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Recommended Fertilizers for Bermuda Grass

Bermuda grasses are just like flowers. They need fertilizers stay healthy. The best fertilizers for bermuda are nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.

The Americans bought bermuda grass from Africa. Since then, its popularity grew, with its unique traits of resistance to drought and radiant green color. It grows quickly when damaged, becomes dormant in cold seasons and restores its green color when summer returns.

More and more people are drawn to bermuda grass not just because of its physical beauty but more importantly due to its role in soil erosion. Its grass qualities make bermuda sturdy in controlling soil erosion.

Maintaining grasses like Bermuda is not easy. The hybrid type especially needs more care and fertilizers. Applying fertilizers, substances aiding the growth of plants, is crucial. They can be applied on the soil, in plant roots or through foliar feeding. There are two types of fertilizers – organic and inorganic.

The most commonly used organic fertilizers in grasses are:
• Nitrogen Fertilizer
• Potassium Fertilizer
• Phosphorus Fertilizer

Let us discuss them one by one.

1. Nitrogen Fertilizer makes grass growth increase substantially. Increasing grass population is easier.

2. Potassium is a naturally-occurring element essential to all living things. This is the third most abundant mineral in the human body, commonly collected in the surface of grassland soils reaching 12 inches below. Performing a soil test determines the amount of potassium needed.

There are different methods of potassium fertilizers application.

• Applying potassium fertilizer near the seeds is the best option. Make sure the amount of potassium applied is tolerable for the seeds.
• Potassium can also be applied on just the sides (side band method). It is sometimes better to separate fertilizers from the seeds to avoid detrimental effects in germination. The side band method is not widely practiced.
• Banding is the application of potassium in seeds before they are planted. It produces a similar result as the side band method.
• Broadcasting is less efficient than the other methods. Its primary role is to build up soils that are extremely deficient in potassium.

3. Phosphorus Fertilizer is a vital nutrient that aids in the photosynthesis of plants. Energy coming from the sun is not enough anymore. There are two types – the Mono Ammonium Phosphorus and Ammonium Polyphosphate.

Common ways of applying phosphorus fertilizer include:

• Broadcast and incorporation – fertilizer is placed in the soil before the seeds
• Top dress broadcast – no incorporation
• Seed-placed – phosphorus is banded with seed in the seed row
• Side-banding phosphorus
• Banding phosphorus

Try to apply some of these fertilizers for your bermuda grass to grow healthier and greener. Keep in mind to apply only the right amount. Study these fertilizers more carefully and apply the right kind for your grass.