@tommydearest
Is your soil deficient in K? It's usually best to use fast-acting N for the blitz. Can you grab some urea for the fall, and just use those bags in the spring?

Your forecast looks good to start letting it rip. Mine are still 100 here

Did you previously put down Pre-M? If so, what month application rate did you put down and when? I'd probably pre-M when your previous app is running out. If you're not planning on overseeding, you could go ahead and drop it.

 

As noted above, the Fall N blitz uses a quick release source of nitrogen - Urea or Ammonium Sulfate. This allows you to control the rate at which the grass grows from the nitrogen.

Despite your temps looking good for the next 10 days, I would wait until the end of the month. In Southern Ontario, I've never started my blitz before September 1st.

I would also avoid fertilizer that has potassium this late in the season. There have been studies that link late season potassium apps to an increase in snow mold. While snow mold is mild and rarely does lasting damage come Spring time, it is one more thing to worry about.

I would save the 24-0-6 for your Spring 2023 applications.

As with the pre-m question, depending on timing of previous apps (if any), you may want to wait until September. Part of the Fall app is to provide protection throughout the Winter and early Spring months until the weather is ideal for a Spring time app. There are weeds that start to germinate once soil temps drop below 70F and the Fall app is designed to protect you.

 

@tommydearest
Is your soil deficient in K? It's usually best to use fast-acting N for the blitz. Can you grab some urea for the fall, and just use those bags in the spring?

Did you previously put down Pre-M? If so, what month application rate did you put down and when? I'd probably pre-M when your previous app is running out. If you're not planning on overseeding, you could go ahead and drop it.

It is deficient in K. I put down some in the spring and planned on putting the rest down early fall.

I've read on most places, including g-man's guide, I think, that you can get away with using a little slow release nitrogen but just get done with it before temps really cool. I figured this would be ok, one because it's a small amount of slow release, and two I should be done with it before it starts to really cool off. Maybe split the difference and use up one of my bags? That way I'll be done with slow release by early Sept.

I haven't put any pre-m down yet so I guess I'll just go ahead and do that also.

Thanks!

 

I would also avoid fertilizer that has potassium this late in the season. There have been studies that link late season potassium apps to an increase in snow mold. While snow mold is mild and rarely does lasting damage come Spring time, it is one more thing to worry about.

As with the pre-m question, depending on timing of previous apps (if any), you may want to wait until September. Part of the Fall app is to provide protection throughout the Winter and early Spring months until the weather is ideal for a Spring time app. There are weeds that start to germinate once soil temps drop below 70F and the Fall app is designed to protect you.

From what I've seen, I think I should be ok as long as I get it down before the soil really cools off. I may, because of this and the slow-release portion, split the difference and use one of my bags of 24-0-6 to start the blitz and save the other bag for the spring. That would leave me short on the recommended potassium, for this year, though.

As far as pre-m, that's one vote against and one vote for. I'll see if any other opinions come in.

Thanks!

 

As far as pre-m, that's one vote against and one vote for. I'll see if any other opinions come in.
Thanks!

It isn't about gathering different opinions and going with the consensus. It's about best practices. If you haven't applied any pre-m this year, then go ahead and put down a 6 month rate now. That will take you until February.

If you have done an app already this year, do another application when the previous one runs out - just make sure you are not exceeding the annual limit.

 

I started my blitz this weekend. I looked at the weather forecast here in NW Iowa and it is 76 for a high and 56 for a low +/- 4 for the next 10 days. Basically optimal grass growing weather. It is even raining today! I probably start a little earlier than most folks because I use Milorganite to kick start my N blitz so the soil is still warm enough to break it down then I follow up with spoon feedings of N.