agpennipacker new construction lawn results

[agpennipacker]

Hello from North Alabama! We just moved into a new construction home in what was once a red clay cotton field and I am trying to get a handle on my new lawn. The lawn is approx. 20000 sq. feet and all bermuda sod which was laid in late February. Right now the lawn is full sun and will likely stay that way for the next couple of years. I've never started with a newly sodded lawn and my last yard was fescue in North Carolina. Just want to get started on the right foot with respect to feeding, water, etc. My soil sample from Logan is linked below. Thanks in advance for any advice you can provide!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-pFPN ... sp=sharing

[andy10917]

This is a sandy soil with a weak OM number. It won't hold nutrients particularly well.

The cations are such that they set up a pH of 6.3. That may push up a few tenths when we get the Potassium where it should be.

When the Potassium and Phosphorus are both short (and they are), then we use balanced fertilizers until we're at the tweaking stage. So, locate a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10 or 19-19-19 and post the NPK to get app rates and frequencies.

The Iron number is terrible and the Iron number is far below the Manganese number, which can be trouble. Real effort to raise the Iron level is going to be needed. 3 lbs/K of Ferrous Sulfate every 60 days is definitely in order, and foliar apps (FAS) should be considered.

In the micro’s, it’s Boron, Copper and Zinc. Get Twenty Mule Team Laundry Soap (grocery), Copper Sulfate (Amazon/EBay), and Zinc Sulfate (Amazon/Ebay) and apply each at three tablespoons/K every 60 days. Read the Micronutrient Application Guide for application specifics.

[agpennipacker]

Yeeesh...sounds terrible. Thanks for the info. I will get the fertilizer and take a look at the Micro Application Guide as you suggested. I will post the NPK as soon as I have it. Thanks again!

[andy10917]

I don't know what you were expecting, but most people here would sell their souls to be starting with passable Base Saturations and a pH of 6.3. Count your blessings.

[agpennipacker]

Andy, not really sure that I was expecting anything. I am such a newbie to the process that the diagnosis might be an ingrown toenail and sound like cancer to me Heck, I had to look up half the acronyms (e.g., FAS). I really do appreciate the help and I will get back with those numbers asap.

[agpennipacker]

I found some 10-10-10. Can you tell me the suggested app rates and frequencies? Thanks.

[agpennipacker]

Also, is Moss Out granular a decent product or should I be looking for a different source for the iron sulfate? I'm having trouble finding large quantities (seems to be common in 1-5 pound bags). My yard is about 22000 sq ft.

[imauafan]

You might save some work and money by going with 19-19-19 instead of 10-10-10. Harvest Feed Mill has triple 19 for $18 per 50lb bag which is a better price that the triple 13 that I had gotten from Lowes.

[agpennipacker]

Hey thanks. That sounds like a great deal. I will definitely go with the 19-19-19!

[TimmyG]

Also, is Moss Out granular a decent product or should I be looking for a different source for the iron sulfate?

Couple o' threads worth a look:
Ferrous sulfate Monohydrate
Iron Experiment

[agpennipacker]

That's a big help, thanks.

So if I buy the Peststrong 50lb bag, that is 30% iron, I would apply 3lb per 1,000 sq ft? Trying to make sure I don't scorch it.

[agpennipacker]

Ok, I purchased several of the 50lb bags of triple 19 (thanks for the heads up imauafan). Any suggestions on application rates would be appreciated.

[imauafan]

I suspect the application rate for the triple 19 will be 5.25 lbs per 1k.

[imauafan]

I forgot to say that 5.25 is the monthly rate for the triple 19 which winds up being 1lb/K of N (as well as P/K). So 20,000 x 5.25/K = 105lbs of triple 19 every month.

[agpennipacker]

I wanted to provide an update on my lawn and pose a question...

First the update. Thank you to andy and imauafan for the advice and recommendations! The bermuda sod has taken off fairly well with the monthly fertilizations. I have been cutting it pretty high and watering at least an inch a week (more as it has gotten hotter and dryer). It has filled in most of the bare patches. I still have some weeds and a good bit of crab grass, but the sod was not
put down in late Feb and I was not able to get any preemergent down. I was planning to do so this fall before it goes dormant. Good idea?

My other question is about the iron sulfate recommendation. I finally put some Pestrong granular down at 2 lbs per 1000. The temps had been in the low 90's during the day so I waited till dusk when it was about 80 degrees. I used a broadcast spreader and watered it heavily after it was down and again the next morning. However it seemed to stress the yard. Never greened up. Instead I had some yellowing and seemed burned in areas. I'm just curious where my error was so I don't do it again. The grass had not been cut prior to putting it down and was probably 1.5 inches.

[andy10917]

Sadly, it's not that surprising. When Manganese exceeds Iron in the soil, it can actually take Iron's place in some soil/plant scenarios. You have an Iron level of 62 PPM and a Manganese level of 171 ppm. You may want try light foliar ("FAS") treatments after the serious heat is passed.

[agpennipacker]

Thanks for the reply. Appearance of the grass aside, does it matter how I apply with respect to increasing the overall soil levels? I guess my question is, If the goal is to get the iron levels up in the soil, to improve the numbers going into next year, is there a best method of application, rate, or time to apply (given my manganese situation)? I obviously don't want to damage the lawn but I do want to try and correct the soil situation if I can.