How Early to Fertilize?

[CrappieAttitude]

I live in the Brainerd Lakes area and we still have some decent snow on the ground in our yard, but I am actually in the spring mode right now.

My question is as follows...

The last few years, my yard has not been to my liking, and I was wondering how early you normally put your first fertilizer out and what have you used to make it green up earlier? I typically have fertilized once I see my little yellow friends bloom, and I put out Scotts Plus 2. This works great to kill off the little buggers, however I have never done an early spring thaw fertilizing.

I have two kids who I want to enjoy decent lawn this summer and could use any helpful hints any of you may want to throw out.

CA

[Coach Dog]

A rule of the thumb that I have heard is to fertilize at the time of the three summer holidays, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. I;m looking forward to what others have to say as well.

[fishorgolf]

DO NOT put it down before the ground thaws or it will all run of to the wrong places.

My rule has been to put down fertilizer with pre-emergent when the forsythias drop there bloosoms in the spring. then hit with a very slow release fertilizer early june and again before the ground freezes in fall with a winterizer. (you could do one more in august but then it grows to much in the fall and you have to mow to much)

I did this for many years with two homes and ALWAYS had the best yard of anyone by far. It is all about timing.

[LwnmwnMan2]

If you want to follow the directions of the turf universities, the best time to fertilize your lawn is with a fall and winterizer the year before.

The nutrients stay in the ground through the winter, and are available as soon as the grass starts to shoot up.

Now, with that said, obviously we're too late for that, at least keep that in mind for next season.

The best time is when it's time to put out the pre-emergent. You can go to Wal-Mart, Target, Menards, grocery store, where ever and get yourself a meat thermometer.

You use this to take the temperatures of the soil.

When your soil is 52 degrees, and this is the most important part.... 52 degrees in the morning, not evening, afternoon, but in the morning, for 3 straight days, then the crabgrass is going to start to germinate.

Technically, crabgrass doesn't start to germinate until 55 degrees, but at 52-53 degrees, the product will have time to set, without dispersing before its usefullness, and you're not under an absolute deadline of having to skip out on fishing in order to get the fertilizing down "OMG!!! 55 DEGREES!! FERTILIZE!!"

Get out there as soon as you can, and put down the first round of fertilizer.

Other than that, you're not going to see alot of benefit from an earlier fertilizing.

I realize there are large national chemical companies that will be spreading even when there's a layer of snow on the ground. The only thing they're really benefitting is their own accounts receivable.

[Powerstroke]

I agree with lwnmwn. I've worked for one of those national companies and the main reason they are out so early is cause they can't fertilize 10,000 clients in 5 days, so you spread them out and hit the least critical ones early.

Unless there is a very strong early warmup, I would wait till the end of April for sure.

The thermometer is a great idea, but keep in mind your problem areas such as southern exposures and ones near the driveway or patio. They will heat up first.

Pre-emergent is effective for 4-6 weeks if you don't disturb it, but you want it to last into June for further protection in those slow warming areas that might get more shade or melt late.

Most of those national companies offer a 5 application plan depending on your situation. Some don't take into consideration your mowing schedule or if you water. Those are very important in making your decisions for fertilizing.

If you're still not getting the lawn you want there is probably an underlying problem that cannot be fixed with just fert. If thats the case then you'll need to let us know what its doing and we can help diagnose the problem.

[Moose]

Great Post guys,

I absolutely agree with Powerstoke & Lwnmwn Man.

Pre emegent doesn't have a lot of Nitrogen to get the grass growing but at this time of year it wont take a lot. The temps are right on. If you do not have a crabgrass problem you could go right to the standard slow release fertilizer insted of the pre emergent that way it is just fertilizer and not the additional chemicals.

Remember the middle # Phospherus has to be 0 in the state of MN. Especailly important around all those lakes. Check the lable I always like a little iron/FE in the mix that way you get the dark green color.

I agree the late application is the best for the early growth but put it down in early OCT. that way the turf goes dormant healthy and the fertilizer will not shock the turf out of dormancy.

As far as timing applications it depends on the product you use. If you purchase a good slow release product I usually go 3 a year. One in the spring May 10-20, one mid season June 20- July 5 be careful with this one try to get it down on a cool cloudy drizzly day as high temps and sun may burn the turf, and one in late Sept- early Oct.

I have not had much luck with the combo products and just mix up a hand sprayer for the dandelions and spot spray them as needed. Usually a good shot in the fall when they start to bloom again is better than a spring treatment once you have them under control.

[sparcebag]

AH Ha Ha Ha He'll have to wait till July to hit 52...There's 32 " of frost yet!

[Powerstroke]

32" of frost...is that it?!?

Man, we had to dig last month and found 60". YUCK

[LwnmwnMan2]

Also, two more things I forgot to mention if you're going to use the thermometer trick.

Powerstroke made a good point. Check the areas along your blacktop as well as if you have landscape block / rock in the turf areas.

These areas will be prone to heat up, as well as hold more heat longer.

Also, with the thermometer, it's supposed to be taken at a depth of 3", not just surface temp.

Yes, with the frost as deep as it's been in areas, there may still be some frost in the ground deep, but it doesn't take too much to get that top 3" warmed up if we can get the snowcover gone.

However, with the weather moving in towards the end of this week, it looks like work is going to be pushed back yet another week, at least.

[Tom7227]

I guess the first thing I would urge you to do is to aereate the lawn. It's tough but rent one of the rigs that pulls out plugs and run it around until your yard looks like 1,000 geese have been there for a week.

You may want to get a soil sample done to find out what is lacking. Just tossing stuff on the ground doesn't do a lot of good.

I have found that applying hydrated lime to deal with a bad PH also helps things along.

Finally I guess I may be in the minority but I don't like the combo products at all. I get a straight fertilizer and then apply a crabgrass product to areas of the lawn that need it. I gas the dandelions and such with a liquid Trimec product when the buggers show up. Later in the summer I usually get a specific crabgrass herbicide liquid and douse the few that remain. With really stubborn ones I take the blowtorch and cook them, but you have to do that before the seeds are mature.

10 years ago my lawn was a mess. I ran the aereator in September, put down some fertlizer and some seed, and then put down a starter fertilizer in mid-October to give the roots a chance to bulk up. The next year I was getting compllments from people walking by.

[LwnmwnMan2]

If you have a hard clay based soil, yes, aerate the yard.

If you have a decently based soil, with a sand / black dirt mix, aeration isn't really needed.

I realize again there are large national companies that push it, but again, they're pushing to have sales goals met.

This topic was discussed last year, and the consensus was, that more than anything, water.

Water, water and water. If you walk across your yard and it squishes, then you've got enough water. If you don't dare slide across your yard like you're sliding into second base because it'll feel like you're sliding across a dirt infield, then you don't have enough water.

Also, when you do fertilize, use a mid level (N)itrogen number. A high number nitrogen and you're going to have excessive top growth. Also look for something that is high in slow release.

A straight ag type fertilizer you can acquire at the local feed mill is not good for your yard. You'll get a quick shot of Nitrogen, but then it's gone. This is the easiest way to burn your yard as well.

A high slow release percentage (>50%) will allow the fertlizer to release over a period of 6-8 weeks. This is how you can cover your fertilizing with 3 rounds in Mn.

I personally run like Tom2727 said, with a fertilizer and seperate liquid crabgrass and weed control. You can direct the chemicals where you need them, rather than just doing a blanket application on the entire yard.

[hoggs222]

As far as my soil, it is a more sandy soil (Andover). I have the spike aerator, not the plug. I have heard that this type is ok to use a few times a year, since it allows the roots to breathe better and take in water better. Is this correct?

[LwnmwnMan2]

Hoggs -

Quite honestly, where you live, you really don't have a need to aerate.

With the sandy soil, it won't compact down.

[hoggs222]

Good to know, thanks.

[hotrod1]

However Hoggs222, If you have a problem with thatch, then you may want to aerate your lawn to remove the thatch...in that case you would want to use a core aerifier.

When you get dry spots in your lawn during the hot summer days, the spiker would work great to allow air and water through the crusty layer in the soil.

[Powerstroke]

As was said before, unless you've got excessive thatch (more than 1/2") or you're on heavy clay soils or have bad compacted soil, aerating is not necessary. Neither is dethatching.

I'm not saying they are bad. They just have their own place. They are not meant to be an every year or several times a year item.

I'm against using the spike aerators because they are only compacting the soil around it. If you drive a spike into the ground it is displacing the soil that was there. It has to go somewhere so it either gets packed down or pushes outward. Seems to defeat the purpose doesn't it?

If you've got a good soil, it doesn't need extra air or help getting water to the roots. If you get standing water in your yard then maybe its time to aerate.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Or, if you have a tendency to run equipment (4 wheelers, trucks to the back to get the boat, heavy pieces over the same turf areas) those areas would benefit by having aerating done.

Even though now this is getting far from "how early to fertilize"

[Sandmannd]

I fertilize early spring before the first holiday. I do it twice during the summer and then in late September/early October. I also put grass seed down at least once a month. Just a quick over seeding. My lawn turns out very good doing this and it can get really lush with the over seeding.

[CrappieAttitude]

I live in an area where the soil is pretty much all sand. I did haul in some black dirt a couple of years ago and spread a good layer all over before re-seeding. Being that we live out of town, and we are not competing with manicured meighboring lawns, I don't need the lawn that will stop the two people that walk down my dirt road to admire the plushness.

I just want one that I wouldn't mind having my kids run around barefoot in. I also am limited as far as watering goes, the area that needs the most work is a long ways from my spicket on my house. I really don't feel like running 250 ft of hose out each time I need to water. But if that is what it takes, so be it. The water pressure at that range isn't that great either.

My wife grew up in the middle of the range where nobody really cared how their lawn looked, and I grew up in the cities where my dad pampered his lawn. She doesn't understand that even lawns in the country should look good.

Thanks for all the tips thus far everyone!

[LwnmwnMan2]

Crappie -

I know this is going to take some work, and the amount of work is what I'm sure will be your determining factor, but here goes anyways.

Do you know where you water table is at??

If it's not too deep, you might want to run a sandpoint out towards the area that you'd like the most work at.

Then you can use this to water the entire yard, instead of using up the house's water pressure during the summer.

There are different turf blends that are more adaptable to your situation that you talk about. Yet at the same time, your description of the property and possibly the amount of effort that it will take, may limit the outcomes as well, truthfully.

[CrappieAttitude]

 Originally Posted By: LwnmwnMan2

Crappie -

I know this is going to take some work, and the amount of work is what I'm sure will be your determining factor, but here goes anyways.

Do you know where you water table is at??

If it's not too deep, you might want to run a sandpoint out towards the area that you'd like the most work at.

Then you can use this to water the entire yard, instead of using up the house's water pressure during the summer.

I have totally thought about putting in a sand point. My water table isn't that deep. When we purchased the house, I had removed about 30 stumps and decided to bury them. I remember when we dug the hole for the stumps with the tractor there was some water seeping into the deepest part. I don't have any knoledge as to what needs to be done for putting in a sand point.

Is this something that I could do on my own, or would I need to get some certified person in to install it. I wouldn't think I would need to go very far with it. Any idea as to what the cost would be on something like that?

[IFallsRon]

I think you have to fill out a state form when you buy the sandpoint.

You can get a sandpoint driver and puller at many rental places. The driver is like a power hammer. You drive in the point and pipes to the desired depth (twisting as you go to keep the point clean), hook up a pump and you're ready to go. My farm friend pushes them in with a tractor bucket.

I've seen where a person uses a posthole digger to start, filling the hole with water to soften the soil to make the driving easier.

[LwnmwnMan2]

I and my dad have put in about 8, whether at our property or for friends / neighbors.

I'll be honest with you, I personally think it sucks.

But, with that said......

I think you can still get the sandpoint and pipe at a large box store, or at the local hardware store. If not, I'm sure you can find out where to get it.

Our water table is about 21-22' deep. The first ones we did, we just used an oversized fence post driver, where you lift it up, slam it down. Lift it up, slam it down.

The last couple we "tried" we used an electric driver. However, we're not sure what happened, because both times the pipe cracked, even though we tried it in two different spots about 20' apart. We're not sure if there's a large rock down there, or if the hardpack before you hit the water was just too much stress with using the driver and had cheap weak steel.

This was for a neighbor, and my dad was 72 at the time, so the neighbor just said he'd hire someone, which I was happy about.

If you do decide to do it yourself, just remember there's a hardpack just before you hit the water, and you'll notice when you hit the water table.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

I just did a renovation in the fall, installed a sprinkler system, and re-grew midnight KBG. I mowed one time before the snow came, and put down starter fertilizer when I planted. I'm thinking about putting down starter fertilizer again on a cold morning in the next week or so when the ground is still hard, but the snow is gone. I want to get some real good growth going, as it is a little bit thin in some areas. Then I will put down a pre-emergent in late may for the crabgrass.

Thoughts on this?

[Tom7227]

Anything you put down before the frost and snow runnoff is done will be wasted. You need to wait until the soil is warm enough, and that's been covered earlier in this post. The starter stuff is high in phos and you don't want to add that to the runoff.