Pop Quiz

[Rayholio]

Trying to do the best thing for my customers... I have an interesting situation, and would really appriciate some input.

temps in the 80s....
fescue turf..
Transistion zone..
we've had tons of water this year... rains an average of 5 inches a week... (this week more like 15 inches.. no kidding)
Looks like the rain will coninue.. at least in the short term.

I appied a high nitrogen fertilizer in Feb-Mar.
Next fertilizer treatment isn't due until sept-oct.

I need to apply a fertilizer (or something to green the lawns) ASAP..

I have 2 different sales reps recommending 2 different products..

5-10-31 10FE < 10% iron, 50% slow release.

29-5-10 UFLEX < 100% slow release.

Assuming that price isn't the issue, and also taking into account the conditions above.. what would you choose for this later than scheduled app??

Thanks in advance!

[DiyDave]

The first option would be my choice. What do I win? Another thought - if quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?:laugh: :laugh:

[ampeg76]

i dislike the 5-10-31 blend because all the manufacturers that i have seen use MOP, but everyone has their personal opinions!


having said that, i have used this blend before in the late summer/fall on st. augustine, the iron content helped retain color going into our winter(if you can call it that)

never used uflexx, so no comment

[tremor]

5-10-31 from MOP is garbage for turf. Good for de-icing the driveway though.

Seriously, the Nitrogen to Iron ratio should be 3 or 4:1 I know the 5-10-31 has a lot of iron but there isn't enough N to matter & the salt in that potash will cause more stress than K could ever prepare the turf for.

You can find many better fertilizers than either of these two but I'd use the U-FLEX if these were the only two choices.

[Rayholio]

Seems that all of the discussion is about the 5-10-31.. here's more details about it:

TOTAL NITROGEN (N) ..............................................5.00%
3.90% Ammoniacal Nitrogen
1.10% Urea Nitrogen
AVAILABLE PHOPHATE (P2O5)..............................10.00%
SOLUBLE POTASH (K2O) .......................................31.00%
IRON (Fe) Total ........................................................10.00%
0.10% Water Soluble Iron (Fe)
DERIVED FROM: Urea, Ammonium Phosphate, Muriate of
Potash, Iron Sucrate.
CHLORINE (Cl) Max.................................................25.00%

If neither of these are ideal.. what is? The 5-10-31 is from lesco... the Uflex is from BWI...

both recommended by local sales reps..

[olive123]

see if you can get 9-2-24 from lesco youll get a nick green without xcessive growth.

[Rayholio]

you're suggesting:

TOTAL NITROGEN (N) ..................................................................9.00%
0.78% Ammoniacal Nitrogen
8.22% Urea Nitrogen*
AVAILABLE PHOSPHATE (P2O5) ................................................ 2.00%
SOLUBLE POTASH (K2O) ...........................................................24.00%
MAGNESIUM (Mg) ........................................................................ 2.00%
2.00% Water Soluble Magnesium (Mg)
SULFUR (S) Total ..........................................................................9.90%
1.40% Free Sulfur (S)
8.50% Combined Sulfur (S)
IRON (Fe) Total ..............................................................................6.00%
0.06% Water Soluble Iron (Fe)
MANGANESE (Mn) Total...............................................................2.00%
0.29% Water Soluble Manganese (Mn)
DERIVED FROM: Polymer Coated Sulfur Coated Urea, Urea, Ammonium
Phosphate, Sulfate of Potash-Magnesia, Sulfate of Potash, Muriate of
Potash, Iron Sucrate, Manganese Sucrate.
CHLORINE (Cl) Max .................................................................... 6.50%
*2.25% Slowly Available Urea Nitrogen from Polymer Coated Sulfur Coated
Urea.


Doctors... do you concur with this course of treatment?

[SCAG POWER]

About two weeks ago, I placed on my own yard the following Lesco 5/10/31 around 4 bags , between the front and back. Since then we have had some rain in Florida, but not enough. The back yard is green and does have good growth. The front yard, well it is green but the growth is lacking. When you compair the two the back looks better.

[tremor]

6.5% Chlorine is a lot better than 25%.

But do you really need all this potash? U-FLEXX & PSCU are cheap but under certain summer weather patterns might be a major cause of grief for your lawns.

I'd prefer a nice equal N:K ratio with Nutralene, SOP & the correct amount of Iron.

Say: 15-0-15 50% MU, SOP, 5% Iron

There might be room in that bag to make it a higher analysis - but not a lot.

[Rayholio]

I'm no weather man.. but i'm betting the rain will taper off very soon.. it's been about 5 days since the last rain, and counting.. although we ALWAYS have a 30% chance... the uflex may end up being ok

[TOMMY1115]

I've used the 5-10-31 10%FE in the past during drought conditions and have had no issues with the MOP. I have found the only time you'll really have issues is if the lawn is cut very short, then you should use a lower MOP or switch to SOP.

I think LESCO offers a 21-3-21 75%PPSCU, 2 or 4%FE product. Another alternative to the 5-10-31.

[topsites]

One of the biggest problems faced in a new or established garden is a clay or hardpan type of soil. Poor drainage, soggy soil, and soil compaction are just a few of the conditions that clay or hardpan soils create.

In a new garden one can work organic humus into the soil to help break-up poor soil. Bark, sawdust, manure, compost, peat moss and soil mulches and conditioners are often used for this purpose. Incidentally, if bark or sawdust are used they will leach nitrogen from the soil, as they decompose, so additional nitrogen will need to be added on a seasonal basis.

I myself dislike fertilizers due to side effects, as soon as it wears off it's almost like the lawn is hung over.

So...
Throw down gypsum and a large portion of the problem is fixed. No negative ph effects, increased water retention ability, it breaks up and loosens the soil, the calcium releases inactive fertilizer ingredients left over from past applications, etc, etc.

I do this at least once / year at a rate of 10-20 pounds per k.sq.ft., at a price of just under 15 cents a pound you really can't go wrong with it, 6 bucks for 40 pounds or so.

[Rayholio]

$6 for 2-4 thousond sq ft doesn't seem that inexpensive to me... not to mention the labor involved in dropping 20lb per 1,000... sounds a little counter productive....

although, the way you describe it, it sounds good in theory.