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mrigney said:
That is amazing...is that primarily due to cut height you think? What other factors could contribute to delayed dormancy?
About the only difference between last season and the 2 before was HOC.

I think soil tempatures had the most effect on the grass staying out of dormancy.

I think when it was discussed, Someone said "Golf courses don't let thier greens grow out 2 inches, why are we?"
 
Discussion starter · #22 ·
Thanks everybody for the input, I'd be lost if I didn't have this forum to lean on.

Moving forward, next time I mow I'm going to cut it down to 1.75" and see how it goes from there. My lawn is my hobby and I want nothing more than for it to look it to be healthy and look its best..

I know that I am switching gears here, but in terms of fertilizer, when I sent my last soil test in, it came back with deficient levels of Nitrogen and Potash. However, I went to my local seed shop and I found a 19-5-9 slow release thinking that I could kill two bird with one stone. I was also approaching this purchase with the idea of bringing my Nitrogen/Potash up to ideal ranges before I switch to a high N slow release monthly as the low Potash concerns me. My plan is to switch from my monthly milo to every 3 months this 19-5-9 every month until fall and see where I stand. Is that a good approach?

Also, I also have a bag of Scotts Lawn food 32-0-4 which is slow release which is just sitting in a bucket.
 
I've just started using Milorganite and really like it so far!! Grass is a nice dark green, and it's a slow release organic fert. It's the first time I've used organic. You have to lay it down pretty heavy but because it's organic it will never burn or damage your lawn.. I found out about it from The Lawn Care Nut YouTube channel. He has some decent info on his videos. Other than that I typically use Scott's lawn food or lawn food max. It's usually on sale at Costco for like $30 a bag for the big bag. But I think I'll mainly use Milo now
 
Discussion starter · #24 ·
Txmx583 said:
I've just started using Milorganite and really like it so far!! Grass is a nice dark green, and it's a slow release organic fert. It's the first time I've used organic. You have to lay it down pretty heavy but because it's organic it will never burn or damage your lawn.. I found out about it from The Lawn Care Nut YouTube channel. He has some decent info on his videos. Other than that I typically use Scott's lawn food or lawn food max. It's usually on sale at Costco for like $30 a bag for the big bag. But I think I'll mainly use Milo now
I'm a huge fan of Milo, I have 5+ bags sitting in my garage as I write this, and the LCN was the one who got me on the Milo wagon.. The only reason I have cut back on a monthly application of it is because it doesn't have the amount of potash my lawn is deficient in. Do you apply yours monthly?
 
I have for the last few months, but I'm new to Milo so I'll probably do another app in August depending on how the lawn looks. I did an app in May and heavy one in June.
 
Bermuda grass competes well with most grass species, though it creeps into flower beds. They cannot withstand shade well, which is why they are selected for shady gardens. Never do the bag grass clippings. Mowing at a lower height ensures better quality but lower the mowing height, the more frequently you will need to mow. Once the grass turns green in spring, begin the routine mowing. Suitable mowing height is 1 to 2 inches for common bermudagrass and ½ to 11/2 inches for hybrid varieties. With one mowing remove not more than one-third of the leaf area. The landscape supply company suggests testing the soil to determine which nutrients your lawn requires. The thumb rule is only one-third of grass plant should be mowed. For best health, there is a suitable lawn grass height for every lawn grass. Same as Zoysia lawns, Bermuda needs to be scalped each spring.
 
It will stress it but no way will it kill it or do any permanent damage. Most here feel it's better to take it down below where you want to maintain it at in one shot. It might take a couple cuts lowering your HOC each time but all in the same day rather than over a couple weeks time. This way it stresses the grass once and it's done. If you gradually lower it over a couple weeks the grass will be stressed longer and look like crap for a lot longer. Just grab the bandaid and rip it off rather than the long painful slow pull.
 
Tex86 said:
I know that I am switching gears here, but in terms of fertilizer, when I sent my last soil test in, it came back with deficient levels of Nitrogen and Potash. However, I went to my local seed shop and I found a 19-5-9 slow release thinking that I could kill two bird with one stone. I was also approaching this purchase with the idea of bringing my Nitrogen/Potash up to ideal ranges before I switch to a high N slow release monthly as the low Potash concerns me. My plan is to switch from my monthly milo to every 3 months this 19-5-9 every month until fall and see where I stand. Is that a good approach?

Also, I also have a bag of Scotts Lawn food 32-0-4 which is slow release which is just sitting in a bucket.
Your Nitrogen will ALWAYS be low on your soil tests as it is used the most by the grass and it washes from the soil fairly easily too. I think your approach is fine and there is nothing wrong with the Scott's Lawn Food you have either. How much are you planning on putting down every month of the 19-5-9?

Potash(Potassium) will also leach from the soil and be used up by the grass right behind Nitrogen but just not as fast, so I think what you have on hand will work just fine to get those numbers up a little bit.
 
Discussion starter · #32 ·
Mightyquinn said:
Tex86 said:
I know that I am switching gears here, but in terms of fertilizer, when I sent my last soil test in, it came back with deficient levels of Nitrogen and Potash. However, I went to my local seed shop and I found a 19-5-9 slow release thinking that I could kill two bird with one stone. I was also approaching this purchase with the idea of bringing my Nitrogen/Potash up to ideal ranges before I switch to a high N slow release monthly as the low Potash concerns me. My plan is to switch from my monthly milo to every 3 months this 19-5-9 every month until fall and see where I stand. Is that a good approach?

Also, I also have a bag of Scotts Lawn food 32-0-4 which is slow release which is just sitting in a bucket.
Your Nitrogen will ALWAYS be low on your soil tests as it is used the most by the grass and it washes from the soil fairly easily too. I think your approach is fine and there is nothing wrong with the Scott's Lawn Food you have either. How much are you planning on putting down every month of the 19-5-9?
That was going to be my next question. How much and for how long? The timeframe I would imagine is probably until the end of the season before applying a winterized (dependent on what kind of winter weather is projected). Any recommendations on the lb/sqft?
 
If you don't have any areas that need filling in I would just go with about 3lbs/K of the 19-5-9 a month. That will give you just a hair under .6 lbs of Nitrogen/K a month. Just keep feeding it that until about a month before it goes dormant, as there is no need to buy a "special" winterizer fertilizer.
 
Discussion starter · #34 ·
Mightyquinn said:
If you don't have any areas that need filling in I would just go with about 3lbs/K of the 19-5-9 a month. That will give you just a hair under .6 lbs of Nitrogen/K a month. Just keep feeding it that until about a month before it goes dormant, as there is no need to buy a "special" winterizer fertilizer.
I do have an area on the back where the wife sprayed round up on a 5x10ft area of grass while I was put of town :-/. It could definitely use some help.
 
Discussion starter · #36 ·
Mightyquinn said:
Just add an extra handful to that area when you fertilize. Just make sure to spread it out good and it wouldn't hurt to hand water that area every so often either.
Thanks for that MQ. Much appreciated. :thumbup:
 
Tex86 said:
Mightyquinn said:
Just add an extra handful to that area when you fertilize. Just make sure to spread it out good and it wouldn't hurt to hand water that area every so often either.
Thanks for that MQ. Much appreciated. :thumbup:
No problem at all, that's what we are here for :thumbup:
 
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