Hoosier state, anyone put Urea down yet?

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flyin-lowe
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Hoosier state, anyone put Urea down yet?

Post by flyin-lowe » October 22nd, 2022, 7:28 am

We have had an unusual cool snap here in my area and the soil temp maps are showing low 50's (soil temps) for the last 5 days. However the next week or so temps are supposed to be highs in the 70's and lows in the 40's to 50's. I have a few hundred pounds of Urea ready to put down on my large yard but I am at the mercy of mother nature to water it in. We have not had a measurable rainfall since August, news said this is one of the driest falls on record. I am curious if the warm up the next week to 10 days will raise the soil temps much or since they are in the low 50's right now if I should put my Urea down the next time it is going to rain? Curious what those of you in my neck of the woods (Indian, Ohio, Illinois) are thinknig.

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turf_toes
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Re: Hoosier state, anyone put Urea down yet?

Post by turf_toes » October 22nd, 2022, 9:00 am

A couple of days of warm weather won’t move the soil temperature needle all that much.

flyin-lowe
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Re: Hoosier state, anyone put Urea down yet?

Post by flyin-lowe » October 23rd, 2022, 7:44 pm

So it looks like right now there is a decent chance of some rain Tuesday and Wednesday this week. What's everyone thoughts on putting it down, seems a little early compared to years past...

DevilDawg81
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Re: Hoosier state, anyone put Urea down yet?

Post by DevilDawg81 » October 23rd, 2022, 8:41 pm

We had our first frost here and I can tell we’re definitely in the pause. My reno area looks okay, but I’ve been watering it and I gave it Milo a couple weeks ago.

The rest of my turf doesn’t look great. It’s be extremely dry here too. To answer your question, because we are supposed to have the same rain you’re gonna have, I’m passing on any apps of urea right now. I don’t want to force growth in the pause.

flyin-lowe
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Re: Hoosier state, anyone put Urea down yet?

Post by flyin-lowe » October 24th, 2022, 7:57 am

Thanks, my top growth has been nothing for a few weeks but wasn't sure if it was totally because of lack or rain, or soil temps. Like I said I have been watching the maps and soil temps have been in the low 50's for a few weeks, Its amazing watching the online maps how much it changes. Two weeks ago it was in the low 50's but last week we had a warm up and now the map is showing mid 60's for the last couple days. It's been in the high 70's here since last week and air temps could reach the 80's today, As I look at the map this morning I think I am going to hold off, assuming we will get more rain in the next 3-4 weeks....


Masbustelo
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Re: Hoosier state, anyone put Urea down yet?

Post by Masbustelo » October 24th, 2022, 7:10 pm

I'm in Northern Illinois and it is very dry here, although tonight and tomorrow were supposed to get 1-2 inches. If you haven't had any rain since August your grass is probably in a dormant mode. I think if you applied your urea now it wouldn't be utilized. There isn't any hurry. You are way early. Like maybe 2-3 weeks. I put mine down December 1st last year and had good results. Let it rain and green up before your final drop. Putting it down immediately before your first wet snow is effective too.

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ronfitch
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Re: Hoosier state, anyone put Urea down yet?

Post by ronfitch » October 31st, 2022, 1:41 am

turf_toes wrote:
October 22nd, 2022, 9:00 am
A couple of days of warm weather won’t move the soil temperature needle all that much.
This. Air temps are not the indicator, soil temps are.

Mow until you get no grass clippings, which indicates top-growth is done and it is time for winterization. That is usually/often a two-ish week window for the roots to grab and store the UREA before they go dormant due to temps as well. With luck, in that two-ish week window, there is some rain.

We are in drought in Minnesota - driest September on record, following dry June and July (August was above normal but due to three big events). Irrigation systems get shut down here in October unless you can do it yourself (vendors won’t book past Halloween, many not that late). Worst case is I drag sprinklers around the yard.

flyin-lowe
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Re: Hoosier state, anyone put Urea down yet?

Post by flyin-lowe » November 14th, 2022, 12:46 pm

Looks like I might put mine down this evening. Last weeks temps were still in the 70’s but the bottom fell out this weekend and now below average temps, highs only in the low 40’s and in the 20’s for lows. Tomorrow morning they are calling for a light snow in the morning and then rain showers in the afternoon as it warms up. Due to the size of my ward I cannot water it in and right now this is the only chance of precipitation forecasted for the next couple weeks. If I don’t put it down tomorrow I am afraid it will be too late before the next rain.

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Re: Hoosier state, anyone put Urea down yet?

Post by DevilDawg81 » November 15th, 2022, 8:11 pm

I made the move as well and put urea down. With lack of rainfall this fall, I didn’t want to gamble

flyin-lowe
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Re: Hoosier state, anyone put Urea down yet?

Post by flyin-lowe » November 20th, 2022, 10:20 pm

Not sure the weather cooperates enough for me or not. The snow in the morning was barely a dusting and the 90% chance of rain was just a drizzle. Over the next couple days we got another light snow, maybe 1/2 to an inch. No actual rain though. I am guessing by the time we get another rain it will he too late…Good news is the urea didn’t cost me anything except some time

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