To fertilize or not to fertilize....

[M.C.L.C.]

Ok guys so here is my problem.....

Here in Kansas is has pretty much been raining at least every other day and night. The temperature one day could be 70, and the next might be 95 and 100% humidity, and windy. As you all know that would be really nice conditions to live in if you were a fungus....lets say brown patch. I noticed it here and there some lawns bad some lawns not so bad yet. I got home last night and my beautiful lawn had HUGE spots in it, that had literally appeared in the 12 hours i was at work! It was then and only then i realized something...we are right in the middle of our 3rd step of fertilizer, NITROGEN!!! Wet weather, hot and humid, windy and now nitrogen. We are basically just feeding this monster. I'm now stuck with the decision to either just keep going and pray the fungus doesn't notice the boost of nitro or stop fertilizing till the weather is not so horrible. Already bout 2 weeks behind schedule however....guess just wanting some input. Thanks in advance!! :drinkup:

[Rtom45]

I think you answered your own question. Why fertilize when you know its going to cause problems? The goal of any treatment program should be to improve the quality of the lawn and if fertilizer is encouraging disease, don't do it.

[timturf]

Assuming cool season turf

Already in step three!!!! I haven't started step 2 yet...only applied .5lbs of n/m! How much n have you applied in two steps? in three steps?

How much of the n is slowly available?

cool season turf grass should receive 66-100% of nitrogen available in fall and winter

[M.C.L.C.]

yes cool season grass, well we do have some bermuda, we are in the transition zone. We have a six step program which may vary from yours, everybody here in town is on the third step already. We apply at 4lbs/1000sqft, this averages out to be 1lb of nitro per k. Now our first two steps are actually a split step of pendimethalin. So we are right on track as far as state laws go for lbs of nitro per k trust me we did tons of research on this subject before diving into it about 8 years ago. What month do you all start your first application there in V.A.? Thanks

[M.C.L.C.]

oh and to answer your other question, .5lbs is slow release .5 immediate

[timturf]

yes cool season grass, well we do have some bermuda, we are in the transition zone. We have a six step program which may vary from yours, everybody here in town is on the third step already. We apply at 4lbs/1000sqft, this averages out to be 1lb of nitro per k. Now our first two steps are actually a split step of pendimethalin. So we are right on track as far as state laws go for lbs of nitro per k trust me we did tons of research on this subject before diving into it about 8 years ago. What month do you all start your first application there in V.A.? Thanks

[B]We apply at 4lbs/1000sqft, this averages out to be 1lb of nitro per [/B

So two lbs of n/m already applied, and starting rd 3 with more n?

Too much spring n!
What is your season total lbs/m of nitrogen?
I do 4 rds... rd 1 3-5 weeks before normal time mowing starts
rd 2..mid june, but starting late june this year

I'm in transition zone...cool season mostly grow here, but some bermunda and zoysia My program delivers only 2.75lbs of n /m...Looks like you will almost past me after your 3rd rd and have 3 more to go, and those should deliver most of your nitrogen...

[bntt68]

We do not put down much nit. in the spring either. 1/4 of apound per K on round 1, 1/2 pound on round 2, 1 pound on round 3 and 1.25 pounds on round 4.

[timturf]

mclc,
what is your zip code?

[vegomatic40]

Transition zone (Fescue) here as well but currently suffering from severe drought. Almost ready to go for round 4 but delaying it. I run .75 , .75 w/ umaxx, .50 w/umaxx in that order. No problems with BP (treated 12 lawns ytd with Disarm for BP). Same old Transition zone dilema but I think I would trade with you at this point. When temps begin to get above 93 or so it may get too hot for even BP to be active even with high humdity/rains. Back down on your N rate to no more than .50 lb and add 4-6% iron for some color response. The turf may need some N to help recover from injury but putting down as little as .25 N is likely to yield almost zero response on fescue.

[M.C.L.C.]

Thanks for the input VEG. Always needing advice, glad to know there are people on here to help

[tremor]

Excess Nitrogen does slightly worsen Brown Patch but the Univ. of Fla found that a Nitrogen treated lawn also recovers faster & will look better once the threat has passed. I've noticed the same thing on KBG lawns here in the Northeast. Starving turf won't STOP Brown Patch. But it will make recovery take longer. Moderation is the key.

[SSS 18734]

a little off topic... but you've got an awesome web site!

[M.C.L.C.]

Thanks! Wanna know something even better?!? Its probably worth about 6 grand total with the time spent making everything such as the online estimator....trademark btw lol, and i don't have to pay anything for it. The guy constantly updates it for me and changes crap around, and in return i do all of his and his grandparents lawn care...I'm getting the better deal i do believe ha! Hey one other cool thing i have to tell ya about that estimator... go in to it and tell it you have and a * sized lawn with or with out a fence, when it asks if you have landscaping say "none" then on the estimate it gives you at the bottom it lets you know we do landscaping! Its great.....sorry for the off topic guys

[ThreeWide]

Transition zone (Fescue) here as well but currently suffering from severe drought. Almost ready to go for round 4 but delaying it. I run .75 , .75 w/ umaxx, .50 w/umaxx in that order. No problems with BP (treated 12 lawns ytd with Disarm for BP). Same old Transition zone dilema but I think I would trade with you at this point. When temps begin to get above 93 or so it may get too hot for even BP to be active even with high humdity/rains. Back down on your N rate to no more than .50 lb and add 4-6% iron for some color response. The turf may need some N to help recover from injury but putting down as little as .25 N is likely to yield almost zero response on fescue.

Have you had any issues with burn from the Umaxx? I would think not due to the coating on the urea prill, but still not sure if the salt content gets involved.

[Runner]

I was just going to suggest....back off on the N - period. If you are geytting that much rain, you are already getting alot of it. What many don't realize, is that with rain, it cotains alot of nitrate. It is very unlike well water and even more so, city water coming through irrigation systems. It is like last year,...when we had all the rain steadily throughout (most of) the season. Everything stayed so nice and green. It wouldn't have done that on just water alone.
As stated earlier, the turfs spring nitrogen needs are not that high. the majority of the real uptake (per application) really comes in the latter part of the season. It is not really an even spaced thing. I hope this helps.