What fertilizer to use in early summer

[sjcook5]

Hello,
I have a 3 year old house and lawn in the South Eastern PA region (Upper Bucks County). I have found a Lesco dealer and was wondering what product to put down in early summer (late June where average daily temp is in the low 80s) to prepare the lawn for the hot dry summer. I have heard the Scott's products stink and they only have one choice but Lesco has hundreds of different products.

What I was told is not to put something down that will make the grass try to green up when it is trying to conserve water and prepare for the drough. In the past my lawn turns brown each summer.

Thanks.

[FdLLawnMan]

Well, if it doesn't rain your lawn is going to turn brown unless you water it. What type of grass do you have. I apply a high slow release product such as 30-3-7, 96% slow release or 5 think they have a 32-0-10 that is 75% slow release. Make sure not to apply any more than 3 lbs of material per 1000 Sq. Ft.

[sjcook5]

Thank you for your response. I have "Perennial Rye Grass", both the Pennington and Rebel brand. I have about 1.4 acres with no watering system so watering in the summer is usually a fruitless effort. I have tried but I cannot cover all of the lawn to provide a long deep soaking.

One last question, in my region I don't think "grubs" are an issue but do either of these products provide grub protection (do I even need it)? I am only using Lesco because from what I read on this site it seems to be the choice of the pros.

Again, thank you.

[FdLLawnMan]

No they do not provide grub protection and grub preventer should not be put down unless you have a history of it. Perennial rye grass is not my favorite seed so make sure you cut it no shorter than 2.5 inches, I prefer 3 inches, and fertilizer it twice in the fall.

[Mikey Palmice]

No they do not provide grub protection and grub preventer should not be put down unless you have a history of it. Perennial rye grass is not my favorite seed so make sure you cut it no shorter than 2.5 inches, I prefer 3 inches, and fertilizer it twice in the fall.


If you are using a John Deere Riding mower, do the numbers for the hights represent inches of cut? I used to have it on 2 and now I do it on 3 which is a higher deck, and the grass looks so much fuller and greener.

[FdLLawnMan]

I have no idea and even if they did I would not trust them. The best way is to drive the mower on a flat level surface, lower the deck to the eight you are going to cut it at and measure the difference between the surface and the blades.

[DA Quality Lawn & YS]

I am using Lesco's 24-0-11 50% slow release product for my early summer fert.
Both this product and the 32-0-10 contain 2% Fe and I wanted to see if the added Fe would be a benefit over the warm summer months for color. I really don't think you could go wrong with either one of these - the main difference is the greater % slow release in the 32-0-10 and the greater N you are adding per 1K if applied by bag instructions.

[ron mexico75]

Correct me if I'm wrong because I very well might be. I have some basic knowledge about lawn care but not anything that is classroom taught. I thought the last thing you want to do in the summer is put down a high amount of nitrogen. Now, it being slow release might be the determining factor I assume. However, I thought the last thing you want the grass doing in 90+ degree temps is growing and using more water. I also thought putting down nitrogen in the summer invites disease as well.

I thought adding a fert. like a 5-10-30 with 10% iron would be a good thing. I thought the potash would help strengthen the roots and sort of provide a stress relief and the iron does the greening up versus a high nitrogen content. The fert I listed is sold at and recommend by Southern States for any of you that are familiar. That is a highly trusted place with educated people that work there.

Could somebody comment that knows a lot about lawns and fert.? I am very interested in hearing what you have to add.

[DA Quality Lawn & YS]

ron - you are right about overstimulation with N in the summertime - but if you notice the recs I made contained a high amount of slow release N. And the guy that started this thread has a Northern lawn - I am assuming rye/fescue/KB mix (though I am not certain of that) - on which the application should be made now, avoiding the truly hot and dry summer months of July and August.

I agree with your comments on Fe and the additional K content. Cost can be a limiting factor in choosing a fert with a high level of K, though.

[chuckcintron]

I have the same exact question as the OP, and the same concern that ron mexico75 raised. My lawn is not in great shape, it's pretty thin. Not feasible for me to water through the summer months, either.

I was leaning toward this Lesco product for fertilizing now:

068832 - 10-0-20 65%PPSCU 10%FE

Higher potassium to N ratio, with 10% iron and 65% slow release.

Is that a safe bet?

Thanks...

[JDUtah]

IMO a compost topdressing is the best bet for a low moisture lawn going into the summer months.

[ron mexico75]

ron - you are right about overstimulation with N in the summertime - but if you notice the recs I made contained a high amount of slow release N. And the guy that started this thread has a Northern lawn - I am assuming rye/fescue/KB mix (though I am not certain of that) - on which the application should be made now, avoiding the truly hot and dry summer months of July and August.

I agree with your comments on Fe and the additional K content. Cost can be a limiting factor in choosing a fert with a high level of K, though.


Thanks for the reply. Yeah as I mentioned and aslo what you said earlier, the slow release N is the factor. Also like the OP said and you reiterated, it's a northern lawn with a different climate then the mid Atlantic where I live so I that does makes sense.

I have the same exact question as the OP, and the same concern that ron mexico75 raised. My lawn is not in great shape, it's pretty thin. Not feasible for me to water through the summer months, either.

I was leaning toward this Lesco product for fertilizing now:

068832 - 10-0-20 65%PPSCU 10%FE

Higher potassium to N ratio, with 10% iron and 65% slow release.

Is that a safe bet?

Thanks...

I live in VA and used the fert I stated above ( 5-10-30 with 10% Fe) and had great results. It greened up nicely but no excessive growth and it helped the "stressed out" look the lawn had in July. It's all relative to where you live, and what type of turf you have as well. Like I said, I am in VA and have a fescue blend lawn.

[kirk1701]

IMO a compost topdressing is the best bet for a low moisture lawn going into the summer months.

JD could you elaborate a bit more on this; I'm buying up what compost 40 Lb bags my local Lowe's store has right now everytime I go to town. Plan was to put this over top of my lawn this fall and with my luck Lowe's won't have it then so I'm buying it now for the fall.

But you say put the compost topdressing down now?

[lilmarvin4064]

I wouldn't skimp on the potash right now, but be careful, ferts like 5-10-31 are all muriate of potash. This can burn easier than urea can. go with something that is at least 50% sulfate of potash if you are using a 1:0:1 or a 1:0:2. Slow N is good, but I wouldn't use more than 3/4 #N/M in the summer.

Good - 18-0-18

Better - 21-3-21, 16-0-31

[mdlwn1]

It all depends on the soil. Where I am a qaurter pound of N is big deal. I would not recomend ANY home owner attempt to use a product that has n above say 15 or so. There is no way they are gonna get the setting down low enough with a 31. If you only have rye grass (really?..only rye?) and it browns every summer, I highly doubt that more than 1/4 to 1/3 lb of n would be a good idea.

[bx24]

It all depends on the soil. Where I am a qaurter pound of N is big deal. I would not recomend ANY home owner attempt to use a product that has n above say 15 or so. There is no way they are gonna get the setting down low enough with a 31. If you only have rye grass (really?..only rye?) and it browns every summer, I highly doubt that more than 1/4 to 1/3 lb of n would be a good idea.


I agree on the soil..I also agree there is more to his grass then rye..Maybe KB or Fescue?

I also would tell a home owner to apply over 15N IF, and only if they have sprinklers. If not, on your own.

[JDUtah]

JD could you elaborate a bit more on this; I'm buying up what compost 40 Lb bags my local Lowe's store has right now everytime I go to town. Plan was to put this over top of my lawn this fall and with my luck Lowe's won't have it then so I'm buying it now for the fall.

But you say put the compost topdressing down now?

I would do it now for sure.

First, yes the compost can have 1-4% total N by dry weight so a 1/4" topdressing can put down anywhere from 3.75 lbs N to 15 lbs N per 1,000. That may sound like a lot but only 5 to 10% of that is available the first year. So you are putting down .1875 to 1.5 lbs N per K for first year. Even at the 1.5 lbs the first year, it isn't all available the first month so you don't need to worry about burning (assuming you have good mature compost with total/available N numbers that fall within above threshold).

Second, the available N and K ratios are somewhat similar to the fertilizers people have recommended already. Thus you can expect the benefits they have already explained.

Third, it also contaians micronutrients like Iron (with same benefits as already explained)

Forth, and IMO most related to your question, compost is a soil conditioner. It can help your soil hold onto the moisture in plant available form (capillary moisture) thus you get better water penetration AND moisture holding capacity.

Fifth, depending on soil pH the OM adds Cation Exchange Sites. (Basically parking places for ionic nutrients) These sites not only have potential to minimize leaching they can hold salt ions out of the soil solution thus decreasing fertilizer burn potential.

-------------

The following pics are of a lawn I picked up last year (my mother's). The lawn had NO fertilizer for 12 months prior and about 6 weeks before I got involved the irrigation went out. First I fixed the sprinkler system and set the timer appropriately (you might have to skip this step??). It was WAY too hot and stressed to use mineral fert (this was mid July) so I decided to give a topdressing a try. 1/4" of screened quality mature compost.

Pic one: before (dead spots are where they sprayed tall fescue clumps with roundup)

Pic two: one month after topdressing and fixing irrigation. You can see some remaining dead spots from the roundup. Also, as the lawn recovered some bilbugs, no, a ton of bilbugs, moved in to feast on the stressed turf. This you can see as the other brown spots.

Pic three: 11 months later with only 2 lbs N per K of fert (46-0-0) other than compost. (forgive the lack of trimming, and grassy weed control. I am an organic bridge company and am experimenting with a limited variety of herbicides.) The lawn currently gets watered once a week but it has been a relatively wet spring.

Anyways, why wait to topdress when your lawn could benefit now? But that is just my opinion. :waving:

[bx24]

Nice pics but I have seen the same results WITHOUT topdressing and anything added but irrigation".

[JDUtah]

Nice pics but I have seen the same results WITHOUT topdressing and anything added but irrigation".

I'll accept that, but my question for you is... had your lawns been fertilized regularly before the drought stress? If the fert is there irrigation helps. This lawn had no fert for 12 months with bagged clippings the whole time. Anyways, I wish I left an area untreated to see the difference of just irrigation and topdressing and irrigation... and another two areas with no irrigation with and without the compost topdressing. Too bad I don't have a test field. bummer. :hammerhead:

Regardless, IMO the pics demonstrate to Kirk that a topdressing now wouldn't hurt.

PS, no worries guys, I might be organic based, but I'm not going to push them on you.

Peace out. :)

[FdLLawnMan]

Take a soil sample. If you have adequate P & K adding more is of no benefit. The only major or minor element that turf feeds on is nitrogen. I apply nitrogen now with no problems if it contains more than 50% slow release. I myself prefer at least 75% slow release this time of year. Actually, next year I will probably be going to use a lot of UMAXX & UFLEXX, both stabilized nitrogen products.

[bx24]

I'll accept that, but my question for you is... had your lawns been fertilized regularly before the drought stress? If the fert is there irrigation helps. This lawn had no fert for 12 months with bagged clippings the whole time. Anyways, I wish I left an area untreated to see the difference of just irrigation and topdressing and irrigation... and another two areas with no irrigation with and without the compost topdressing. Too bad I don't have a test field. bummer. :hammerhead:

Regardless, IMO the pics demonstrate to Kirk that a topdressing now wouldn't hurt.

PS, no worries guys, I might be organic based, but I'm not going to push them on you.

Peace out. :)

DING DINGO!
YEs I have. In fact my back lawn had zero done in 3 years. I will look for pics.

I am just saying there are many ways to make a lawn look go. The odd part is I got my front and back from my UNI and results where close...Kicker is my front looks MINT and back look way worse...

[JDUtah]

DING DINGO!
YEs I have. In fact my back lawn had zero done in 3 years. I will look for pics.

I am just saying there are many ways to make a lawn look go. The odd part is I got my front and back from my UNI and results where close...Kicker is my front looks MINT and back look way worse...

Nice. You must be blessed with some good soil. :)

[bx24]

Nice. You must be blessed with some good soil. :)


Or lots of chems! :) Weird since all I added was some "poly"