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Lawn Care nuts
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Lawn Care nuts


Apr 30, 2019, 6:43 PM

I've got tall fescue that I seeded back in September then overdressed some bare spots in late March and spread out a starter fertilizer. Came in nice and thick. Wanted to put out another fert application, more N but Clemson extensions says not to apply any more fertilizer for tall fescue after middle of March. Been wanting to try milorganite organic fertilizer. They recommend putting out application around memorial day then fourth of July and twice more before winter for tall fescue. Does anybody fertilize there tall fescue this time of year or anybody ever use milorganite. Should I follow Clemson fert schedule or can I put out another application of some type of fertilizer this time of year for fescue. Any suggestions from fellow home landscapers or pros.

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Re: Lawn Care nuts


Apr 30, 2019, 7:07 PM

I used to live in the upstate and had a great fescue lawn. I always found that you really couldn’t ‘over fertilize’ your lawn. But there were also times when I had to cut my grass twice a week because it was growing so fast. In those cases, if you waited a week to mow it was almost impossible to get the mower through it.

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Re: Lawn Care nuts


Apr 30, 2019, 7:16 PM

I live near Charlotte, definitely have been having to mow twice a week all of april. Plus we have had a ton of rain. Makes for a nice green lawn. Sure summer will hit and no rain.

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Re: Lawn Care nuts


May 1, 2019, 4:44 AM

Man... Down through the years I've had fescue lawns, centipede, bermuda - possibly 1 other. It's really hard to keep a lawn looking good. Fighting weeds is tough no matter what - there are so many & seems like you have to constantly battle them. You've got to know what you're doing with fertilizer too or you'll burn the grass. Experts always seem to say use the slow release stuff - don't use anything with a middle number other than "0" unless you've had your soil tested. I've heard the Milorganite is good stuff but haven't tried it. Also seems to be hard to find.

One of my biggest problems over the years has been trying to keep the soil from getting too compacted. Whether hiring someone to plug aerate or buying my own aerater - neither has been that great. The last service I hired (annual contract) was good, but it was like $600 a year & I still did the mowing. Anyway, those guys said they had stopped plug aeration & gone to chemical/enzyme aeration. Same price but I didn't think it was any better. I've often thought about top dressing every year & maybe buying a tiller just to run over the yard lightly once or twice a year so it can breathe a little. Centipede seems to look great for about 2 years, but it's SO sensitive to fertilizer & weed control - you have to go very light with anything, & if that soil gets too hard, centipede just keeps getting thinner & thinner. I swore I'd never have another centipede lawn.

Lawns are a constant pain no matter what. My other idea (once) was having truckloads of pea gravel or slightly larger river rock brought in & just have a gravel yard like the Arizona folks. I haven't done it yet, but it's tempting.

I hate yardwork, but it's year-round if you've got one or it really looks terrible. This winter, spent Dec & Jan de-limbing large, overgrown trees (new chainsaw) & then had to buy a new hedge trimmer & a backpack sprayer this spring. The sprayer cut my spraying time to less than half - but go with a manual model. The much more expensive battery or gas pumps are ALL BAD no matter who makes them. They all leak! Even Stihl or Husqvarna. Plus, backpack sprayers are heavy enough without adding batteries, motors & gas engines.

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Re: Lawn Care nuts


Apr 30, 2019, 7:17 PM

There's a lawn guy on youtube that is high on using milorganite. I think he's in Florida though, and does not have fescue. You must love to work your butt off having a fescue lawn. The work never ends trying to keep that thing healthy IMO. I prefer Bermuda or Zoysia for lower maintenance, but to each his own.

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Re: Lawn Care nuts


Apr 30, 2019, 7:26 PM

Want low maintenance and only have to cut once a month. Get centipede. Very low growing but spreads rapidly. Will choke out most other things. Doesn’t need a lot of water either. I love mine. I have too many fun things to do in the spring and summer than to have to cut grass every weekend.

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Re: Lawn Care nuts


Apr 30, 2019, 7:36 PM [ in reply to Re: Lawn Care nuts ]

Yes I know the guy your talking about. Started watching his vids a couple of months ago. Seems very knowledgeable. His yard i believe is st Augustine. He talks about cool and warm season grasses. He is the reason I heard about milorganite.

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agreed.. you guys will be watering that stuff


Apr 30, 2019, 8:19 PM [ in reply to Re: Lawn Care nuts ]

3 times a day in August

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Re: Lawn Care nuts


May 1, 2019, 9:21 AM [ in reply to Re: Lawn Care nuts ]

Bermuda grass is the easiest lawn to maintain. Here's your twice a year spray applications.....

1st application..March...Mix one qt of Atrazine and 4oz of Taurus SC and one pint of 8020 surfactant per 25 gallons. The Atrazine will kill all winter weeds and has a residual agent in it that fights future weeds. The Taurus SC will kill ants, fleas, termites, grub worms and spiders. the surfactant is a binding agent that allows the chwmical to cling to the weeds. I've not had any ants or the other listed pest in over seven years. Do not buy any of the oisted chemicals from you local retail feed and seed store. They charge through the roof. You can oder any of these chemicals online and have the delivered to your home way cheaper.


2nd application mid to late April.....Mix one qt of 2,4D, one pint of 8020 surfactant per 25 gallons. This will kill any broad leaf weeds you have. Hope this helps.

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Or.. another option


May 1, 2019, 11:36 AM

Is good ole round up. December and late February. Kill any weed you have in your Bermuda . most importantly poianna grass.
Non selective herbacide is the only way to deal with that crap.

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Where is the best place to order online?***


May 2, 2019, 12:47 AM [ in reply to Re: Lawn Care nuts ]



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Milorganite is great


Apr 30, 2019, 8:03 PM

It will not burn your lawn. I plan to put some down this week before the rain for my tall fescue. I typically put a light dose of milorganite on lawn even in July. It won’t hurt it.

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If it's slow release like it says it should be fine. But


Apr 30, 2019, 10:01 PM

I don't put anything like that in July or August because every other year there's a drought and you'll have to water it more.

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Re: Lawn Care nuts


Apr 30, 2019, 8:24 PM

I put in a new fescue yard and after fertilizing in March, the most critical thing for the first summer is water. At least 1 inch a week.

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Re: Lawn Care nuts


Apr 30, 2019, 9:01 PM

You can apply Milorganite at anytime from now through the summer, and honestly you can’t over apply it. Let’s just say it is all natural and comes from the Milwaukee Department of Public Works. However, beware that it does have an odor and the odor tends to last longer the more you apply. Typically the main component in fertilizer that causes a lot of issues with burn is the type of nitrogen source in the fertilizer and the salt content associated with this and Milorganite has no salt content.

There isn’t a problem with applying some other fertilizer on fescue right now, but as the temperature heats up you don’t necessarily want to create a lot of growth in the fescue, so an application of fertilizer should be reduced in the amount applied (if not Milorganite).

The other main issue that you need to be aware of in the hot summer months is disease, and more specifically Brown Patch which occurs in most homeowner lawns due to overwatering. There are granular fungicides that can be applied both preventatively and curatively, but it’s much easier to begin applying preventatively before the onset of disease. The granular fungicides I would recommend using are Heritage G, Disarm G, or Headway G, with the latter being my first choice for both preventative and curative applications.

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Re: Lawn Care nuts


May 1, 2019, 11:35 PM

Cuturf07, Milorganite is basically a 40lb bag of northern sh!t but it works miracles on a southern lawn

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Don't burn it up with Nitrogen. Add some liquid humus to


Apr 30, 2019, 9:06 PM

help softyen the soil for better water depth.

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Re: Lawn Care nuts


May 1, 2019, 9:48 AM

I wouldn't put it down.

I did the exact thing you're saying and watered 1" per week. Nitrogen this late in the year will make your lawn susceptible to disease. I had brown patch everywhere (and I even put down Heritage G to combat it).

I now put down Nitrogen in September (with new seed), November, February, and 15 March. Besides September, all other Fertilizer has weed pre-emergent in it and I rotate brands.

If you just water 1/2" of water every third day, you'll be solid.

https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/tall-fescue-lawn-maintenance-calendar

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Re: Lawn Care nuts


May 1, 2019, 9:50 AM

Here's my lawn...

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Re: Lawn Care nuts


May 1, 2019, 10:08 PM [ in reply to Re: Lawn Care nuts ]

MarineOneClemson® I followed that calendar to a T when I had fescue (also used the recommended seed strains they provide) and I had awesome results. I am thinking he could follow it using the mountain region as a guide and get good results. I do recommend a soil test and spend the next few months fixing any issues it reveals (some take a while to correct) and then in the Fall take major action to renovate if needed.

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You need to get a soil test first. All lawns are different so the


May 1, 2019, 12:35 PM

extension recommendations are sort of generic. I’d recommend taking a soil sample to Lesco and let them create a plan for you.

I never put any nitrogen down after March. I usually start mulching rather than bagging about now and never need any more fertilizer until the fall. Just do weed control during the summer.

Ive never used milorganite.

I would never put down fertilizer in July on fescue in the upcountry unless you want to start over in the fall...

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Re: Lawn Care nuts


May 1, 2019, 11:31 PM

If I were building a new home zoysia would be my grass of choice

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Re: Lawn Care nuts


May 1, 2019, 11:43 PM

One word : Centipede .

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DB23


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