A thin, yellowing lawn might be lacking sulfur.
The right fertilizer and care can get your grass growing again.
Fertilizing your lawn is a little likemaking a cakeingredients and accurate measurements are critical to success.
Credit:Max Kim-Bee
Make a cake with salt instead of sugar and the result is inedible.
Fertilizer containing sulfur can help or hinder your lawn depending on themake up of your soil.
Each nutrient has specific functions in a plant.
For example, sulfur is required for chlorophyll production in all plants.
When a plants chlorophyll production is hindered, plants take on a yellow color.
In fact, it’s exceedingly rare to have low sulfur levels anywhere except the western United States.
Its important to note that sulfur is notoriously hard to measure; it moves through the soil quickly.
A lawn struggling with low sulfur availably will appear thin and yellow-green.
A lawn lacking nitrogen looks very similar.
A soil test can help sort out which nutrients are deficient.
In many areas, soil test kits are available from a local Cooperative Extension Service for a small fee.
There are several commercial soil testing services too.
The lab will then send you a summary of nutrient levels and the pH reading of the soil.
Most soil summaries include suggestedamendments for nutrient deficienciesand soil tips for growing specific plants, such as turf grass.
Common examples include potassium sulfate, ammonium sulfate, andmagnesium sulfate.
Cool-season turf can be fertilized in spring as well, but fall applications are most effective.
Aim toapply fertilizerprior to the intense heat of summer.
How to Apply Lawn Sulfur
Complete lawn fertilizers are available as easy-to-spread granules.
Spread them using a walk-behind fertilizer spreader.
Calibrate the spreader according to fertilizer package directions to ensure the product is applied at the proper rate.
Spread fertilizer on a calm day and maintain a steady walking pace for even system.
Natural Sources of Sulfur
Sulfur is naturally supplied to soil through thebreakdown of organic matter.
Grass clippings left on the turf will breakdown in time, releasing sulfur into the soil.
Another natural source of sulfur is compost.
Not only will compost supply sulfur but it will also improve soil structure.
Spread a 14-inch layer of compost over the lawn.
Rent an aerator at your local home improvement store.
Frequently Asked Questions
Apply sulfur only if a soil test indicates the soil is deficient in sulfur.
Most soil has ample sulfur to grow a great lawn.
Sulfur is not effective at lowering soil pH.
You are better off applying a well-balanced lawn fertilizer.
A sulfate fertilizer applied to a sulfur deficient lawn will green up the turf in one to three days.
Whenever you use fertilizer, follow product label directions exactly for best results.
