Look up Dr Shaddox. He says all your lawn needs is nitrogen. In particular a 46-0-0 or 34-0-0. Also check your local feed store, they often have 50lbs of fert cheaper than big box stores
Thanks for the comment. Ya, Dr. Shaddox's video is one of the reasons I started to consider going heavy on nitrogen. You're right though, I should look into a local feed store instead of Walmart. I'll have to do some looking around in my area.
Take a look at Jonathan Green lawn care products. They even provide a tutorial on TH-cam. Another suggestion for weeds is tenacity, a pre- emergent that's mixed with a surfactant and water. I apply it to my lawn the 1st week in February, and then three weeks later, and I've had no problems with garden variety weeds like crabgrass or dandelions and such. I've been weed free for three years now. ❤
The weed and feed has pre Emergent, you'll need to add that early early spring and fall. I use lesco 007 granules and 4 weeks later prodiamine that I put in my backpack sprayer. 2 different products for better weed prevention. I also spray some weedstop for Lawns once or twice a year and or image that I spot spray.
I've never looked into Lesco 007 or Prodiamine before. Just did some research on them though. The Prodiamine looks pretty cost effective for the long-term with at about $100/bottle, but it looks like a bottle could last me maybe 2 years. Still, that's $50 extra per year, and I'm trying my best to keep the total cost under $100 for now. Great reviews though, so I'll keep it on the list if I do need to go over budget in the future. The Lesco one looks more affordable at about $45 from Lowes for a bag that would last me for about 3 applications. I already added the preemergent from the Weed and Feed for this spring, so I'm going to hold off on this for now, but I'll probably pick up a bag and test it out later in the year if I notice a lot of weeds creeping in. Although, these 2 products look like they're more for crabgrass. My weed problem is usually just clover, so I'm still on the lookout for something that could get rid of that. Thanks for the advice though!
Long term this isn't a good strategy. You will have more compaction and more acidic soil as well as broadcasting too much herbicide. I suggest you incorporate some slow release nitrogen with organic matter. Sta green from Lowe's has a natural fertilizer that is slow release and includes kelp and gypsum. Milorganite is also a good option if you find it at the right price.
I did use Sta green a few years ago when my lawn was first established. Their stuff worked pretty well actually. I'll look into the price. Slow release sounds logical too. I'll look into the one from Walmart this year because it seems plenty of people have posted good results from it, but I'm going to put Sta green on my calendar to use for next year so I can compare the two. I appreciate the advice.
@@realryanhomes6858 The kelp and gypsm in the sta green is just marketing. If you want to incorporate those elements into your lawn, thats fine, but doing it with a granule fert is like tossing coins down a wishing well. The walmart fert *is* slow release and if the commenter above took 2 seconds to read the label he would have known that. What you said early on about dethatching and aerating is correct, and your fert plan is solid. Just remeber to water in whatever you apply to the lawn, and don't apply when your soil is wet. But you probably knew all that.
Ah, good to know. Ya, I'm planning on sticking to this plan for now - cheap and seems to work for others, but I'm open to advice. Haven't had a chance to read the label very closely yet because I haven't been to the store to grab a bag, but good to know that the Walmart brand is slow release too. Thanks for the advice.
heres a thought. Weed and feed doesn't work well. I stopped using it many years ago and people stop on my sidewalk and ask what I use...I use scotts FEED. With weed and feed the lawn needs to be wet to apply etc...etc.. You've probably heard it all. I have a little spray bottle of weed killer and I hit weeds when they pop up. My lawn looked OK. I also dethatched and had it aerated (we are zone 6 and clay/shale). Still didn't look great. So You notice the strip of grass behind your house looks weak and anemic. Do a soil test. I test mine, my son in laws and my dads homes. DEVOID of nutrients. Literally in spring it reads 0-0-0. You are putting down 28-0-3 (I do too in spring one bag) But theres no phosphorous and almost no potassium ?? maybe you live in an area that has phos and pot ?? point is my lawn did not do well until I added a 10-10-10 type garden fert throughout the year. THEN it rebounded, got thicker and the grass grew better roots. I admit I also usually in March add in some compost as a top dressing with a little seed kind of a 'top dressing' in any areas not up to par. Its free, out township makes it we get it free. Compost of course has some nutrients. Not trying to tell you what works. All yards are different, but I'll bet a store bought $8 soild test kit would be enlightening. For reference. I use one bag $32 of Scotts FEED, a $9 concetrate bottle of weed spray that lasts years I buy 10-10-10 from a discount store and its usually $20-23. I also add in a 8 lb bag of chicken manure fert I think 5-5-5 because I use it in my veg garden as well. By my calc about $80. You may want to add some in fall, thats cool add another $20 for fall and ur at $100 NPK....phosphorous is for root growth, Potassium for overall plant 'well being'. Lots of people in developments lack nutrients. All of 'em not just Nitrogen
Hey man, that's a great breakdown. I'm in Ohio - fairly new build (6 years old now) on what used to be a farm. The soil here is pretty much devoid of nutrients from the crops sucking all that up over years. I'll definitely look into the 10-10-10 too if the heavy nitrogen fertilizer isn't doing enough. The weed spot-check is something I've been hearing a lot about since I posted this. Glad to hear a bottle can last so long. I'll be adding that to the plan too. Thanks for the great post and advice. Much appreciated.
Hey thanks. I've done labor work for landscape companies in the past, but they only ever bought in bulk from special distributors. Still trying to figure out the best bang for my buck at home. Any brand recommendations are appreciated.
Look up Dr Shaddox. He says all your lawn needs is nitrogen. In particular a 46-0-0 or 34-0-0. Also check your local feed store, they often have 50lbs of fert cheaper than big box stores
Thanks for the comment. Ya, Dr. Shaddox's video is one of the reasons I started to consider going heavy on nitrogen. You're right though, I should look into a local feed store instead of Walmart. I'll have to do some looking around in my area.
Take a look at Jonathan Green lawn care products. They even provide a tutorial on TH-cam. Another suggestion for weeds is tenacity, a pre- emergent that's mixed with a surfactant and water. I apply it to my lawn the 1st week in February, and then three weeks later, and I've had no problems with garden variety weeds like crabgrass or dandelions and such. I've been weed free for three years now. ❤
Hey, thanks for the tip. I'll check it out and add it to my plan if the price fits.
Good video
The weed and feed has pre Emergent, you'll need to add that early early spring and fall. I use lesco 007 granules and 4 weeks later prodiamine that I put in my backpack sprayer. 2 different products for better weed prevention. I also spray some weedstop for Lawns once or twice a year and or image that I spot spray.
I've never looked into Lesco 007 or Prodiamine before. Just did some research on them though. The Prodiamine looks pretty cost effective for the long-term with at about $100/bottle, but it looks like a bottle could last me maybe 2 years. Still, that's $50 extra per year, and I'm trying my best to keep the total cost under $100 for now. Great reviews though, so I'll keep it on the list if I do need to go over budget in the future.
The Lesco one looks more affordable at about $45 from Lowes for a bag that would last me for about 3 applications. I already added the preemergent from the Weed and Feed for this spring, so I'm going to hold off on this for now, but I'll probably pick up a bag and test it out later in the year if I notice a lot of weeds creeping in.
Although, these 2 products look like they're more for crabgrass. My weed problem is usually just clover, so I'm still on the lookout for something that could get rid of that.
Thanks for the advice though!
Long term this isn't a good strategy. You will have more compaction and more acidic soil as well as broadcasting too much herbicide. I suggest you incorporate some slow release nitrogen with organic matter. Sta green from Lowe's has a natural fertilizer that is slow release and includes kelp and gypsum. Milorganite is also a good option if you find it at the right price.
I did use Sta green a few years ago when my lawn was first established. Their stuff worked pretty well actually. I'll look into the price. Slow release sounds logical too. I'll look into the one from Walmart this year because it seems plenty of people have posted good results from it, but I'm going to put Sta green on my calendar to use for next year so I can compare the two. I appreciate the advice.
@@realryanhomes6858 The kelp and gypsm in the sta green is just marketing. If you want to incorporate those elements into your lawn, thats fine, but doing it with a granule fert is like tossing coins down a wishing well. The walmart fert *is* slow release and if the commenter above took 2 seconds to read the label he would have known that. What you said early on about dethatching and aerating is correct, and your fert plan is solid. Just remeber to water in whatever you apply to the lawn, and don't apply when your soil is wet. But you probably knew all that.
Ah, good to know. Ya, I'm planning on sticking to this plan for now - cheap and seems to work for others, but I'm open to advice. Haven't had a chance to read the label very closely yet because I haven't been to the store to grab a bag, but good to know that the Walmart brand is slow release too. Thanks for the advice.
heres a thought. Weed and feed doesn't work well. I stopped using it many years ago and people stop on my sidewalk and ask what I use...I use scotts FEED. With weed and feed the lawn needs to be wet to apply etc...etc.. You've probably heard it all. I have a little spray bottle of weed killer and I hit weeds when they pop up. My lawn looked OK. I also dethatched and had it aerated (we are zone 6 and clay/shale). Still didn't look great. So You notice the strip of grass behind your house looks weak and anemic. Do a soil test. I test mine, my son in laws and my dads homes. DEVOID of nutrients. Literally in spring it reads 0-0-0. You are putting down 28-0-3 (I do too in spring one bag) But theres no phosphorous and almost no potassium ?? maybe you live in an area that has phos and pot ?? point is my lawn did not do well until I added a 10-10-10 type garden fert throughout the year. THEN it rebounded, got thicker and the grass grew better roots. I admit I also usually in March add in some compost as a top dressing with a little seed kind of a 'top dressing' in any areas not up to par. Its free, out township makes it we get it free. Compost of course has some nutrients. Not trying to tell you what works. All yards are different, but I'll bet a store bought $8 soild test kit would be enlightening. For reference. I use one bag $32 of Scotts FEED, a $9 concetrate bottle of weed spray that lasts years I buy 10-10-10 from a discount store and its usually $20-23. I also add in a 8 lb bag of chicken manure fert I think 5-5-5 because I use it in my veg garden as well. By my calc about $80. You may want to add some in fall, thats cool add another $20 for fall and ur at $100
NPK....phosphorous is for root growth, Potassium for overall plant 'well being'. Lots of people in developments lack nutrients. All of 'em not just Nitrogen
Hey man, that's a great breakdown. I'm in Ohio - fairly new build (6 years old now) on what used to be a farm. The soil here is pretty much devoid of nutrients from the crops sucking all that up over years. I'll definitely look into the 10-10-10 too if the heavy nitrogen fertilizer isn't doing enough. The weed spot-check is something I've been hearing a lot about since I posted this. Glad to hear a bottle can last so long. I'll be adding that to the plan too. Thanks for the great post and advice. Much appreciated.
You seem like your interested in getting your lawn right. Scotts is ok, but there's better stuff out there to use. Your on the rt track .good job.
Hey thanks. I've done labor work for landscape companies in the past, but they only ever bought in bulk from special distributors. Still trying to figure out the best bang for my buck at home. Any brand recommendations are appreciated.