Fertilizing Lawns | OSU Extension Service

06 May.,2024

 

Fertilizing Lawns | OSU Extension Service

Types of nitrogen fertilizer

Nitrogen fertilizers are classified by the rate of nitrogen release (that is, availability to plants). The two general types are water-soluble nitrogen and slow-release nitrogen.

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Water-soluble nitrogen is available immediately after being watered in, and it rapidly turns the lawn green and stimulates growth. Nitrogen in soluble fertilizers doesnʼt last long, so you need to apply it more frequently at lower rates to maintain a steady supply of nitrogen to the turf. Examples of water-soluble nitrogen fertilizer materials include ammonium nitrate, urea, ammonium phosphate, and ammonium sulfate.

Water-soluble fertilizers have salt-like characteristics and can cause desiccation injury (burning) by drawing water out of leaf tissue. This problem is most common when people apply ammonium sulfate or urea to moist turf and fail to water it in immediately (Figure 3). Avoid foliar burn by irrigating turf thoroughly after applying any water-soluble fertilizer. Water long enough to wash granules off foliage or until granules completely dissolve.

Slow-release nitrogen fertilizers have relatively low water solubility and release nitrogen slowly over a longer period of time than soluble fertilizers. Therefore, they may give less initial color and growth response but are less likely to cause fertilizer burn. Theyʼre significantly more expensive than soluble nitrogen fertilizers.

Common slow-release nitrogen fertilizers include methylene ureas (Nitroform and Nutralene), sulfur-coated urea (SCU), polymer-coated urea (PCU), polymer-coated SCU (PCSCU), isobutylidenediurea (IBDU), and natural organic, protein-based sources such as activated sewage sludge and mixtures of feather meal, dried poultry waste, and dried blood.

Synthetic methylene ureas release nitrogen when soil microorganisms break them down. Since microbes are more active in warm weather, these products work well in the summer but poorly in winter and early spring.

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SCU nitrogen release depends largely on water that permeates the sulfur shell and dissolves the urea. These products release nitrogen faster at higher temperatures. Common SCU materials release nitrogen slightly faster than other slow-release sources. This source appears in many common fertilizers.

PCU and PCSCU sources depend on water movement through the polymer shell to dissolve the urea, which then diffuses into the soil, where the nitrogen is taken up by plant roots. Nitrogen release is faster in warm weather and slows down dramatically when soil temperatures drop to about 40°F.

IBDU depends primarily on water hydrolysis to release nitrogen and is less affected by soil temperatures than natural or polymer-coated fertilizers. It is effective at all times of the year, but first-time applications tend to produce a weak response. Used repeatedly over time, this is a highly effective material.

Protein-based natural products release nitrogen when soil micro-organisms break them down. Thus, they are highly temperature-dependent and release nitrogen faster during summer and fall when soil temperatures tend to be high. They produce effects much like those of methylene ureas, PCU, PCSCU, and IBDU. Natural organic materials work well and are widely used in Oregon.

Commercial fertilizers often combine soluble and slow-release nitrogen sources to give good initial and residual response, lower burn potential, and intermediate cost.

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