Comparing Slow release Fert to Fast release? What do the bigger Ap Co. use....?

[Exact Rototilling]

Okay for starters and a bit of background here goes - in 2012 I put down more fertilizer than all other years combined.

No Ap license required in Idaho for fert. Despite federal law - Idaho does allow limited use of non- mechanized spraying of herbicides. I did very little spraying in 2012 due to wind, rain and logistics. What little I did was with a Solo BP sprayer.

So my fertilizer question is one of my fert client said my product lasted much longer and it didn’t force the grass to grow a foot in 10 days and I only put down (2) two applications of fert. The Fall application of fert was skipped due to logistics and exhaustion on my part but frankly the client said the lawn still looked great and he wasn’t concerned....FWIW.

This client was started out with a Plugr 800 series aeration in the Spring which does in fact open up the soil more than other machines with more plugs.

This client claimed another Co. treated it in 2011 and total cost was around $600-$700. I only put down 2 heavier applications of slow release synthetic product 20-7-14 and another heavy application of an DPW organic base bridge product 14-2-5 that IMO blows away Milorganite in pattern sectional tests on my own lawn. Lets just say his total cost was much much less.

What is a normal number of applications from the Big Co. per growing season for cool season grass and is fast release product normally used?

Also I’m trying gather info on the other Application Co. on fertilizer applications but how many applications is the norm. If I use a slow release synthetic or a slow release bridge product that cost me more in product costs how does one not end up leaving money on the table...?

In the eyes of the client a single AP is just a single AP and not worth more....? How does one draw a distinction. I’m assuming the Big Ap Co. are using fast release products.