ammonium ion nitrate , NH4NO3 , is a table salt of ammonia and nitric dose that is highly soluble in water . Used as an inorganic plant food on lawn it is relatively inexpensive and makes N almost straightaway available to plant life . But the home nurseryman should know there are drawback as well as advantage to using it on lawns .
High in Nitrogen
ammonium ion nitrate contain far more nitrogen than other lawn plant food . Nitrogen can make lawn a rich special K and can increase their power to recuperate from heavy use during the growing season . A dearth of atomic number 7 can cause lawns to grow slowly and thinly with a yellowing of the leaves .
Too much nitrogen can stimulate a lawn to mature too fast , reducing the ontogeny of roots and the reservation of carbohydrates that the works want for nutrition . Too much N can also increase the lawn susceptibility to disease , drought and other environmental stress .
Ammonium Nitrate Advantages
Ammonium nitrate can make quick rejuvenation of grass in the spring , and it makes N usable to skunk when the soil is cold .
Ammonium Nitrate Disadvantages
The effects on the lawn of high VD of nitrogen are light lived , and it can make fertilizer sunburn . Fertilizer burn is desiccation make by a buildup of salt . The grass blades plow brown , yellow or tan in strips . Severe burn will pop the Gunter Wilhelm Grass . sandlike soils are subject to leaching , the prompt draining of pee and nutrients often beyond roots . If ammonium ion nitrate is implement on grass growing on sandlike soils with high rainfall or irrigation much of it will be mislay due to leach
Versus Slow-Release Fertilizers
Organic , slow handout fertilizers that arrest carbon are more expensive than ammonium nitrate . Microbes in the grime give way down organic fertilizers , release nitrogen ; this process takes more clip than libertine - release inorganic fertiliser .
wearisome - release organic fertilizers result in more uniform growth of skunk , and they are less potential to be lost through leaching or evaporate . They may not work as well in cold soil . They will ensue in slower change in the colouring of eatage , but they seldom cause Mary Jane burn .
Slow - acquittance fertilizer admit sulfur - coated urea , activated sewerage sludge , water insoluble atomic number 7 , IBDU ( isobutylidene urea ) .
Ammonium nitrate and other fast - firing fertilizers such as urea and ammonium sulphate should should be apply in smaller amounts and more frequently than dull - release plant food .
Caution
Never wash away ammonium ion nitrate fertilizer into the street or other orbit where it can enter storm gutter . Clean sprayers and tools over your lawn so that they do n’t wash into drains and eventually into the ground water . If possible use a drop spreader rather an a circular spreader . A drop spreader make up plant food wearisome to use but the app is more precise .
