[smokerroller]

Hello, I am new to the forum.
I want to start taking better care of my lawn and I have some questions. The lawn is a KBG, rye and fescue mix in Wyoming. There are almost no weeds in the lawn because I spray with 2-4D every spring. I keep it mowed to 3.25" and bag it because there seems to be a lot of thatch ever since we moved in, and I don't mow it quite regularly enough to mulch it. I have not fertilized it in a few years and yesterday I put down some 16-16-16 to get some nutrition into it.

The worst problems I am dealing with right now is that the lawn is already browning up (not from the fertilizer) and there are several areas where the grass is pretty clumpy.

I read the thread about fall nitrogen blitz and that sounds like a good idea for this fall as well as pre emergent. What can I do right now since it is already late spring/summer? Is there a fertilizer that would be good to put down right now? I am not sure where to start because so much of lawn care is marketing and incorrect information.
Thanks.

Scroll down for pictures.

 

[jessehurlburt]

Welcome to TLF. Are you irrigating the lawn at all?

Post some pictures if you can and take a look at this thread with tons of good information.
https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1595

 

[chrismar]

What's your watering schedule like? And what's the weather been like lately in your neck of the woods?

 

[smokerroller]

We have had a very wet spring with a lot of rain in the last several weeks and temps in the 70s and 80 in the daytime. When there isn't rain I water 1" or more once or twice a week. I don't think it is a lack of water. I think it is a lack of nutrition. Here are some pictures.

 

[smokerroller]

As you can see, its pretty dense with brown or dead grass. Do I need to do a heavy dethatch this fall and over seed? Do I need to put a lot of nitrogen on it?
Hand if for scale.

 

[g-man]

How much 16-16-16 did you apply? I would wait to see the effects. Thatch is normally not a problem for our northern lawns. You could apply unsulfered molasses (from the supermarket) to speed up the microbes.

 

[Jconnelly6b]

Agree with G-man... your 16-16-16 should make some good improvements. Do you have equipment to perform a liquid fert app?

 

[smokerroller]

Agree with G-man... your 16-16-16 should make some good improvements. Do you have equipment to perform a liquid fert app?

I have a 25 gallon 4-wheeler sprayer.

 

[smokerroller]

How much 16-16-16 did you apply? I would wait to see the effects. Thatch is normally not a problem for our northern lawns. You could apply unsulfered molasses (from the supermarket) to speed up the microbes.

I went and got some raw molasses from the the co op. How much is recommended to apply per 1000 square feet?

 

[g-man]

2-4oz per ksqft

 

[Wolverine]

Always start with a soil test then go from there. I would also recommend a top dressing with some quality compost. This will help with water retention as well as get the microbial activity going in your soil. Start with the soil first, not the plant.

 

[kevreh]

And just to add, dropping Milorganite regularly (1x a month) will help the microherd and processing of clippings.

What's your mowing height? Maybe too short, even though your temps aren't too hot.

When I see browning like that, coupled with plenty of moisture my first thought goes to disease like brown patch.

+1 on a soil test. Looks like Colorado state is near you and can do them; http://www.soiltestinglab.colostate.edu/