fertilizer of choice?

[slag]

Neighbors have nice lush dark green grass. Like an idiot, I didn't fertilize and its taking longer for mine to turn dark green. We are supposed to have rain all week so I should put some down with a broadcast spreader. What do you all recommend? Scotts has some offerings out there. I don't need to overseed or anything, just put down some fertilizer to help the light green/old yellow stuff turn dark green faster

 

[MustISO]

I've been reading that it's not always good to fertilize in the early spring because it can cause issues with root growth. While it will green up the lawn quickly it may not be the best thing.

Do you know what the soil composition is? Without a soil test it's hard to say what type of lawn fertilizer or product is needed.

Most sites/products recommend slow release w/ nitrogen (if needed) is the best option.

This site has a lot of good info:
http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/when_should_i_fertilize_my_lawn_during_spring

 

[slag]

Do you know what the soil composition is?

It's mostly dirt with some dirt thrown in.

 

[Zivic]

i'm a fan of scotts.... Im sure there are other good brands out there as well.

I have one of the nicest laws I have personally seen, it does well by my standards

 

[DrPizza]

It depends on what your soil needs. If you don't know, you're just winging it, potentially throwing out money, and potentially doing more harm than good. You can get a 10-10-10, which provides equal amounts of available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash. Or, you could get a 46-0-0, or a 0-15-0, or a 0-0-50.

What does your lawn need?

 

[Carson Dyle]

It's only mid-April. You're in Kansas and worried that your lawn isn't green yet?

 

[Exterous]

Once you figure out what your lawn needs I would try to find a landscaping supply place that sells to the public. There is one by me that carries Lesco fertilizer and I can get a 15000sq ft bag for a little elss than two 5000sq ft Scotts bag at the local big box store. Even if you don't need that much fertilizer doesn't really go bad (although humidity can result in clumps which can be problematic when spreading) so you can use it the next year as well. Lesco also has more slow release nitrogen as it has a higher % of water insoluble nitrogen than Scotts but I don't think thats uncommon among the more landscaping company oriented brands. For crabgrass prevention Dimension tends to work better but I believe most of the big box brands (like Scotts) use Haltz or the like

I also like Milorganite. Its non-burning so you can thrown it down whenever, has slow release nitrogen (60% water insoluable) along with iron and True Value runs 50% off sales 1-2 times a year.

 

[slag]

It's only mid-April. You're in Kansas and worried that your lawn isn't green yet?

My lawn is green. It's not deep dark green like most of my neighbors who said they fertlized and it shows. All said my lawn usually is darker by now and is one of the better ones on the block, and they are not saying this maliciously, but just to be neighborly. I need to flag one of them down and see what they use I guess.

First spring in this house and used to live in an older neighborhood where no one cared about lawns except to mow every once and again. Trying to keep up with the joneses here and not be "that new guy".

 

[Fanatical Meat]

My lawn is green. It's not deep dark green like most of my neighbors who said they fertlized and it shows. All said my lawn usually is darker by now and is one of the better ones on the block, and they are not saying this maliciously, but just to be neighborly. I need to flag one of them down and see what they use I guess.

First spring in this house and used to live in an older neighborhood where no one cared about lawns except to mow every once and again. Trying to keep up with the joneses here and not be "that new guy".

Just put some Scott's or Pennington down if you want it better but don't want to spend a lot of time. Both are affordable, available and easy to use. The bags tell you what months each treatment is for.

 

[slag]

Once you figure out what your lawn needs I would try to find a landscaping supply place that sells to the public. There is one by me that carries Lesco fertilizer and I can get a 15000sq ft bag for a little elss than two 5000sq ft Scotts bag at the local big box store. Even if you don't need that much fertilizer doesn't really go bad (although humidity can result in clumps which can be problematic when spreading) so you can use it the next year as well. Lesco also has more slow release nitrogen as it has a higher % of water insoluble nitrogen than Scotts but I don't think thats uncommon among the more landscaping company oriented brands. For crabgrass prevention Dimension tends to work better but I believe most of the big box brands (like Scotts) use Haltz or the like

I also like Milorganite. Its non-burning so you can thrown it down whenever, has slow release nitrogen (60% water insoluable) along with iron and True Value runs 50% off sales 1-2 times a year.

Bulk fertilizer. Is this going to come in an alternator size package?

 

[Exterous]

Bulk fertilizer. Is this going to come in an alternator size package?

Much larger

 

[Mike64]

If you're not interested in putting in the effort to do it the truly "right" way (soil analysis, different fert formulations at the right times of year, etc), why don't you just ask the neighbor with the "nice lush dark green" lawn what they use and when they use it? At least that'll put you closer to the ballpark than random suggestions from around the country...

PS: Unless you just want to fertilize whatever waterway your runoff eventually ends up in, do not fertilize just before a "week of rain"! (Or for that matter, even one day of heavy rain.)

PPS: Beware package label instructions, consumer lawn care product instructions always tell you to use more than you really should.

PPPS: If you really want a "nice" lawn over the long haul, it's going to take some effort. "Lawns" are not a natural phenomenon and need at least a certain amount of regular maintenance. If nothing else, Google up your county's ag extension office website. Unless you live literally out in the middle of the wheat fields (or fields of whatever it is they grow in your part of the world), it will probably have a section on lawn care and even if you don't end up doing most of what they suggest, you'll be better off with that than the generic instructions from companies more interested in selling you "product" than anything else, let alone, God forbid, relying on advice from 95% of the employees in the lawn/garden sections at a box stores or anything like that...

 

[slag]

Ace hardware has a deal going on until the 25th. Buy a bag of Scotts weed and feed and get a bag of lawn food for free. So, I went and did that this morning before work.

http://www.westlakehardware.com/

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Related question. I haven't fertilized where I planted new seed is something like this safe for patches of seed & patches of established grass?

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Vigoro-32-oz-Liquid-Ready-to-Spray-Lawn-Fertilizer-HG-52512/204706227

The new seed is in a scotts pretreated new grass soil.

 

[Zivic]

my lawn looks great and is easy to maintain. hit it with fert every 4-6 wks. make sure it gets watered regularly. letting it stress a little is OK, but not too long and not all the time.


I just hit my lawn with the first fertilizer of the year last week. It's greening up nice. have had constant rain the last 4 days now and once it warms up again it will need it's first mow.

BIGGEST mistake people make is cutting their lawns too short. I keep mine over 4" and trying not to cut too much off at each mowing. I try to cut no more than 3/4" off at a time. less if I have the time

 

[Raizinman]

Best fertilizer?

One word.

Poop

Saves on toilet repairs and lowers your water bill.

 

[shortylickens]

My mom likes Scotts.

I prefer the blood of my foes.

 

[turtile]

Related question. I haven't fertilized where I planted new seed is something like this safe for patches of seed & patches of established grass?

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Vigoro-32-oz-Liquid-Ready-to-Spray-Lawn-Fertilizer-HG-52512/204706227

The new seed is in a scotts pretreated new grass soil.

At the labeled rate, it should help improve new grass growth. However, if you are growing tall fescue, most of it will never take over the summer. It's best to plant seed in the fall and just apply pre-emergent in the later winter/early spring and spray any weeds that occur after that before re-seeding.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

At the labeled rate, it should help improve new grass growth. However, if you are growing tall fescue, most of it will never take over the summer. It's best to plant seed in the fall and just apply pre-emergent in the later winter/early spring and spray any weeds that occur after that before re-seeding.

I know fall is best but I have a few patches that failed last fall. I only expect ok results, I'll seed again in the fall.
Thanks

 

[natto fire]

I agree with Mike. There is no magic panacea fertilizer, and you either have to ask the neighbors what they use, or figure out what your "dirt" is lacking. The easiest solution, being in Kansas and all, is to let the grass grow really tall around all the derelict vehicles and concrete statues in your yard, and hope the likely nitrogen deficiency sorts itself out.

 

[slag]

I agree with Mike. There is no magic panacea fertilizer, and you either have to ask the neighbors what they use, or figure out what your "dirt" is lacking. The easiest solution, being in Kansas and all, is to let the grass grow really tall around all the derelict vehicles and concrete statues in your yard, and hope the likely nitrogen deficiency sorts itself out.

LOL. So true of many places!!

 

[Exterous]

I took a picture that helps show some of the difference fertilizer choice makes. We fertilized 1 day apart and both had the same green for awhile. Now mine still looks nice and green but there is a noticeable difference between the two areas with nice line right along the property boundary . Not sure entirely what was used but likely it was mostly fast release nitrogen and\or lower nutrient amounts

 

[slag]

My lawn is now the same color as the neighbors' lawns. Looks nice, seamless, etc. I can stop obsessing about it now and do other things like send a packet of ramen and some dehydrated water to starving kids in Ethiopia.

 

[Exterous]

My lawn is now the same color as the neighbors' lawns. Looks nice, seamless, etc. I can stop obsessing about it now and do other things like send a packet of ramen and some dehydrated water to starving kids in Ethiopia.

Until some minor difference appears and you start obsessing again. This is a dangerous path you've chosen

 

[Ban Bot]

My lawn and garden are both Phosphorus and Nitrogen depleted, a 6.5 pH, and ample Potassium.

I am having a hard time finding fertilizers with Phosphorus. Most of the lawn stuff is 29-0-3 (N-P-K).

I have a little of this Vigoro starter fertilizer (20-27-5) left but it is expensive for the area it covers and designed for new lawn seedings. For the garden I purchased some Vigoro tomato and vegetable garden plant food (12-10-5) so I think I will be ok there.