pH testing in Bedford TX Many homeowners understand that fertilizer should be beneficial to their lawn. However, they apply fertilizer season after season without seeing much alteration in the quality of their turf. It’s frustrating for them because fertilizer is fairly expensive, and the time involved in applying it is not inconsequential. Are they simply wasting time, money and fertilizer? It’s likely that they are. The mistake many people make is that they don’t know their soil’s pH. This means that they may be applying nutrients that their lawn is already getting for free from the soil and water. Clearly, this is a waste of fertilizer, time and money. It may also mean that their grass is getting an overdose of a certain nutrient, and this can lead to problems.
pH Testing – Are You Wasting Fertilizer? You Need To Know
Not knowing your soil’s pH also means that you don’t understand what your grass is missing. When your turf is missing a nutrient, it can’t be as lush, green and full as it could be. This leaves it vulnerable to pests and disease. You’re also more likely to see bare patches, which makes your grass susceptible to weeds. When we begin working on a lawn, one of the first things we do is test the soil’s pH. The pH range runs from one to 14, with one signaling a highly acidic soil and 14 meaning a very alkaline, or base, soil. On this range, seven is considered neutral. The closer your soil’s pH gets to neutral, the healthier your lawn is likely to be. In fact, most turf experts agree that a soil pH of between six and 6.8 is ideal for most lawns. Accordingly, the goal of any fertilizer program should be to bring your soil’s pH into this range. Are You Wasting Your Fertilizer Because of Your pH? How do you know? When your soil is too acidic or too alkaline, it is impossible for your grass to flourish. It may be starving for some nutrients while being overfed with others. When you understand how your soil’s pH level affects the health of your turf, it’s much easier to ensure that your lawn gets what it needs. In the North Texas area, our soils tend to have a pH that is too high. We have to add Sulfur to the lawns to bring down the pH. We use a professional pH meter for pH testing in both your front and back yards to measure pH and make recommendations. If needed we will suggest you purchase a professional laboratory analysis. We will collect samples from several parts of your lawn and send them off to a national lab for professional testing of not only the pH, but the nutrient levels in your lawn. We service lawns and do pH testing in communities like Euless, Grapevine, Bedford and Arlington. Soil testing is part of our Lawn Care Services. If you’ve been applying fertilizer without seeing results, give us a call. We’ll test your soil’s pH and do everything we can to bring it into balance. We’ll apply the right fertilizer at the right time and in the right amount to make certain that your lawn thrives.