Fertilizing my lawn for initial spring application

[cydsho]

In Omaha area and soil temp yesterday was 55-60. Forsythia really blooming too so I'll put mine down today or tomorrow.

 

[brianhos]

I also switched to Bomgaars stuff for my 5 step several years ago. I really like the Earl May stuff, but it got crazy expensive.

I've got burned in the past by waiting to buy the later steps later in the season. I now just buy all of them this time of year and keep in the garage.

Wow, the Bomgars 4 step 15,000 sq foot is $99. I may try that this year. I used the menards version last year and it worked just as well as Scotts for 1/2 the price.

 

[RustShack]

I would just put down fertilizer without crabgrass preventer as the first step if you plan on seeding grass. The reason you have to wait with crabgrass preventer is that it prevents crabgrass from germinating, which will also stop the new grass seed from germinating and it will not grow.

He could do a seed sandwich over the bare spots where prevent was put down.

 

[FarmerCy1]

would now be ok to put down pre-emergent crabgrass?

dsm area

I put it down on Wednesday- 4” soil temps seem to be trending in the right direction for it

 

[RustShack]

I put it down on Wednesday- 4” soil temps seem to be trending in the right direction for it

I just put mine down, but I live in Overland Park and we are getting some rain tonight.

 

[Primetime26]

i got the menards granual kind.. noticed it has 26-0-3 lawn food too... is it too early for that?

or what kind do you guys recommend?

 

[spierceisu]

Some of my grass is green but there appear to be some spots that are matted down and brown. I kind of roughed up the grass with my foot and it looks like there isn't much green coming underneath. It is worse in my front yard. Would this be just a different variety of grass that is slower to come out of dormancy? It was completely healthy last year and looks rough so far this spring.

 

[spierceisu]

Some of my grass is green but there appear to be some spots that are matted down and brown. I kind of roughed up the grass with my foot and it looks like there isn't much green coming underneath. It is worse in my front yard. Would this be just a different variety of grass that is slower to come out of dormancy? It was completely healthy last year and looks rough so far this spring.

Took some pictures of my front yard. Would it be grub damage? I treated for grubs last year so not sure why it would be that

 

[FerShizzle]

Took some pictures of my front yard. Would it be grub damage? I treated for grubs last year so not sure why it would be that

I don’t think that’s grubs. It could be a fungus.

I would heavily over-seed and then give it a vigorous raking.

 

[spierceisu]

I don’t think that’s grubs. It could be a fungus.

I would heavily over-seed and then give it a vigorous raking.

I just put down crabgrass preventer so no grass seeding for a while

 

[FerShizzle]

I just put down crabgrass preventer so no grass seeding for a while

Vigorous raking will counter the affects of pre-emergent.

 

[spierceisu]

Vigorous raking will counter the affects of pre-emergent.

I do have an electric dethatcher I could use

 

[09clone]

I don’t think that’s grubs. It could be a fungus.

I would heavily over-seed and then give it a vigorous raking.

I was wondering if it could be snow mold

 

[Agclone91]

Took some pictures of my front yard. Would it be grub damage? I treated for grubs last year so not sure why it would be that

That grass is all dead. Brown = dormant, white = dead. It looks too widespread to be grubs, but I wouldn't rule it out even if you treated. My neighborhood has some of the worst grub damage I've ever seen after last summer. The only ones that don't have problems this spring are the ones that watered all fall because they were able to push through the root system damage. Does it feel spongy? Grab ahold and pull in a few different spots, if it's grub damage you'll be able to peel it up in chunks.

 

[FerShizzle]

I was wondering if it could be snow mold

Maybe. @spierceisu does it have a fuzzy look to it like this up close? It’s hard to tell from the pictures.

 

[FarmerCy1]

Took some pictures of my front yard. Would it be grub damage? I treated for grubs last year so not sure why it would be that

It’s a mold or fungus of some sort. When grubs get into a lawn they typically leave a crescent shaped dead spot. Probably wouldn’t hurt to dethatch it, overseed and put fungicide on the rest of the lawn

 

[spierceisu]

Maybe. @spierceisu does it have a fuzzy look to it like this up close? It’s hard to tell from the pictures.

View attachment 147386

No fuzzy stuff. Just brown. Looks super dead like no green underneath. Thought it might pep up with warmer weather but no such luck so far

 

[NATEizKING]

50 or 55 degrees soil temp the goal for new seed? Been waiting for the moment to fill in a few bare spots from the new driveway.

 

[Agclone91]

It’s a mold or fungus of some sort. When grubs get into a lawn they typically leave a crescent shaped dead spot. Probably wouldn’t hurt to dethatch it, overseed and put fungicide on the rest of the lawn

The thing that leads me to believe it's not a fungus is that it stops almost to the line where his neighbors yard is. Fungicide is not a typical application in home lawns so I would think it would extend more into his neighbor's yard if it were disease.

 

[khardbored]