Instead of spreading fertilizer on my lawn I’m just going to buy a case of beer and invite several of the corona no politics thread contributors. Enough peeing matching and crap throwing to take care of it for a couple years.
Fertilizing my lawn for initial spring application
- Thread starter spierceisu
- Start date
I haven’t visited those threads in a while. Sounds like that was a wise decision. It’s amazing how stupid people are that a no politics thread turns into a politics thread and mods are powerless to stop it.
Anyway Story county showing at 47 degree soil temp. Looks like by the end of next week we will get some rain and that’s probably go time for seeding.
I put down the spring weed and feed tonight. Since I’m working from home I noticed all the lawn care companies running around my neighborhood doing the same thing so I figured it was time.
Same. I put down my crabgrass preventer+fertilizer on Wednesday. I already need to mow this weekend.
I don't need to mow yet but I did run around with the bagger on my mower to suck up all the leafs at crap that fell out of the trees over the winter before getting the spreader out. The guy behind me had a turf care place come out and dethatch. I didn't do that this year because I normally bag my clippings at this new house. It was empty for two years before we moved in back in August so the weed situation was a bit out of hand and I didn't want to be spreading any seed around. I was doing spot treatments all last fall and fired up the irrigation system. I overseeded the front yard in late September so I'm hoping it's going to look a whole lot better this year. I don't need it looking like Augusta National or anything but it sure would be nice to have it all the same color of green this year with no bare spots.
I hear ya there, my front lawn has been a struggle. They redid our street 6 years ago and back filled with yellow clay crap dirt. Its been hard to get it to where its at now.
I usually just skip thatching and aerate the lawn instead since I mulch my lawn. I try to leave as much organic material as I can. In the back yard where the sun hits, the grass along the garage is really tall already.
My neighbors lawn care company put his first application on about 3 weeks ago. I thought that was way early.
I'll most likely do it this weekend. It's supposed to be back at 60 on Sunday
Any DSM suburban home built in the 90s agrees with you except that is the state of our entire lawn.
Most crabgrass doesn't geminate until soil is 70 degrees. May 1st works fine generally. You may get a few that sneak in. I don't like to apply in Kansas City until April 1st. forsythias are in bloom now down here.
That said, I have baby crabgrass already germinating in my raised garden beds.
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Commercial applicators have other issues to consider beyond optimal timing. Why the weed n feed?
My lowish nitrogen experiment in establishing a small bluegrass lawn wasn't working so well. Perhaps I'll get there eventually, but the front clearly needed some fertility enhancement. Put down .75 N lbs/1,000 24-0-15 synthetic fert yesterday before rain along with elemental sulphur to continue my quest to lower pH. All other nitrogen this year will be from organic sources. Applied a dose of micros of boron, manganese, and copper. All of those micros I've been slowly raising per soil tests. Some humic and fulvic acid plus sea kelp also applied for good feels.
Still nothing needed on back yard. Fescue seed has germinated. Hopefully it survives this cold snap. 85 degrees forecasted for Tuesday.
Still nothing needed on back yard. Fescue seed has germinated. Hopefully it survives this cold snap. 85 degrees forecasted for Tuesday.
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My yard has been untouched by anything other than rainfall for two years. We moved in back in August and there were tons of weeds and clover. I wanted to get a head start on the broadleaf weeds and crabgrass to reduce the amount of spot treating I have to do. If you look at my neighborhood as a whole my yard until we moved in was the equivalent of a supermodel with a black front tooth.
I think I've asked about this last spring.... but will again because still a problem.
Situation: backyard is shady, has tree roots coming up from a 70 yo maple, and dirt is black and kind of compacted. When it rains will get standing water there too, its flat and drains slow. Grass is thin at best, prob 50/50 grass and bare patches. Also have a lot of creeping charlie and violets.
Threw down some shady seed last year and that helped a bit.
GF doesn't want to use anything chemical or extreme, and also have a dog to keep in mind.
I am thinking of throwing down more shady seed, and maybe some peat moss on top of it to help it get started, hold in place, and cover up the roots better. Maybe that would reduce the compaction some?
Looking for other suggestions from the experts. TIA
Situation: backyard is shady, has tree roots coming up from a 70 yo maple, and dirt is black and kind of compacted. When it rains will get standing water there too, its flat and drains slow. Grass is thin at best, prob 50/50 grass and bare patches. Also have a lot of creeping charlie and violets.
Threw down some shady seed last year and that helped a bit.
GF doesn't want to use anything chemical or extreme, and also have a dog to keep in mind.
I am thinking of throwing down more shady seed, and maybe some peat moss on top of it to help it get started, hold in place, and cover up the roots better. Maybe that would reduce the compaction some?
Looking for other suggestions from the experts. TIA
Get a plugger and that will help with the compaction over time. Getting any kind of grass established will also help. Do not bad your lawn. Fine to dethatch and bag that but don’t otherwise. Keep it long. Mow to 3”, not the 1 1/2” the scalpers seem to like.
Seed with a shade tolerant fescue containing zero weed seeds and zero other crop. Look at the back of the bag to check. Fertilize with something that has all three macros if you can find it. Something like a 28-10-15 or something like that. Cover with peat moss is a good idea. Mow tall. Trim the tree to let some more light in. Nothin you can easily do to fix the root problem . Keep it watered some in the summer. That tree is stealing a lot of water in summer from grass. Even if some grass appears to die in Summer, it will grow back in Fall assuming you gave it some Summer water .
