Fertilizers often display their macro-nutrients in the form of three numbers, and phosphorous is the second number. Therefore, a fertilizer labeled 10-10-10 would have 10% phosphorous indicated by the second ten. The first number represents nitrogen, and the third number represents potassium. Together, these three elements make up the primary macro-nutrients needed to keep lawns thriving.
Phosphorous is the 15th element in the periodic chart of elements, and it is primarily mined from soil and rock that contains fossils, as it is present in the remains and excrement of animals. In the soil used for lawns, plants remove phosphorous, and fertilizer is needed to replenish it. Naturally occurring phosphorous compounds are not usable by plants for the most part, and lime is one source of phosphorous for fertilizer.
Lawns need phosphorous to stimulate root growth, increase robustness, and increase disease resistance. It basically “beefs up” the entire lawn. Without phosphorous, lawns may decrease in density, and water combined with erosion may reduce phosphorous amounts.
Organic matter such as manure increases the amount of usable phosphorous in plants naturally while also increasing acidity, which causes more phosphorous to be usable. Phosphorous is part of the building blocks of DNA, so it stands to reason that plants need it and can get it from decaying life.
One limiting factor for phosphorous absorption by plants is soil compaction, so lawns must be properly aerated in order to adequately absorb this nutrient.
It is difficult to diagnose phosphorous deficiencies among all of the possibilities. That is why the best way to tell if you have enough phosphorous in your soil is to get a soil test. Make sure to get samples from multiple areas in the yard in order to ensure you have an even level of nutrients throughout. Once you get your soil test, it will include recommendations on fertilizer and whether or not you need additional phosphorous as opposed to other macro-nutrients.
Once you have applied fertilizer with phosphorous, it will not be absorbed quickly by your lawn. The yard should be tested every three to four years to ensure that your fertilizer is doing the trick. Otherwise, you can sit back and watch your grass grow into a robust turf that will require less maintenance because of its thickness and health.
Phosphorous is found naturally in the Earth’s soil, but most of it is unusable to plants. In order to get a lawn to grow and become well-established, it will need a healthy amount of this vital nutrient.
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