Fall Nitrogen Regimens: How Is It Going?

[s3_buell_]

With the exception of a 6 inch by 3 foot strip that I missed with the T-Nex spray, I have no idea. That strip is growing quickly and looks great. The rest of the KBG and TTTF looks just like it did 4 weeks ago. I've been running the mower over the KBG and TTTF every week or two and getting very little clippings except in the strip. I have not seen the thickening without vertical growth that I hoped for this fall. At this point, I think the T-Nex through the fall was not a good idea.

The PRG reno is still growing well and is thickening and is choking out some weeds. I'm really pleased. It has received a total of 2 lbs N this fall. I'm done feeding it now and thinking towards winter preparation.

[Riverpilot]

First time doing the aggressive program. Results are so so, which I'm sure the unusual wet September/October had something to do with it. With 30 degrees and snow flurries this morning, I'm done until the final drop.

[Chris LI]

I had to start the aggressive program a few weeks late, so as predicted, the results aren't as great as last year at this time. I made the third drop of urea this week and watered it in before the rain. Unfortunately, we received more rain than I expected (2"), so I'm sure some N leached. I resisted the temptation to drop another half dose (.25 lbs. N/k), and will wait until the next scheduled drop. I tried searching ATY for info on urea leaching, but I haven't found anything yet. I'll keep looking.

[rucraz2]

So far each fall I think I come into the Fall fertilizer Program with unrealistic expectations.

In theory I should get 7 urea apps based on the avg. first frost date. This week the lawn finally looked good, but its been almost 5 weekly Urea apps to get there. There may be some spreading, but I have been keeping an eye on some bare spots on the borders and it's slow and deliberate, nothing thats going to fill in in 7 weeks. I had more spreading in the spring.

I am not sure if its because this summer my lawn took a big hit with disease, or if it was the the weather in September. We did have unseasonably hot humid weather for 2 weeks with no rain, then about 2 weeks of overcast without any sun for days. Fall didn't really come around until last week.

Plus I finally came to the conclusion that once the sun changes angles after Labor day, the lawn is getting much less sun that it used. In the spring and summer the sun squeezes through a neighbors tree and the yard gets mostly sun, but come fall that tree is blocking it until around noon everyday.


I can see the thinning of the lawn since labor day, the same areas that will thicken up in the spring when there are not leaves on the tree. I am just starting to notice that as far as spreading is concerned I have a better chance at spreading in the spring if the amount of sunlight is a factor.

I realize the program doesn't differentiate between sun or shade, but would how much sun a lawn gets after labor day affect the results of the program?

Ill take all recovery I can get after this year, so I think the program is good for that, but I am starting to think the conditions in the spring give me the best shot at fixing problem areas.

I feel like I am in agreements with you on this. This is my first yr doing this on my new place. But I'm only doing it on my dogs lawn/pen due to time. So only 500sqft. This spring it looked like garbage. I hit it hard and it looked great after spring. This fall I was hoping to fill in some areas yet and it hasn't spread much. It's thickened up and looks a hair better than during the summer heat. But it certainly filled in more in the spring compared to now. 6 apps so far but mostly top growth I would say.

[andy10917]

Whenever I've seen grass that isn't responding to Nitrogen in the Fall, there has been a limiting factor somewhere. This often equates to a more-critical shortage of something else -- the "Law of the Minimum" comes into play here. If there is a shortage in a primary, secondary or even micronutrient item, then it can stop growth even when other nutrients are available. Nitrogen will cause some forced growth, but it may be weak or unhealthy as it stresses the plants when they don't have all the components, and spindly or diseased grass happens. There is a thread on the "Law of the Minimum" somewhere on the site that you may want to review.

[greenrebellion]

No rust this Fall! My neighborhood and my house has always gotten absolutely annihilated by rust every fall, but this year I haven't seen a bit of it.

As an added bonus, I have the darkest lawn in the neighborhood.

[greenrebellion]

I was able to get down 6 apps in total this year before pausing, would've been 7 but extended periods of rain combined with my travel schedule meant that I missed one of my apps.

How many apps did other folks get down?

[This is me]

So far so good. Put down my fifth and last application on 10/11.
10/14 we had a little bit of frost in the morning but was quickly melt away. This pic was taken on 10/14 after a mow. With more sunny days this week compare to the rest of the month, the grass is still growing. The lower temps next week will likely slow it down.

[ronfitch]

First time doing the aggressive program. Results are so so, which I'm sure the unusual wet September/October had something to do with it. With 30 degrees and snow flurries this morning, I'm done until the final drop.

As much rain as we have had in September and into October (hit the monthly average for the month of October in most parts of Minnesota last week), looks like much of Iowa got it worse.

It has been a summer/fall of extremes in the upper Midwest, though that is becoming the MO year-round the past decade or so.