Yes I did put fall fertilizer down. Ok, I will just wait a bit.
Thanks for all the tips.
Fertilizing my lawn for initial spring application
- Thread starter spierceisu
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Thanks for all the tips.
That's what finally turned me off from using lawn companies. They have more customers than labor to serve them properly so you get them applying product at the wrong time.
I went ahead and put down some pre-emergent today with the rain expected tonight. I usually track the soil temps and wait until the ground is warmer, but I did that method last year and it seemed like I was too late… Had a ton of dandelions to pull early in the summer.
It likely doesn’t help that my neighbors on both sides are professional weed growers. Guess I’d rather be too early than too late this year. We’ll see how it goes.
It likely doesn’t help that my neighbors on both sides are professional weed growers. Guess I’d rather be too early than too late this year. We’ll see how it goes.
I always use the big holidays. Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Brocktober.
You know - I never thought about this, but that's a hell of an idea. Obviously I'll try to time it as to when we'll get rain, but this is a great way to try to remember crap.
If you read the bag and lawn care forums they basically say it’s a waste of money to put down Crabgrass pre-emergent before that temperature. If it’s too cold the chemical goes bad before the plant germinates, but if you wait too long then you miss the opportunity to kill the weed… it’s essentially a balancing act
Question, I have always used straight bluegrass seed. Is their a better alternative? Something that mingles well with bluegrass and doesnt look different early or late in the season or during dry periods. Those are the times different varieties look crappy intermingled with bluegrass. I hate the wide bladed stuff or peculiar looking grass or fescues for that reason. I have awesome soil if that is a consideration.
I need help!!
I have a dandelion problem every year. So tired of it! Is it already too late to do anything about it now? I live in the CR area…. eastern Iowa.
I’ve heard there really are no pre-emergent fertilizers that will work on dandelions…. is that the case?
Help me!! What should I be doing to not have dandelions this year!! Thanks!!!
I have a dandelion problem every year. So tired of it! Is it already too late to do anything about it now? I live in the CR area…. eastern Iowa.
I’ve heard there really are no pre-emergent fertilizers that will work on dandelions…. is that the case?
Help me!! What should I be doing to not have dandelions this year!! Thanks!!!
I don't think pre-emergent works on root weeks like dandelions.
Make a note to spray them good this fall. That should kill them as they are sending nutrients to their roots, and prevent them from regrowing next year.
For this season, just keep up on them with 24D. Don’t let them get past the yellow flowers and go to seed
Biggest thing for dandelions is to help your neighbors out with a bit of weed and feed beyond your borders. Those things spread like weeds (literally) and they don’t care about property lines. So if your neighbors don’t take care of them, you really have no hope.
A company was spraying quite a few lawns yesterday in N. Ames, must have counted around 10 homes that they had planted the little white flags in the yard. Getting to that time of year.
I am planning on waiting til mid April to end of April for fertilizer/crabgrass preventer. I think the temps at night are still on the cool side and keeping the soil temps lower. The ground seems a it damp for dethatching and it can tear up the grass a bit more than what you would like if you do it now (just my thoughts).
My issue is that those companies often don’t use the “best” timing for your lawn, they do what’s best for them and if their in your neighborhood.
My neighbor already applied lawn fertilizer. All he is concerned about is making sure he is the first guy on the block to mow. When he does he mows it to about a height of 1".
I dethatched a couple of weeks ago. The only place it was damp was on the north side of our fence. I didn't touch it till it dried out. I am like you and waiting until mid-late April to apply fertilizer. Probably a 30-0-0 type. I get a handful of dandlions so I dig them up when I see them.
I've never dethatched in spring so I cant speak to that. As far as preemergent goes, it's probably still a bit on the early side looking at the forecast but not horrible. I saw a couple companies in Ames out almost 2 weeks ago and that was pretty egregious.
You may lose a couple weeks of control on the back end, but the advantage of getting it down now is you'll have a good rain this weekend to incorporate it. That's likely why the lawn companies our out pushing this week. Personally I would monitor the 2" soil temps over the next couple of weeks and put it down before the next good rain as soil temps start to push that 55 degree average mark.
I have dethatched in the spring twice. Once was on memorial day and it didn't rain a drop for a few months after that and it really messed up my yard. Last spring I did and immediately overseeded/fertilized and had really great results with all the rain we had afterwards.
