If you are looking to give your ray grass all of its needed nutrients then you may be on the hunt for a great fertilizer and might even be considering a 13-13-13 fertilizer. But is that the best possible fertilizer to use in order to ensure that your yard continues to flourish? Here is everything you need to know about 13-13-13 fertilizer and its use on ryegrass.
What is 13-13-13 fertilizer:
13-13-13 fertilizer is one of the most popular and commonly known fast releasing gardening fertilizers. It is easily found in stores and is overall highly accessible and pretty affordable.
In addition to this, 13-13-13 is a general use fertilizer that contains vital micronutrients that are most frequently found in soil. As well as this, it is capable of aiding and boosting plant growth.
Overall, 13-13-13 fertilizer contains all of the basic nutrients that are necessary for your plants to grow and thrive properly.
What do the digits in 13-13-13 fertilizer stand for:
The digits stand for thirteen percent. 13-13-13 fertilizer contains thirteen percent of Nitrogen, thirteen percent of Potassium and thirteen percent of Phosphorus. The reason 13-13-13 fertilizer is so common is because these three ingredients are some of the most basic nutrients that plants and greenery require for proper growth.
Nitrogen in 13-13-13 fertilizer:
Nitrogen is most commonly known for being the largest component of air as it makes up a total of seventy eight percent of the atmosphere surrounding us. However, when it comes to plants nitrogen serves a slightly different purpose. Nitrogen actually helps with vegetative growth. As well as this, it ensures that the leaves, stems and branches of your greenery remain perfectly healthy.
You can spot nitrogen deficiencies in plants pretty easily. Plants that are slightly slanted are usually tilted due to the fact they are not receiving a sufficient amount of nitrogen.
With that being said, you should be careful to not use too much nitrogen as it can cause ‘nitrogen burns’ to your yard.
Phosphorus in 13-13-13 fertilizer:
The next essential nutrient for thorough plant growth is phosphorus, it actually plays a pretty specific and essential role in the root growth of most plants. It also aids with the proper formation of flowers.
Moreover, as a matter of fact, phosphorus helps your yard become more resistant to most diseases that threaten it.
It is pretty difficult to tell whether your lawn is receiving enough phosphorus or not. Because of this, it is recommended that you apply phosphorus/13-13-13 fertilizer as frequently as is recommended by the manufacturer.
Potassium in 13-13-13 fertilizer:
Potassium is a more specific type of nutrient that is usually most needed by more leafy plants, such as vegetables and fruits. Similarly to Phosphorus, Potassium helps your yard become more resistant to most diseases that threaten it. Moreover, Potassium is actually a vital part of the photosynthesis process.
When Potassium is applied to your lawn it builds your yard’s resistance towards heat and snow. Overall, it makes your greenery more durable against outside forces, such as harsher weather conditions.
What is 13-13-13 fertilizer used for:
When you turn your attention towards the label on a 13-13-13 fertilizer you will notice that it almost always says ‘All Purpose’. This means that it has many purposes and is suitable to use on most plants and types of greenery.
For example, it is pretty ideal if you are looking to boost your yard’s overall health, or if you’re aiming for your plants to receive more nutrients quickly then this fast release fertilizer is the perfect solution.
Is 13-13-13 fertilizer the best fertilizer for ray grass:
With all of that being said, 13-13-13 fertilizer is actually not the best fertilizer to use when it comes to ray grass. This is because other types of fertilizers, often with brand names, contain more slow release nitrogen which is more beneficial to your yard.
This means that your plants are able to feed on their required nutrients for longer periods of time. In addition to this, brand name fertilizers also tend to create quite a bit less pollution when compared to the 13-13-13 fertilizer.
Moreover, ryegrass actually requires a starter fertilizer of its own. It is best if thor fertilizer contains high amounts of Phosphorus and Potassium but minimal amounts of Nitrogen. The best type of fertilizer to use on ray grass is a 6-20-20 fertilizer.
13-13-13 fertilizer for ryegrass – final thoughts:
Overall, even though using a 13-13-13 fertilizer gives your plants required nutrients it is not the best fertilizer to use on ryegrass. In general, you should only use 13-13-13 fertilizer as a last resort due to the fact that most types of greenery require more specific fertilizers.