What does nitrogen do for grass?

If you’ve noticed in our weekly posts about summer weeds, it seems like all of them are deterred when a lawn is rich with nitrogen. But what exactly does nitrogen do for grass other than keep the weeds away?

You’ve probably noticed that on most fertilizer bags, the key ingredient is nitrogen. That is because every plant needs it to survive and thrive. Nitrogen is the single most important nutrient to add to your lawn. It helps grass grow above the soil and then helps it photosynthesize. Without nitrogen, plants are unable to produce enough chlorophyll. Without chlorophyll, plants are unable to produce energy and feed themselves to grow. 

If a lawn doesn’t have enough nitrogen, the grass will be weak and susceptible disease. Think about it like our immune system. If we eat healthy foods and intake the correct vitamins and minerals, we have a strong immune system and thrive. If we eat unhealthy foods and don’t get the correct vitamins and minerals, we have a weak immune system and are susceptible to getting sick more often. Nitrogen keeps the grass healthy and thriving. 

Moral of the story: make sure your grass (and really all of your plants) have plenty of nitrogen!

By: Hannah Raines
Copyright Turf Boss 2021

Give us a call!