Smart Fertilizing - Keeping Landscapes Beautiful & Growing

Proper fertilization of your lawn and landscape plants, palms and trees is a year-round commitment. Depending on the type of grass you have, the soil quality, and the growing conditions in your location, your lawn will have a unique set of fertilization needs.

The turf management team at Wilhelm Brothers is comprised of experts on the care and fertilization of Florida turf grass and lawns. Since your soil cannot supply all the nutrients your lawn requires to stay healthy and green year after year, using the correct fertilizer and doing so at the correct time is vital to maintaining that lush green lawn. The proper use of fertilizers not only keeps your lawn green but offers other benefits that include:

● Increasing root and leaf growth
● Replacing lost nutrients
● Helping recover past damage
● Reducing and controlling weeds

At Wilhelm Brothers, our goal is to help you develop your lawn to its maximum potential. Prior to any services, we will conduct a soil test where we will examine the following before making recommendations based on the needs of your lawn:

● Type of grass and soil content
● Thatch levels
● Shade and sun levels
● Any disease or insect problems
● Types and amounts of weeds

With over 40 years of horticultural experience, we choose the fertilizer and create a timeline only after doing a soil test that is free of charge to our clients. We will then consult with you as to which options work best for you to maintain your lawn for years to come. There are different choices available when it comes to the type of fertilizer that will work best for your lawn. Our experts will determine the following:

1. The grade of fertilizer is needed
2. Nutrient content of fertilizer needed
3. The effect of the fertilizer on soil pH and SLD concentrations
4. How the soil reacts to the fertilizer
5. Soil amendments if needed
6. How to avoid any potential for heavy metal accumulation following fertilization application

At this point, our experts will work with you to get your feedback, discuss your options, and set up a maintenance plan that will suit your personal requirements and budget. One of the matters we will look into is what type of fertilizer will meet your needs.

Organic Fertilizers

Many people today are making the switch to organic fertilizers. These are made from natural sources such as manure, compost, or other plant producers. They are high in nutrients, and they work slower and more effectively in the long term, building up the soil as they do. The organic matter in the fertilizer improves soil structure, helps microbes thrive, and enables them to make more nutrients.

Organic fertilizers are environmentally friendly, with almost no runoff at all. They can also reduce the need for pesticides. While they are pricier than synthetic fertilizers, their overall benefits outweigh the costs.

Inorganic or Synthetic Fertilizers

Other than the facts that it costs less and may negatively affect the environment, there are other pluses and minuses to using inorganic or synthetic fertilizer. Some of the positives of choosing to go with this type of fertilizer include the following:

1. Synthetic fertilizers are refined to the nutrients that can be extracted, therefore the ratio of nutrients can already be found on the label.
2. Nutrients are readily available, so improvements are visible in days.
3. Synthetic fertilizers are great for rescuing dying plants as the nutrients immediately go into the soil and are quickly absorbed by the plants.

Some of the disadvantages include:

1. Synthetic fertilizer is made from petroleum products.
2. The fast release process can cause nutrients to leach out and go into the groundwater.
3. The nutrients in synthetics are immediately available to the plant, so overfertilizing is a possibility.
4. Synthetics do not improve soil quality.

For over 40 years, Wilhelm Brothers has been providing the Sarasota area with superior customer service and long-lasting relationships. We are family owned and operated, and we provide our staff with quality education and training. Many of our trained technicians and other employees have been with us for over 30 years. We want to not only be your go-to landscape experts but also build a relationship of trust and service with you.