July Lawn Fertilizer Guide: Choosing Better Products for Healthier Plants

July is the perfect time to evaluate what you’re feeding your lawn and landscape. This episode of Great Gardens Radio focuses on fertilizer quality, explaining why many heavily advertised products have become weaker over time while professional-grade fertilizers continue to deliver stronger, longer-lasting results.

The show also covers premium fertilizers for trees, shrubs, flowers, and lawns, summer lawn care, chigger prevention, rose rosette disease, and how to maximize plant performance during the hottest part of the growing season.

Why Fertilizer Quality Matters More Than Brand Names

Many commonly advertised fertilizers have gradually reduced both their weight and the quality of their ingredients while maintaining premium prices. Instead of focusing on marketing, homeowners should compare:

• Slow-release nitrogen content
• Water insoluble nitrogen (WIN)
• Trace elements
• Sulphate of potash versus muriate of potash
• Cost per pound of actual nitrogen
• Overall performance rather than package size

The episode emphasizes that better fertilizers provide longer feeding cycles, healthier root systems, improved flowering, stronger growth, and better overall value.

Betty’s Show Turf: Long-Lasting Lawn Fertilizer

For lawns, the show recommends Betty’s Show Turf as a premium fertilizer designed to feed for up to 20 weeks.

Highlighted benefits include:

• Long-lasting slow-release nutrition
• Low salt index
• Water insoluble nitrogen (WIN)
• Bay-friendly formulation
• Sulphate of potash for improved seed performance
• Only two applications per year—spring and early fall

Alternative quality lawn fertilizers mentioned include:

• Turf Trust
• Greenview Fall Special
• Betty’s Ultimate

Best Fertilizers for Trees, Shrubs & Flowers

For landscape plants, the episode highlights Agriform tablets as one of the highest-quality complete fertilizers available.

Benefits include:

• 20-10-5 formula
• Full trace element package
• High percentage of water insoluble nitrogen
• Extremely low salt index
• Slow, consistent nutrient release
• Easy dosage based on plant size

Other recommended premium fertilizers include:

• Plant Trust
• Fertilome Start-n-Grow
• Garden Trust
• Anderson’s 18-6-12
• Osmocote Plus (15-9-12)

The discussion also advises avoiding lower-quality fertilizers that lack slow-release nitrogen or trace elements.

Understanding Water Insoluble Nitrogen (WIN)

A major topic this week is Water Insoluble Nitrogen (WIN).

WIN allows fertilizer to:

• Release nutrients slowly
• Resist heavy rainfall
• Feed plants later into the growing season
• Improve flower bud production
• Support healthier, longer-lasting growth

According to the episode, fertilizers with higher WIN percentages continue feeding long after conventional fertilizers have been exhausted.

Chigger Prevention During Summer

Summer also brings chigger season.

The program explains:

• Chiggers are mites, not insects.
• Standard insecticides may not provide effective control.
• Granular or liquid bifenthrin products can provide one to two months of protection.
• Treat lawns and landscape beds before problems develop.
• Hydrocortisone remains one of the best treatments for bites.

Summer Lawn Care Priorities

As heat and humidity increase, lawns become more susceptible to disease.

The show recommends:

• Applying summer fertilizer with iron and humates
• Measuring irrigation rather than guessing
• Providing approximately one inch of water weekly
• Using fungicides where appropriate for dense sunny lawns
• Watering shrubs with a watering wand instead of sprinklers

Proper watering remains one of the most important factors in preventing summer lawn stress.

Rose Rosette Disease & Rose Care

The episode also discusses Rose Rosette Disease, a serious systemic disease spread by mites.

Recommended care includes:

• Remove infected plants completely, including roots.
• Fertilize roses regularly with premium fertilizers.
• Spray with Rose Shield combined with Wilt-Pruf.
• Reapply every four to five weeks.
• Lime annually.
• Deadhead spent flowers throughout the season.

Consistent preventive care helps maintain healthier roses throughout the growing season.

Key Takeaways

This week’s episode reminds gardeners that quality products often outperform heavily advertised alternatives while costing less over the long run. Investing in premium fertilizers, practicing proper watering, preventing pests early, and maintaining roses and lawns throughout summer creates healthier landscapes with fewer problems later in the season.