How to Fertilize a Dichondra Step by Step – Sembrar100
The dichondra repens has become a favorite alternative for the garden instead of the lawn.
It is a plant that provides elegance and whose leaves, in a rounded shape, make it look striking, so it also contributes to the ornamental theme.
To take good care of it, it is key to give it the food it requires through fertilizers that you will use, above all, before planting.
It is an interesting and broad topic to which we want to pay full attention in this post on fertilizer for dichondra repens. Do you mind if we see it?
Why is it important to fertilize dichondra repens?
Being used as a substitute for grass, dichondra repens needs to be sufficiently fertilized to grow without problems. This action is what will allow it to occupy the area of land that you have decided for it.
In addition, it is a type of plant that is usually subject to a series of damages, especially in summer, for example with children running around the garden. Due to its size, it can become a victim of different types of diseases, but especially pests that find its leaves easily accessible.
All this leads to a greater demand in terms of fertilization so that it is always in the best conditions, with a green and beautiful color.
How often should we pay the dichondra repens?
The repens dichondras will remain healthy in this matter when they receive a dose of fertilizer at the time of planting and others later on a monthly basis.
You are going to maintain these monthly fertilizations during the warm season of the year, to improve the appearance and adaptation.
In any case, special attention must be paid to making the subscriptions during the months of March, April, May and June, to resume them later in September and October.
These last subscribers have the mission of providing energy and strengthening the structure of the plant and thus help it to withstand the winter.
What nutrients do dichondra repens need?
It is a plant that demands nitrogen above any other element and throughout its life phase. It is this nutrient that will allow the plant to look vigorous and healthy, growing at a favorable rate to fulfill its purpose of serving as a lawn.
It is key that you also enjoy a good level of iron, since this is involved in the production of chlorophyll.As you know, chlorophyll is the green pigment that all plants have and that in this case is essential for the dichondra to be green and beautiful.
In any case, what specialists advise is that any fertilizer you choose can also provide the necessary amounts of micronutrients. In this way, you will not have problems to regret due to deficits that you did not know could occur.
What type of fertilizers do dichondra repens need?
The first fertilizer that you will use for your dichondras repens will start from the moment before sowing, providing a good amount of organic matter to the soil.
As sowing by seeds still requires that you remove the soil so that the roots find a space with better conditions to settle, take advantage of it.
Add organic matter throughout the extension, stirring with the surface layer of the soil so that they are integrated and then proceed to plant the dichondras.
This action will provide the primary nutrients for it to establish itself with health and begin to grow, since the organic matter is rich in nitrogen. In the case of mineral fertilizers sold in stores, the ideal is to get one that is balanced or with a higher nitrogen content.
There are versions in liquid format that you can dilute to add along with the irrigation water or you can also take advantage of the granules. These granules are generally of tiny diameters to facilitate mixing with the substrate and so that the plants can absorb what is necessary.
How do we prepare fertilizer for dichondra repens?
You have to prepare the organic fertilizer in the normal way as you do at home.If it is compost, guano or manure you must ensure that it is well decomposed before applying.
In the event that it is worm humus, the finished product will come after the worms fulfill their task.
If you buy the organic fertilizer in garden stores, you will apply it in the same way on the ground, stirring later.
In the case of mineral fertilizers, it is very important to always follow the manufacturer’s instructions to the letter.This will help ensure that the nutritional intake is adequate and not that you exceed the quantities in some way and the dichondra suffers problems as a result of this.
How do we detect if dichondra repens need fertilizer?
You can detect nutritional deficiencies in dichondra repens with the following signs:
- Poor growth: although it is logical that you do not want it to grow explosively, you do have to ensure that its growth rate is appropriate. If it’s going slower than it should, it’s probably due to a nitrogen deficit.
- Different color: green is the characteristic color of this plant and if it does not have it, it is logical to think that something is wrong. The most common thing is that an iron deficiency occurs and by compensating for it, everything returns to normal. That is why it is so important to use balanced fertilizers with micronutrients.
Detecting the nutritional deficits that dichondra repens may have is key to providing it with exactly what it needs. The safest way to carry it out is through soil studies, since they report everything that happens at the base.
However, if it is not possible for you to resort to this system, the assessment of your plants done in a timely manner will help a lot.
Remember that the dichondra repens that is used as a lawn will be subjected to a lot of daily stress, such as the sun, footsteps and rainwater, so all its effort must be repaid with love and fertilizer is key for that.
Bibliographic references
- Dichondra repens, M BINDI – Giardino Fiorito, 1997 – sidalc.net
- Germination and growth of dichondra in soil and biosolid mixtures, R Saavedra, T Sebastián – 2015 – repobib.ubiobio.cl
- Analysis of water erosion in slopes planted with dichondra in autumn, P Mora, F Ariel – 2014 – repobib.ubiobio.cl