Lawn fertilizer

[TresCrows]

Mr Murp, have you ever considered that it may be the type of grass you have planted that results in the rapid browning and high fertilizer requirment?
You can purchase fertilizer much cheaper than the stuff from Home Depot. Vigaro brand will spread in the Herd M 96 and cone type spreaders much better than Scotts. Pelletized fertilizers do much better such as 13/13/13 or 10/10/10. I fertilize twice per year, spring and fall. In the spring I sometimes use a higher nitrogen blend to wake things up and a lower nitrogen blend in the fall. The stuff from the co-op is usually about $8.00 for 60 lb bags.
Love my Herd M-96 3-point spreader. J

 

[hazmat]

In general the pellet stuff (BB's) spreads better than the granular (sugar).

Check out Lesco This is where the pro landscapers and golf course guys shop. You will get premium advice as well as premium product for less than at the Home Depot. Straight fert cost me $14 / 50# of 28-X-Y (Can't remember what X & Y were, but they were low numebrs) in Massachusetts.

 

[thcri]

Tres,

Most of my yard is sod. Because of my hills I didn't have much choice. But I did seed about a 1/4 acre. The seed I purchased what in bulk 50 lbs bags. It is what everyone else uses in this area. The same exact seed that my sodding guy used. All of my neighbors have the same trouble as me. I have one neighbor that will fertilize at least three to four times per year also. His grass like mine stays nice. Our other neighbors, well that is a different story. They fertilize once or twice a year and it is nothing but brown and the weeds are coming in. It is called a silt loam and if water starts running on it it will leave a trench really deep. I had about 6" of dirt layed on top of it before the sod. I do have the greenist grass so far this year. All of my neighbors are still laying somewhat dormant yet. I just finally got around to putting my spring fertilizer on.

murph

 

[hazmat]

Murph,

Sandy and silty soils, don't hold the nutrients as long as clay soils. You may want to investigate topdressing with organic material (compost). Over the long term, this will improve the nutrient holding capacity of your soil, requiring less fertilizer per year. Another option is to use so called organic fert. Once the nitrogen is used up, the organic material is left in the soil.

Downside is, either option is likely more expensive than simply giving your grass the extra juice.

 

[thcri]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Straight fert cost me $14 / 50# of 28-X-Y (Can't remember what X & Y were, but they were low numebrs) in Massachusetts. )</font>

I just picked up 5 bags of 29-3-10 for just a few pennies under $40.00. That's $8.00 per 50# bag. I thought that was a pretty good deal.

Haz, I have thought of the organic and am thinking even if it is a bit more in the long run it would be cheaper. The guy I buy my fertilizer from "Cenex Coop" tells me that 4 times a year is not out of the ordinary for this area. Your Scott's program's is 4 times per year also.

murph

 

[markie61]

My in-law's 6 acre old hayfield is in a soil & water conservation zone. As part of the plan's soil analysis, we have to fertilize a 3-9-5 ratio at a rate of 363lbs/acre and lime 1 ton/acre. Yesterday I went to the local Southern States coop and they mixed up 2180lbs for me and dumped it in the bed of my pickup truck. Cost = 13cents/lb (or equivalent 50lb bag = $6.50). They sell ag lime in bulk for $25/ton (or equivalent 50lb bag = 63cents).
Mark

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Have you tried getting a soil sample analyzed?

Andy

 

[thcri]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Cost = 13cents/lb (or equivalent 50lb bag = $1.50). )</font>

Mark,

.13 times 50 = $6.50 Did you make a mistake there or am I missing something.

murph

 

[markie61]

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I'd like to say it's fat fingers on the keyboard, but I can't..... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Mark

Phew!!! Edited it..... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[thcri]

Mark,

Don't feel bad, I pushed the numbers a couple of times because I thought I had fat fingers. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif