Do you fertilize your lawn?

bczoom

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If so, what do you use, how much and how often?

My lawn takes a beating from the dog, kids playing, ATV's and bigger vehicles running over it constantly... so I do what I can to make the grass strong and healthy.

In about April, I hit it with a 50/50 mix of 19-19-19 & 46-0-0 and put it down at about 150# per acre.

I then hit it in late May or so with another round of 46-0-0 at the same application rate.

Every couple of years:
I may substitute one of the aforementioned with a mix of weed-and-feed.
I may also hit it in the fall once.
I may also hit it with lime.
 

Archdean

Member
bc, you most certainly are at the high end of fertilization and may do more harm than good IE not getting the deep rooting necessary for a good lawn because the plant gets it all on top and Potassium and potash do not dissipate very well sticks around year after year so a small amount if at all may be all thats needed (Recommend a good soil test!)

Nitrogen just makes green and and quick growth reduce the application and save money and mowing frequency.

With your description of wear and tear compaction is not your friend and only gets worse with time. Do some aeration/tilling your choice you will gain more than any thing I can think of.

Good Luck
 

Doc

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BC, I've seen pics of your yard and it looks GREAT! Seem obvious that you did fertilize.

I don't fertilize and my yard looks that part. With 4 acres it would be costly and timely and as soon as I got tired of doing it the yard goes back to like it was prior to fertilizing. So ...that's how I justify not doing it. LOL. My yard looks good when mowed but once it grows it does not look near as thick or lush as a fertilized yard. And, honestly, that's okay with me. :hide:

OT I even drive on my yard, and let others drive on it to turn around, park or whatever. One of my brothers is shocked and appalled that I would allow such a thing. LOL :yum:
 

bczoom

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Dean

I do aerate (sp?) and occasionally de-thatch. I don't get a lot of grass decomposing as I always mow inwards (re-cutting what I've mowed) as well as run a bagger to pick up any clippings.

When I bought this place (15 years ago), there wasn't a yard.... period. The builder ran out of money before he got to the yard. I brought in over 300 dump trucks of fill to get it to at least a decent level/grade. Countless truck-loads of stumps were carried out. I don't have a decent soil base and more-or-less planted in clay (with the PA mix of coal and a tad of sand mixed in).

I had a soil test a couple years ago. They said it looks pretty good but a bit more lime may be in order.

I'll see if I can find some pics but I think you'll agree that it's pretty healthy. I will say it's so damn thick that weeds don't have a chance to take root.
 

quincy

Member
This thread is a real coincidence. I just finished spreading fertiliser on my lawn not more than 20 mins ago... (a bit late with the application this year :rolleyes:)

Each year, usually the first week in april, I put out a little under 100lbs of 7-6-17 on my 3/4 acre. Then every 5-6 weeks there after until the end of the mowing season. Too much Nitrogen = too much mowing for me... Looks nice of course, but being a slave to the lawn is not my idea of fun. :rolleyes:
 

bczoom

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but being a slave to the lawn is not my idea of fun. :rolleyes:
Then you need a different mower...

Most of the time, I enjoy mowing the lawn. I have a ZTR that has a single hand joystick control on the right hand (as opposed to the 2 arms out in front of you). You put a beer in the left hand, joystick on the right... Life is then good.
 

thcri RIP

Gone But Not Forgotten
We have no nitrogen in our lawn. I start out in the spring with a starter 9-23-30 at 150 lbs per acre. Then about 6 weeks later I hit it with 19-19-19. As soon as the rust starts showing up I hit it again with 19-19-19. Then in the fall I will do a 9-23-30. If I do the fall then typically I will miss the next spring.


murph
 

Archdean

Member
Judging by the amount of N that you apply you must be swimming in N, might suggest your county extension agent/office perform an accurate soil test!
 

PBinWA

Member
I fertilize once in the Spring and Once in the fall. I try to buy something with Iron 'cause I like the deep green - otherwise I buy what is on sale.

I dethatch and aerate but recently trashed my aerator and need to buy a new one.

I also try to lime in the spring and the fall too.

I've tried fertilizing more than twice but then the lawn just grows faster.

I spot treat for weeds. I wish I could spot treat for invasive grasses as my nice deep green rye grass is getting slowly invaded with light green coarse bladed pasture grass. The iron in the fertilizer helps to blend the colors but I still see it.
 

thcri RIP

Gone But Not Forgotten
Judging by the amount of N that you apply you must be swimming in N, might suggest your county extension agent/office perform an accurate soil test!

It has been tested by two different organizations. Same results. If I don't put the nitrogen on it I will have rust. The rust is extensive as when mowing it will turn my whole tractor rust color.
 
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