A common reason people stay with quick release fertilizer is they think that their turf will not be as healthy when they use slow release fertilizer.
In this FAQ, Christina Burton, Maintenance Channel Manager for Horizon, describes the main problem with quick release fertilizer and why slow release fertilizer is a better long-term solution.
Covering Quick And Slow Release Fertilizers - Video Transcript
The other common myth regarding slow release fertilizer and what causes people to hesitate moving to slow release is that the turf is not going to be as healthy. They’re used to seeing that flush green growth from a quick release and think that slow release isn’t going to get that for them.
And really, as we kind of looked before, you get that lush flush growth at the beginning with quick release, but you also get the fall really quickly. So it’s those peaks and valleys.
Whereas the slow release, again, there’s still some quick release components in there that are giving it immediate green. You get a result. But it’s extending the period a lot longer and you’re not having a complete crash.
And the other downside with having a crash like that or with the over-production of shoot growth at the beginning is that, much like fertilizing in the wrong periods of the year, it’s causing the turf to over-produce shoot growth and they can only do that at the expense of the roots.
So repeated flush quick release applications like this, really the end result is a very shallow root system that has a hard time mining for nutrients and water. And it just kinda becomes this vicious cycle. Versus, the slow release is sustainable.
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