Ironite For Lawns: Benefits And How To Use It

Green and lush lawns are the pride of any homeowner, and when it doesn’t look its best, a solution must be found and quick! When my lawn took a turn for the worse, I decided to give it an Ironite treatment. Before using Ironite, I researched it to make sure I knew a bit about the product I was using. So what is Ironite for lawns, what are its benefits, and how do you use it?

Ironite is an iron-rich mineral supplement used on lawns to enhance greenness by aiding photosynthesis. Benefits include versatility, enriching lawns and nearby plants, Advanced Soil Technology, beneficial microbes used on all soil types, and no chemical burns. There are two forms of ironite: liquid and granular. 

Treating your lawn with an iron-rich mineral supplement can give it the boost it needs to get back to its prime. It also has incredible benefits, so now it might be a good idea to take a more in-depth look at those benefits. While we are at it, we can explore Ironite, its uses, how it aids photosynthesis, and how we might use it on our lawns.

What Is Ironite, And When Should I Use It?

Ironite is an iron-rich mineral supplement produced by Pennington, a subsidiary of Central Garden & Pet Co. Its main objective is to restore yellow, pale lawns and neighboring plants to vibrant, rich green colors. You can use Ironite four times a year for best results, supplementing your regular fertilizer as part of your usual fertilization schedule, but applications should not exceed ten times a year. 

The manufacturers use a unique formula to combat nutrient deficiency-induced pale colors by giving your soil a nutrient boost. Your grass needs iron to produce chlorophyll, which is necessary for photosynthesis. If your lawn is suffering from this nutrient deficiency, it will start to look faded. This condition is called iron chlorosis and is comparable to anemia in people. 

Ironite is a mineral supplement that uses a unique formula that causes plants and grass to absorb iron quickly. The package states that Ironite provides iron in a soluble form suitable for flowers, lawns, shrubs, vegetables, and trees. Ironite also contains small doses of other nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, and phosphate.

The Ironite mineral supplement formula consists of:

• 20% iron, adequately ensuring a deep green, healthy lawn without making your grass grow excessively long.
• 50% of the included nitrogen is slow releasing, leading to even grass growth while refraining from burning your grass and any surrounding plants; slow-release also makes it last longer.
• Advanced Soil Technology (AST) is a linear polymer, and it improves the soil’s physical characteristics, ensuring maximum plant performance. At the same time, it minimizes soil loss and improves water penetration.
• Beneficial microbes, which aid your soil’s microscopic ecosystem by increasing the organic activity of your soil, help your lawn and plants be more effective and efficient in their use of the ingredients in the product. 

What Are The Benefits Of Using Ironite On Your Lawn?

There are many benefits of using Ironite on your lawn; let’s take a closer look at some of the main ones.

Ironite And Its Fast Acting Iron Absorption And Versatility

The first benefit of using Ironite on your lawn would be that it will help your grass absorb iron, giving it back that lush green look that will be the pride of your neighborhood. It does this relatively quickly. For example, if you are planning an event at your house and your lawn is looking rather sorry for itself, an application of Ironite a week before your event will make your grass look amazing right on time.

Ironite not only benefits lawns but also has a positive effect on the nearby plant life. Your garden trees, shrubs, and even herbs or food crops will benefit from Ironite as well. 

Ironite And Its Advanced Soil Technology

Ironite also contains AST (Advanced Soil Technology) this is a two-fold benefit: 

• Firstly, AST improves your soil’s physical characteristics, which promotes maximum performance in your soil. 
• The theory behind this is that the AST binds smaller soil particles together to create bigger ones, making it easier for water penetration.
• Secondly, this binding significantly reduces soil loss under your lawn. Easier water penetration means that you don’t have to water your yard as often as you would have before. Decreased water usage is an environmentally friendly benefit as it saves water.

Ironite And Its Beneficial Microbes

Another benefit is that Ironite adds beneficial microbes to your soil, increasing your soil’s organic activity more effectively and efficiently. Organic microbes are already present in your soil, but often they are small in number. Therefore, adding additional microbes is always beneficial. They also aid your plants’ roots in their nutrient and moisture uptake.

Ironite And Its Lack Of Chemical Burning Agents

As Ironite only has small doses of macronutrients such as nitrogen, the chance of giving your lawn chemicals burns is super slim. Another aspect of this is that the low amounts of nitrogen in Ironite will prevent excessive lawn growth. Meaning you can get a beautiful lush green lawn without having to mow the grass all the time.

Ironite For All Soil Types

It suits all soil types; whether you have sandy, clay, or loamy soil, Ironite will work for you. There is more than one form of Ironite; therefore, you only need to determine which one will work best for your soil type. 

What Are The Two Different Forms Of Ironite?

Ironite mineral supplement for lawns comes in two forms, liquid and granular; both have their benefits and unique formulas. So, lets’ take a better look at what granular and liquid Ironite mineral supplements are.

What Is Granular Ironite, And How Do You Apply It?

Granular Ironite is made up of 20% iron, 1% nitrogen, 1% potash, 8% calcium, 5% Sulphur. This form of Ironite comes in granular form, and the application process uses a broadcast spreader applying the granules straight to the grass. Granular Ironite works best with clay or loamy soil. Applying Ironite will mimic other fertilizer application methods. 

• Step 1: The first step is to measure the breadth and length of your yard using a tape measure to calculate the application area.
• Step 2: Multiply the width times the length, which will give you the area or square footage of your yard. For example, a yard that measures 100 feet long by 85 feet wide will have an area of 8,500 square feet.
• Step 3: To get your yards’ total square footage, you need to add up all individually measured areas. For example, if your front yard measures 5,000 square feet and your backyard measure 8,500 square feet, your total area is 13,500 square feet.
• Step 4: It would be best if you now did a calculation to determine how many bags of Ironite you will need. A standard 10-lb. Ironite granule bag covers around 1,000 square feet. For 13,500 square feet, you would need 14 bags to cover the entire area.
• Step 5: Ironite recommends that you do not distribute fertilizer before heavy rains, so make sure to check your weather forecast before application.
• Step 6: It’s time to put the Ironite into your chosen spreader.
• Step 7: At this stage, you will need to adjust your spreader settings. To make sure that you complete the application correctly, follow the suggested settings on the back of your Ironite bag. Ironites’ manufacturers have already gone through the trouble of researching the best settings for each spreader machine make and mode for the perfect application of their product. 
• Step 8: Now, you can spread the Ironite with the aid of your chosen spreader.
• Step 9: Make sure to remember this important step. You will need to give your lawn a good watering after Ironite application to help the Ironite settle in to help distribute the nutrients to the roots. You can do this with a sprinkler system or a garden hose.

What Is Liquid Ironite, And How Do You Apply It?

If you are looking for quick results on greening your lawn, then liquid Ironite is the way to go. The Ironite will help the blades of your grass absorb the required nutrients at a much faster rate than the granular form. 

Sandy alkaline soils work best with this form of Ironite application. You can spray liquid Ironite on the grass directly or onto your plants’ foliage. In this case, the vegetation absorbs the nutrients directly. 

• Step 1: Water your lawn thoroughly before applying the liquid Ironite.
• Step 2: You need to mix one gallon of water with one tablespoon of liquid Ironite. The application method includes spraying the liquid Ironite mixed with water onto your lawn. 
• Step 3: Use a sprayer tank or a spray container, or attach the bottle straight to your hose depending on which variety of liquid Ironite you have.

Make sure that you follow the instructions on the back of the bottle very carefully; this is very important. If you use too much, your grass might turn black/gray. You might notice that your grass has a slight brown tint to it after application; this is nothing to worry about and will disappear after you have watered it.

This method is becoming more popular than the granular application because it has a faster working result, and the application process is more unified. However, one drawback of using this method is that you can unintentionally reach places you should have avoided with the spray, such as sidewalks and driveways.

Safety Measures To Employ When Using Ironite

Ensure you are wearing the correct clothing while applying Ironite to your lawn. The best gear is long sleeves, long pants, and gloves. Another good idea would be to wash all of your exposed skin thoroughly after application. Ironite can stain your clothes; therefore, it would be best to wash the clothes you wore during application separately. 

No one should be allowed onto the lawn until it has dried completely; this includes any pets. One of the ingredients in Ironite is mercury, a toxic substance. If your pet ingests Ironite, it can become sick. Therefore good practice would be to remove any contaminated objects from the area after application. 

Be careful when applying granular Ironite to your lawns as it permanently stains concrete, rocks, pavers, and flagstones. Make sure to sweep up any granules that fall on the ground or pathways, driveways, or garage floors. 

When applying liquid Ironite, make sure that you always have a rag on hand to wipe away any spills immediately, as the liquid will permanently stain anything it touches an orange color, especially concrete.

Can You Use Ironite And Fertilizer At The Same Time?

You can use Ironite in conjunction with your usual fertilizer regime. As Ironite is a mineral supplement, it does not add large amounts of macronutrients to your soil. These macronutrients are present in your typical fertilizers. A suggestion would be to choose a good organic fertilizer to use on your lawn. 

When you wish to fertilize and apply Ironite to your lawn, it is always best to do a soil test beforehand to determine which nutrients you lack or whether the pH of your soil is the problem.

Is Ironite Harmful To Use On Or Around Food Crops?

If you research Ironite, you might come across information that states that it is harmful to use and introduces lead and heavy metals into your soil. So here is just a little bit of extra information to clear your conscience. 

Ironite has changed a lot since its initial manufacturing process. The original product promised to do two things: first, it lowered your soil pH, and second, added iron to your soil. It became a popular option and was used mainly in the golfing and landscaping industries. 

The original Ironite manufactured product contained recycled mine tailings, which included heavy metals. The primary two metals were lead and arsenic. When the public was made aware that these heavy metals were present in Ironite, it caused the manufacturers of Ironite some trouble. The controversy around whether these metals were bad for food crops abounded.

The manufacturers of Ironite realized they had to change the label on their products, excluding food crop applications, to rectify this problem. Luckily, when the mine tailings supply ended in 2005, the old product was discontinued when the mine closed.

Since then, Ironite has changed hands, and ownership is now under Central Garden & Pet Co., it is now a completely different product but carries the same name. You can safely apply it to your food crops, and it now includes a list of products under the Ironite name.

Why Choose Ironite?

After discussing all of the benefits of using Ironite such as its quick iron fix and added beneficial microbes. With its unique AST and how it works with any soil type. Its reduced macronutrients, resultant no chemical burn, and versatility show that this is a fantastic product that would be great for any lawn.

It also doesn’t stain the skin, even though it will change the color of your concrete. Ironite is a popular choice by homeowners because not only is it an excellent product, but it is also readily available in your local stores and online.

Conclusion

Ironite is a mineral supplement that gives your lawn an iron boost. You can use Ironite when you notice that your grass is looking rather sorry for itself, appearing yellow or pale, and you want it to return to its previous vibrant and lush green color. Ironite comes in two forms, granular and liquid, each working its best with different soil types. 

Ironite has many benefits, including being versatile, as it can benefit your grass and your trees, shrubs, and food crops. Ironite employs AST, which is environmentally friendly and reduces water usage; due to its reduced amounts of macronutrients, it does not chemically burn your lawns, and you can use it on all soil types.