Our Blog

When you buy one of the new homes in McKinney TX, will you know the best way to care for your new lawn? The North Texas climate is tough on plants and lawns, and unfortunately, many homeowners wind up applying the wrong fertilizer, too often, and at the wrong times. This can lead to an expensive cycle of fertilizer application and mowing of turfgrass. Even worse, excess fertilizer can pollute our creeks and streams. When applied correctly, chemical fertilizers can benefit your lawn without harming our environment. Here are a few tips to help you properly care for your lawn:

1. Use the right chemicals – Fertilizer products display their main components on the packaging, to help you decide which product is best for your lawn’s particular needs. The first number on the bag is always nitrogen (N), the second number is phosphorous (P), and the third number is potassium (K). Since our North Texas clay soils don’t have a lot of nitrogen, but do have sufficient amounts of phosphorous and potassium, you’ll need to choose a fertilizer that is rich in nitrogen. One caveat to this is that each yard is unique in what types of nutrients are truly deficient. For best results, you should pick up a soil test kit at a home and garden store to see what nutrients your lawn requires.

2. Use the right amounts – Some people think “more is better” when it comes to fertilizer. But that’s not the case. You can actually harm your grass by spreading too much fertilizer. To apply the correct amount, measure the square footage of your landscape before buying any chemicals to make sure you get only the amount you need. Then, follow the instructions on the product label to make sure you apply the chemicals correctly.

3. Apply at the right time – Some homeowners believe the best time to apply fertilizer is before a predicted rainfall, thinking the rain will help soak the fertilizer into the soil. But that is actually the worst time to apply chemicals to your lawn! Since most fertilizers are water soluble, a heavy rain will only wash the chemicals right off your grass and into local creeks and streams. The best time to apply fertilizer is when fair weather days are in the forecast. After applying the chemicals, spritz plant leaves using a hand-held hose to prevent them from burning. One way to ensure your fertilizer stays in the soil is to consider organic alternatives such as compost, which is less water soluble than synthetic fertilizers and tend to resist heavy rain more effectively.

You can find spacious new homes in McKinney TX for sale at Fairways at Craig Ranch. Landon Homes has released its final phase in this master-planned community, located just minutes from Hwy. 121. Choose from a number of beautiful three, four and five bedroom floor plans on generously sized lots, with all the amenities you can ask for at an affordable price. For more information about the homes for sale at Fairways at Craig Ranch, contact our sales manager Patrice Hopkins at 972-540-0000 today.

This post was written by Landon Homes.