winterizer then spring app on frozen ground (upper Midwest)

[americanlawn]

Some outfits apply a "winterizer".....then they apply 1/2 lb of urea (cheapest & fastest-release stuff on the planet) on frozen ground the following spring calling it a "spring green-up". Outfits like this get their seven apps in here in the upper Midwest, but it poses a question for me....

What's the "winterizer app" for? Thought it was for early green-up, etc?
Why apply only a half pound of urea (no slow release)? Why apply so early that ground temps are below 32 the following spring? Is this quick-release N the best thing?

Before you answer, figure if it were your own lawn or your Parents' lawn.

rscvp, thanks

[mrkosar]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[grassman177]

that is all money and what they can sell , or theyare completely stupid as to turf needs!! pretty dumb. you get 4-5 fert apps up there right Larry?? we do six here, but i am like the only guy that puts down decent fert here i swear. everyone seems to upt down the cheapest and most release possible as it grows too fast and has big swings. we try to keep it even with our fert

[SpreadNSpray]

Some outfits apply a "winterizer".....then they apply 1/2 lb of urea (cheapest & fastest-release stuff on the planet) on frozen ground the following spring calling it a "spring green-up". Outfits like this get their seven apps in here in the upper Midwest, but it poses a question for me....

What's the "winterizer app" for? Thought it was for early green-up, etc?
Why apply only a half pound of urea (no slow release)? Why apply so early that ground temps are below 32 the following spring? Is this quick-release N the best thing?

Before you answer, figure if it were your own lawn or your Parents' lawn.

rscvp, thanks

Is big green already doing aps down there in Des Moines?
Doing aps on frozen ground is illegal in some cities.

[LawnTamer]

Apps on frozen ground? Yeah, just a ploy to get money. On any kind of a slope, that N will all end up in washes and gutters.

Whoop and I were out getting a few early aerations done yesterday and saw that TGCL had already been out doing apps.

[rcreech]

Scotts and TG were both out about 2 weeks ago here! :dizzy:

[sprayboy]

rcreech,

when are you going to start

[rcreech]

rcreech,

when are you going to start

Going to watch the weather...but thinking about March 15-20th.

What about you?

[sprayboy]

Targeting the 9th right now.........want to be ready then anyway.

Supposed to be in the 60's here later this week.

[mngrassguy]

They must be working on the 2012 theory. Man won't be around much longer. Do or die. I believe in the evolution theory. I see the stupid dying young every day. I can't believe their customers continue to fall for this practice. I think it will come back to bite them in the future.

[grassman177]

i hope it d=comes back to bite them, then we can all sit and laugh. wow i am mean. i plan to get started at this point looks likethe end of this coming week and the beginning of next week. right efter we finish our cleanups. this should take about 4 days or so i think. i might do some earlys pring seeding first though if the ground drys out enough by then. iwas going to do a grading and seeding job this last week but i could not get the materials i needed ontime before the snow hit us. oh well.

[cod8825]

First I believe that it is a ploy to make money. I am sorry but I have not much patience for most of the application companies in Kansas City that start spreading in February. We have a company here in Kansas City that is much like yours Larry in that they are very big and for the most part very well respected. They are friendly courteous and extremely knowledgeable. With that being said they are out February 1st doing applications. I mean most of the time we have two or three snows on the ground. I know they are using slow release product and not cheap stuff but still it still solid frozen ground and snow and such I just can't make myself start before March 1st.

[Smallaxe]

The purpose of the winterizer is to help the plant build storage carbs for the winter.

Spring fertilizer pushes rapid excessive growth, burning up those extra carbs, leaving them dependant of the next N app.

Never give a sucker, and even break.

[Ric]

Some outfits apply a "winterizer".....then they apply 1/2 lb of urea (cheapest & fastest-release stuff on the planet) on frozen ground the following spring calling it a "spring green-up". Outfits like this get their seven apps in here in the upper Midwest, but it poses a question for me....

What's the "winterizer app" for? Thought it was for early green-up, etc?
Why apply only a half pound of urea (no slow release)? Why apply so early that ground temps are below 32 the following spring? Is this quick-release N the best thing?

Before you answer, figure if it were your own lawn or your Parents' lawn.

rscvp, thanks

Larry

There you go again with the misinformation. Urea while cheap is not the fastest form of Nitrogen to be up taken by plants. Urea is NH4 that must be broken down to NO3 by microbial activity before being up taken by the plant. Ammonium Nitrate is NO3 or 34-0-0 that is readily available for uptake by the plant instantly.

[americanlawn]

Thanks Ric -- I did not know that. I just feel that a half pound of N is not worth applying in respect to customers' getting value. No slow release either. We applied a 44-0-0 25% XCU on most lawns late last fall, and we can still see "light blue granules" on the ground right now. We hope to start our season next week, but we need more "Kansas City weather" first. :laugh:

[Smallaxe]

... We applied a 44-0-0 25% XCU on most lawns late last fall, and we can still see "light blue granules" on the ground right now. We hope to start our season next week, but we need more "Kansas City weather" first. :laugh:

Same thing I did with a couple of lawns. Do you think that stuff did any good?
Will it continue to release when it warms up a bit?

Further North.

[americanlawn]

I would think the leftover granules will disolve once we get rains. On sunny hills, we're already seeing green-up. XCU = 10 weeks vs SCU = much less (4 weeks??). We're sold on the new XCU technology. (UAP) Talked to a customer last week. Said she can still see granules here & there. I'm thinking that's good. It also shows folks that we truly DO use "slow-release" fert unlike other LCO's.

Same thing I did with a couple of lawns. Do you think that stuff did any good?
Will it continue to release when it warms up a bit?

Further North.

[FdLLawnMan]

I would think the leftover granules will disolve once we get rains. On sunny hills, we're already seeing green-up. XCU = 10 weeks vs SCU = much less (4 weeks??). We're sold on the new XCU technology. (UAP) Talked to a customer last week. Said she can still see granules here & there. I'm thinking that's good. It also shows folks that we truly DO use "slow-release" fert unlike other LCO's.

Larry, I have to disagree with you on how long SCU lasts. A 50% slow release SCU product will last at least 6 weeks as proved by research done by universities. I have had my 75% & 96% slow release products from JDL last 8 to 12 weeks depending on the weather. XCU is just another poly coating that is supposed to be more uniform and last a little longer.

[drugrep]

In the North, I wouldn't apply any fertilizer until May 1st. You want to let the roots get going or you'll could get thin blades.

[Smallaxe]

Larry, I have to disagree with you on how long SCU lasts. A 50% slow release SCU product will last at least 6 weeks as proved by research done by universities. I have had my 75% & 96% slow release products from JDL last 8 to 12 weeks depending on the weather. XCU is just another poly coating that is supposed to be more uniform and last a little longer.

My question is: If the little blue crystals are still intact - does that mean - there is more N to come?

[americanlawn]

Blue crystals present means nutrients avaliable. Probably not a bad thing.
As far as SCU vs XCU: 4 weeks vs 10 weeks (that's what the ads say). I ain't no expert. I rely on my distributors to tell me what's best. :laugh: I trust these guys cuz they're in the business regarding chems, fert, etc. All I know is profit & loss. :confused:

[grassman177]

it helps to know more or as much as the reps, then you can truely know what and why you are using what u do! to have a thorouogh understnading of how and what the plant is utilizing at particular weather and seasonal conditions.

[FdLLawnMan]

Blue crystals present means nutrients avaliable. Probably not a bad thing.
As far as SCU vs XCU: 4 weeks vs 10 weeks (that's what the ads say). I ain't no expert. I rely on my distributors to tell me what's best. :laugh: I trust these guys cuz they're in the business regarding chems, fert, etc. All I know is profit & loss. :confused:

They are salesmen and trying to sell a product. Straight urea lasts 4 weeks for goodness sake.

[Smallaxe]

I last saw my blue crystals around deer hunting time. They were already 4 weeks old and been under the snow ever since. It should start melting today, and if they are still there, that means almost 20 weeks since the app.

That is why I was curious if these were just empty capsules.

[mngrassguy]

Frozen fert doesn't count.:laugh: I can still see straight urea on my test plots I put down first week of November.