Garden / lawn fertilizer

Summer is the most stressful time of year for our lawn. Our cool-season grasses do not appreciate multiple days above 100 degrees. The good news is that late summer and early fall are the optimal time for our lawns to recover and in this article I will outline the multi-step process.

As fall approaches, seize the moment to revitalize your garden. Trim and nurture existing plants for healthier yields, embrace cover crops to enhance soil health and invite beneficial insects. Enhance with amendments like compost, gypsum, and Zamzows Huma Green. Tend to perennials and shrubs, then consider leaving trimmings for wildlife. Fall is prime for planting and transplanting, while sowing grass seed ensures a vibrant lawn.

Step back in time to 1921, when a devastating cholera epidemic wreaked havoc on the Southern United States, claiming the lives of countless hogs. However, amidst the tragedy, an incredible discovery was made—one that would change the course of agriculture forever.

Hot summer months in the Treasure Valley are extremely stressful to our plants and in particular our lawns. Feeding your lawn in spring and early summer nourishes and prepares your lawn for this heat. But we reach the end of summer and head into fall, feeding your lawn specifically for recovery is vitally important as our lawn prepares for winter.

Idaho is unique in more ways than one. We are considered part of the Pacific Northwest; however, we don’t share many of the qualities often associated with the region. Our winters are cold and often dry. Spring changes quickly to summer, and rainfall is drastically less than the rest of Pacific Northwest. In reality, we’re a northwest and southern climate blend. This creates some interesting challenges for our lawns to overcome.

Recently, Jim Zamzow was asked to speak at the Nampa Public Library concerning healthy soil and the impact it has on our water quality, in conjunction with a traveling exhibit on water from the Smithsonian Museum. We don’t think about this very much, however, it should be one of the most important things we consider when fertilizing our lawns, landscape, and gardens.

I guess I should say the soil is an ecosystem, harboring millions of microorganisms including bacteria, fungi, bugs, and worms. The soil is a diverse and complex place. All these micro-critters need to eat, feeding them is the first step to properly feeding our plants.