Bermuda Bible Revision II

[texasweed]

Who says you cannot teach an ole dog new tricks? This ole dog has learned a few new tricks since retiring from a sod farm moving onto a Golf Course Super. The revision has to do with fertilizing your Bermuda grass, or really any warm season grass. Since the time of writing the Bermuda Bible things have changed a bit like Lesco no longer exist and some of the Slow Release formulas are no longer available, although there are other similar products. Not so much a revision, but adding an option that is extremely effective, and comes with less cost. Trade off is a bit more work.

OK both straight urea (46-0-0) and ammonia nitrate (34-0-0) are fast release fertilizers and the least expensive of all the fertilizer available everywhere. The lowest prices can be found at any farm supplies, farm Co Ops, and any box store that has garden supplies. Now before you start ragging on me about using fast release please read on.

A trick we use on a golf course greens is we fertilize every week at 1/2 application rate using a micro-particle 34-0-0 Ammonia Nitrate. Micro particular is expensive stuff but you do not need to use it on a home lawn. Golfers would be pretty upset seeing pelleted granules on a putting surface every Tuesday morning. So with one modification you can use this trick on your lawn.

Apply either 46-0-0 or 34-0-0 once a week at 1/4 application rate, or biweekly at 1/2 application rate. A full application of 46-0-0 is 2 pounds of product per 1000/ft2, and for 34-0-0 is 3 pounds per 1000/ft2. Figure it out.

One Warming with using this method. Do not apply to wet grass.. Although not a must but prefer to water in after application. Use common sense if you do not get any rain between application times and still see product on the ground, wait another week and see how things go. Your grass is going to slow down when it gets really hot and dry, thus does not need as much fertilizer.

Gives you the same effect as applying slow release once a month at half the cost. Down side of course is 2 to 4 times more work.

Now you can throw rocks at me.

[Begotten]

just one question; would you be willing to take an apprentice to carry on your knowledge?

[sodman]

Very interesting. I've been thinking about going 1/2 rate and going every 2-3 weeks until I just read this article. So under the 1/4 rate weekly, you'd use a fast release, correct? What are the advantages here? Still stick to a straight N as well right?

[SimonR]

New Testament

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[Tony alony]

Texasweed, congratulations for your discovery. As we know; whether it be jet propulsion laboratories or space flight operations, not to mention, the worlds tallest skyscrapers, revisions are necessary in almost every endeveavor. Your mention of "teaching an ole dog new tricks" , is; just the natural order of things.

[texasweed]

So under the 1/4 rate weekly, you'd use a fast release, correct? What are the advantages here? Still stick to a straight N as well right?

Yeah use fast release straight N either weekly or biweekly. Advantage is you do not have to search the world over for a slow release product and save some significant coin. You get the same results as slow release every 30 to 45 days. You just save money, it is easy to find, and cheap. Only trade off is more work.

[Sidney]

It's hard to find anything with xx-0-0 in Columbia, SC. John Deere has NEVER had anything xx-0-0 when I went.

[cotucker]

This is my first month doing this exact thing. I am starting with every two weeks @ half rate. We are doing some renovations on a golf course and this discussion on fert management was brought up when I was talking to the super about primo. He said if what I was looking for was "growth regulation" I can get the same results or close it with proper fert & water management. AKA fertilize more at a lesser rate. So far so good.I may do the quarter rate once a week next month to see if I can further refinement in my fert management. I think I can get away with less water on a weekly fert schedule aswell.

[cotucker]

The only thing different is that I am using a

25-5-10 50% slow


and a 24-2-12 55% slow


This is what I have so i'm going to use it until its gone.

[andy10917]

I don't think the technique is limited to warm-season grasses. I learned it up North from the Sports Field management folks - halving the amounts and doubling the applications makes fast-release behave like slow-release. The extra benefit is that it also halves the impact of a single mistake during an application.

Glad to see a Bible update, TW !!

[HoosierLawnGnome]

So - if I understand this - basically people are doing the slow release with multiple, timed applications instead of water washing off urea's coating?

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I know there aren't a ton down south, but check out Residex for urea.

[texasweed]

It's hard to find anything with xx-0-0 in Columbia, SC. John Deere has NEVER had anything xx-0-0 when I went.

Might I suggest you are looking in the wrong places? JDL is the last place you should look. X-0-0 is very generic so places like JDL do not carry just plain ole fertilizer. Check places like Tractor Supply Company, and farm implement stores and Co Ops.

[texasweed]

The only thing different is that I am using a 25-5-10 50% slow. This is what I have so i'm going to use it until its gone.

No problem whatsoever doing that. In fact if you have Read the Bermuda Bible or have followed along around here I do say to use a 3-1-2 0r 4-1-2 for the first app of the year in lieu of a soil test. OK your is 5-1-2 but close enough. Just use it for the first 4 to 6 weeks of the season weekly or biweekly.

If I may suggest later this year or in the off-season have a soil test. Adding P&K may not be needed, and if so no reason to add it. In fact can do more harm than good.

[texasweed]

I don't think the technique is limited to warm-season grasses. I learned it up North from the Sports Field management folks

Yeah I was pretty sure it could be applied to Cool Season grasses. I have known about weekly feeding for several years at least on golf greens. However all those years was under the impression it was done because golf putting greens are soiless mixes of inert material which do not hold nutrients. Here at the course we do use a balanced micro partical for that reason. Then it dawned on it would be a great option using the same technique for home lawns using straight nitrogen using a cheap X-0-0 product. As you say you get the same effect of using Slow Release, and in the end can save some fertilizer and water during the course of a year.

[txlawnrookie]

I can see how this would save money on fertilizer, but how am I going to save on watering if I have to water in the nitrogen with one of my days I can water on due to restrictions

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[Mightyquinn]

This is a good route to go if you are unable to find a quality slow release fertilizer but I do know that JDL will ship a bag or two of fertilizer from another store if it is available there but I think it has to be fairly close by. My JDL doesn't carry 36-0-0 anymore but it is available from the one in Raleigh and they said it would be no problem to get a bag or two shipped down from there for no extra charge. I still think slow release is the better way to go since you only have to spread it once every 4-6 weeks, of course my lawn is in "maintenance mode" and doesn't require any filling in. I think if you are trying to fill in your lawn and get it nice and thick, the once a week with fast release would be the way to go as long as you have an irrigation system.

[prorange]

I'm following the bible for the first time. What's the rule of thumb on applying fertilizer in hot temps? I need to put down some fertilizer but it's going to be in the mid 90's for the foreseeable future. Should I put it down in the morning or evening? Does it matter as long as it's watered in thoroughly? I have some 34-0-0 fast release and some 24-0-4 with some slow release from tractor supply. Thoughts?

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[texasweed]

I'm following the bible for the first time. What's the rule of thumb on applying fertilizer in hot temps? I need to put down some fertilizer but it's going to be in the mid 90's for the foreseeable future. Should I put it down in the morning or evening? Does it matter as long as it's watered in thoroughly? I have some 34-0-0 fast release and some 24-0-4 with some slow release from tractor supply. Thoughts?

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OK you have to make some decisions here based on if you want to work in hot weather or not. Bermuda thrives at 150 to 170. By that I mean when day time high temps added to night low temps = 150 to 170 it is thriving. Above and below it slows down. With mid 90's puts you in that thriving zone. With that said it will only thrive if it receives enough food and water. Otherwise if you cut back on food and water when it is 150 to 170 it will slow Bermuda down.

So if you want a really green lawn, you have to decide if you want to put the effort into it during hot weather. OK? If you choose to do so mornings are best assuming the grass is dry assuming you are watering and mowing properly.

If you want to slow the grass down quit fertilizing, raise the cutting height, and only water enough to keep it from going completely dormant. You can even let it go dormant but I do not recommend that because there are some weeds that will thrive in those hot dry conditions. By keeping it somewhat green and growing means mowing once a week or so which will chop the heads off plants like Sand Burrs and Dallisgrass. Trust me you do not want Sand Burrs or Dallisgrass.

[prorange]

Thanks TW. As I was calling around to find straight nitrogen fertilizers, everyone told me not to put any down in these temps, or I would burn my grass.

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[texasweed]

Thanks TW. As I was calling around to find straight nitrogen fertilizers, everyone told me not to put any down in these temps, or I would burn my grass.

I can only guess you live in an area where both Cool and Warm Season grasses are grown. That would be true for a Cool Season Grass or Centiweed. It can burn Bermuda if the grass is wet which is why I warned about applying to dry grass and then water it in.

Understand I am only giving options here. I stand behind either using slow release, and adding an option to use fast release. It is up to the user to decide which is best for themselves.