Fertilizing my lawn for initial spring application

  • After Iowa State won the Big 12, a Cyclone made a wonderful offer to We Will that now increases our match. Now all gifts up to $400,000 between now and the Final 4 will be matched. Please consider giving at We Will Collective.
    This notice can be dismissed using the upper right corner X button.

nocsious3

Well-Known Member
Aug 23, 2013
882
768
93
Is there any issue to putting crabgrass preventer down today when the grass is still wet from rains in the night? The instructions say to apply when the grass is dry but I wasn't sure if that's a big deal or not.

You want the prills to fall below the leaf canopy, so you want to do it on dry grass and then later water it in. Pre-M works by getting into the soil and forming a vapor barrier below the soil surface that interferes with germination process of some plants. How long this vapor barrier lasts largely determines how long you get effective control. You can actually break the vapor barrier and create gaps in your protection if you later disturb your soil, so don't aerate in Spring after applying pre-emergent herbicide.

As far as harming grass by applying on wet turf, I honestly don't know how toxic the different pre-M chemistry is when it sticks to the grass blades and whether much would even get absorbed through the grass blades. Anyhow, the protection gained is through the soil route, so please do follow the label and apply to dry turf.

Conversely, weed 'n feed products must be applied to wet turf. The herbicide must actually stick to the weed leaf and be absorbed by the foilage. It's for that reason it's not my recommendation to kill weeds this way. You need to get lucky and have the weed killer actually land on the wet plant leaf, and so much is just wasted as it falls to the soil. Only if you had a lawn with like 50% weeds would this be a decent plan of attack and I'd still prefer a blanket liquid spray in that scenario.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: wxman1

mj4cy

Asst. Regional Manager
Staff member
Mar 28, 2006
31,194
13,551
113
Iowa
Was about to put the spring weed/feed saturday morning but got rained on before I could get to it. Suppose I can do it this week...never a good time for me it seems.
 

khardbored

Well-Known Member
Oct 20, 2012
9,761
7,068
113
Middle of the Midwest
My front yard is the last one in my neighborhood to turn green.

We had sod laid about 4 years ago, and it stays dormant long. Usually around May 1st it gets really nice looking, it just takes a long time. I use a pre-emergent crabgrass/fertilizer combo each year, fertilize in late Fall, etc.

Are there just some grass varieties that mature slower each spring?
 

nocsious3

Well-Known Member
Aug 23, 2013
882
768
93
My front yard is the last one in my neighborhood to turn green.

We had sod laid about 4 years ago, and it stays dormant long. Usually around May 1st it gets really nice looking, it just takes a long time. I use a pre-emergent crabgrass/fertilizer combo each year, fertilize in late Fall, etc.

Are there just some grass varieties that mature slower each spring?

Grass type and cultivar do impact green up. Typically rye

grass, followed by fescues, and lastly bluegrass green up in spring. Individual cultivar can make a big difference too, so your variety of sod may be a big part of that. There are some cultural things you can do to help. Putting the grass to bed in early winter with carbohydrate stored in roots leads to earlier green up. You do that by an aggressive fall fertilization schedule. You can get all the thatch and dead material out. That will allow the soil to warm more quickly. Your last mow before winter should cut the grass very short.
 

mramseyISU

Well-Known Member
Nov 8, 2006
6,327
6,268
113
Waterloo, IA
My front yard is the last one in my neighborhood to turn green.

We had sod laid about 4 years ago, and it stays dormant long. Usually around May 1st it gets really nice looking, it just takes a long time. I use a pre-emergent crabgrass/fertilizer combo each year, fertilize in late Fall, etc.

Are there just some grass varieties that mature slower each spring?
This is my first spring in this house but I'm looking to be in the same boat. All the yards that touch mine look like a golf course already. Mine still looks terrible, I'm blaming that on the previous owner of the house not taking care of it, at least I can have that excuse for the next couple years anyway.
 
  • Like
Reactions: khardbored

cyfan92

Well-Known Member
Sep 20, 2011
7,328
11,644
113
Augusta National Golf Club
Most of the lawns growing like crazy right now in my neighborhood have had lawn care company's dump massive amounts of synthetic fertilizer on them.

Same lawns will have massive water bills this summer trying to keep it green. I'd rather have a slow green up with huge root development. No fert until after Mother's Day!
 

megamanxzero35

Well-Known Member
May 31, 2011
2,524
719
113
I have some small patches of onion grass in my yard. Anyone have experience? Best sprays or ways to get rid of it?
 

AgronAlum

Well-Known Member
Jul 12, 2014
5,393
7,028
113
My lawn doesn’t seem like it’s coming in the best this year. I’ve got dead/dying/dormant spots scattered all over my yard while my neighbors is green as can be right now. I over seeded about 3 weeks ago, fertilized with milorganite two weeks ago and just put down a grub control yesterday. No chemicals other than spot spraying since last year because of the overseeding. I did not get on a fall weed and feed last year but did some apps of fertilizer earlier in the summer and spring. Any suggestions?

80C1B9CD-A095-431D-A696-4EF191CE0439.jpeg 5B91448B-099B-49BD-B5C5-26544405AC9F.jpeg C1BB5C26-66A4-45EB-A618-1851A334BAEF.jpeg CBAEE6EC-A27D-40A4-817C-717E647717E6.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: khardbored

ripvdub

Well-Known Member
Mar 20, 2006
8,302
702
113
Iowa
Most of the lawns growing like crazy right now in my neighborhood have had lawn care company's dump massive amounts of synthetic fertilizer on them.

Same lawns will have massive water bills this summer trying to keep it green. I'd rather have a slow green up with huge root development. No fert until after Mother's Day!
So what would you suggest?
 

nocsious3

Well-Known Member
Aug 23, 2013
882
768
93
My lawn doesn’t seem like it’s coming in the best this year. I’ve got dead/dying/dormant spots scattered all over my yard while my neighbors is green as can be right now. I over seeded about 3 weeks ago, fertilized with milorganite two weeks ago and just put down a grub control yesterday. No chemicals other than spot spraying since last year because of the overseeding. I did not get on a fall weed and feed last year but did some apps of fertilizer earlier in the summer and spring. Any suggestions?

View attachment 71717 View attachment 71718 View attachment 71719 View attachment 71720


Milorganite doesn't work very quickly until soil temps get warmer. Mow and a light rake wouldn't hurt. Go get some fertilizer and apply at .5 lbs of Nitrogen per thousand sq. ft. Return in a week or two and let us know how it's doing. That grass looks like it needs nutrients.
 

cyfan92

Well-Known Member
Sep 20, 2011
7,328
11,644
113
Augusta National Golf Club
So what would you suggest?

Pre emergent in this spring
Spot spray 2-4-D on weeds
Milorganite heavy 3 times end of May. Late August and early October
Never had a grub problem. Only been in the house 3 years so we will see
Overseed after aerator. Usually the week before labor day. Every other year.

That's it. I don't water my lawn because it's a horrible waste of a natural resource and expensive.
 

AgronAlum

Well-Known Member
Jul 12, 2014
5,393
7,028
113
Milorganite doesn't work very quickly until soil temps get warmer. Mow and a light rake wouldn't hurt. Go get some fertilizer and apply at .5 lbs of Nitrogen per thousand sq. ft. Return in a week or two and let us know how it's doing. That grass looks like it needs nutrients.

Just apply some N or do I apply some P and K too? Ive got some 30-0-3 in the garage but would something like a 10-10-10 work better?

I’ve been keeping up with mowing and raked out the crappy spots because I laid some seed down. The grass in that pic is only about 3 inches, it’s just not standing up. I haven’t aerated or dethatched since I moved in a couple years ago. I should probably do that I guess.
 

Cyclones_R_GR8

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Feb 10, 2007
22,573
24,033
113
Omaha
My lawn doesn’t seem like it’s coming in the best this year. I’ve got dead/dying/dormant spots scattered all over my yard while my neighbors is green as can be right now. I over seeded about 3 weeks ago, fertilized with milorganite two weeks ago and just put down a grub control yesterday. No chemicals other than spot spraying since last year because of the overseeding. I did not get on a fall weed and feed last year but did some apps of fertilizer earlier in the summer and spring. Any suggestions?

View attachment 71717 View attachment 71718 View attachment 71719 View attachment 71720
Still looks better than half my yard. My problem is always fungus, I need to put down a few applications of the anti fungus this year. I did a few years ago and it cleared up for a couple of years and last year it got bad again. Yesterday I used the weed killer you attach to your hose to spray down the back yard. Too many weeds to spot treat. The yard next door has been completely ignored since the original owner moved out over 10 years ago. It's impossible to keep you yard halfway decent when you live next to a weed factory.
 

HardcoreClone

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2006
1,193
533
113
I've always heard about Milorganite, but don't have any experience. If I'm already doing the Earl May 5-step program this year, am I okay to also do 1-2 applications of Milorganite? My lawn needs a ton of nutrients and top soil built back up, as a lot has eroded away the past couple years.

I also want to topdress with screened soil and/or sand. I'm debating if I should try to get one application done soon, then another in the fall when I aerate/overseed. Or if I should just do it in the Fall.
 

cycloner29

Well-Known Member
Dec 17, 2008
11,422
10,444
113
Ames
I've always heard about Milorganite, but don't have any experience. If I'm already doing the Earl May 5-step program this year, am I okay to also do 1-2 applications of Milorganite? My lawn needs a ton of nutrients and top soil built back up, as a lot has eroded away the past couple years.

I also want to topdress with screened soil and/or sand. I'm debating if I should try to get one application done soon, then another in the fall when I aerate/overseed. Or if I should just do it in the Fall.

How many holes are on your course/yard if you are topdressing your yard.

It takes years to create topsoil. If you have a lot of clay under what washed away you my be better off breaking it up and reseeding or sod after adding some topsoil to it.

I have used Milorganite the last few years, and will put some down in the next couple of weeks. I do not want to continously us it due to the heavy metals, even though they are minuscule in amounts it does add up over time.

I am also going to put GrubEx down the next time rain is in the forecast as after tilling my garden I did see a few grubs but not to the extent of 10 grubs per square foot. My back yard just is not taking off the way it has the past few years.