Understanding When and How to Fertilize a Lawn

[@nmsauditor1a950]

Always enjoy your videos. This is the easiest way I learned to calculate fert rates. In your case, 18-1-9. Divide 100 by 18. 100/18=5.55, call it 5.5. You need 5.5 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft.of that product to get 1 lb. of N per 1000 sq. ft. If you want half a pound per 1000, just multiply 5.5x.5=2.75 lbs. per 1000 sq. feet. Most videos I watch seem to make it so confusing. Thanks for the information, Jason.

[@lawncarelife]

I like that method. Thank you for sharing

[@Toon2391]

Why divide by 100 where did the hundred come from?

[@3rdyellow]

You are doing too many steps. If you want 0.5lbs og nitrogen from a bag of 18-1-9, divide 0.5 by 0.18 = 2.77lbs of product needed per 1000 sqft.

[@Joe-sg8tk]

I’ve used 13-13-13 for past 40 years on my lawn. Always had a deep green blue lawn. I only do it when I know with certainty that it will rain. I water it in immediately after I put it out. All my neighbors use someone like you. I never have fungus nor weed problems like they do. Thick grass I think is why. I love watching your videos

[@3rdyellow]

How often do you put it down and how much Nitrogen per thousand?

[@groundeffects3032]

I always have a soil analysis done. You can apply fertilizer to a property, and the nutrients will be available, but the nutrients can stay bound up in the soil because the PH is not in the range it should be for optimal absorption. You can also find out what the CEC (cation exchange capacity) number is. The higher the number,(12-23 range) the better the soil will hold the nutrients in the root zone for absorption. Here in South East Georgia, the soil is sandy and the CEC is usually low. A top dressing with a good quality product after a core aeration is beneficial and will raise the CEC over several seasons. Great video Jason! We always enjoy your content and added humor.

[@adamc1706]

There’s been university studies on non coated urea/ams compared to slow release fertilizer and they found that both provided adequate turf quality for around 60 days. I’ve been skeptical on slow release as of lately due to this. I believe Dr Shaddox went over this on his channel a few times.

[@SingleStacked]

Great info! I like that spreader. You are a little light for St. Aug. 3-4 lb per year are recommended in FL.

[@billdillon3886]

I agree with your application rate calculations and the application technique using the flap down on the perimeter to insure consistent growth throughout the yard. However, I do think that an iron content of 2-5% is helpful to insure that the leaves are deep green.

[@thangknowa3288]

Except centipede...

[@billdillon3886]

@@thangknowa3288 True. It seems to do fine without much care.

[@slowrider30]

Great video. Thanks for the advice

[@phileisermann1257]

Nice explanation of fast vs slow release. Figuring out the amount of fertilizer is one of the simplest of algebraic equations to solve. It always makes me sad when I realize people have trouble with it because it points to a failing of our educational system. I realize math is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I believe the concept is simple enough for everyone to understand if only the public education had taught you properly. The basic equation is Ax = B. The capital letters represent constants, the lower case letter variables. A is the percent fertilizer shown on the bag. B is the lbs of fertilizer we want on the lawn. You get to choose both A (by picking the fertilizer you use) and B depending on your grass type. The variable x is how much you apply using your spreader. The only complicated thing is converting from a percentage to lbs. And that’s actually easy. Percent literally means “per hundred” So 18% means 18 per hundred. if you take 18 and divide by 100, you get 18/100 = 0.18. similarly, 5% is 0.05, and 15% is 0.15. So if you take 5 lbs of 18% fertilizer and spread it out over 1000 square feet, you get (0.18x5) = 0.9 lbs of nitrogen applied to that 1000 square feet. since you choose both A and B, you just have to solve for x. To do that, just divide both sides by A and you get x = B/A. So if you want 2 lbs of nitrogen per 1000 square feet (that’s the variable B), and you use a 15-0-15 fertilizer (15% is variable A, and 15% is 0.15), you get x = 2/0.15 = 13.3 lbs of fertilizer per 1000 square feet. So now you know that you have to apply 13.3 lbs per 1000 square feet of that fertilizer to apply 2lbs of nitrogen to your lawn. Hope this helps someone.

[@lawncarelife]

I think that is a great explanation. Thank you for sharing

[@brooks9058]

Be simple. Figure out the amount of nitrogen you want to put out. If you want 1lb of nitrogen/1000 from an 18 1 9 blend, just take 1 and dive by .18= 5.55lb.

[@gabehilado3819]

I stopped throwing slow release fertilizers. I got clay soil, not very good drainage, we got dumped on with quick thunderstorms, good slow fertilizer just wash away. I can see the particles on sidewalks after heavy rain. I just use quick release now and make sure I apply when there is no heavy rain coming up. I control amount of water to dissolve my fertilizer instead of rolling the dice with rain, which might turn into 1 inch dump in 1 hr. Again, I got clay soil

[@shpaint1]

That's exactly the same problem I've faced for the last 10 years. I was tired of just throwing money out on the ground and watching it run off. So, I had to admit my mistakes and call an expert. Another lawn care KZbinr said contact the closest golf course to you and ask them, so I did. Bought the guy a few jars of shine and he told me to use 2-0-4, every other week and to buy the natural stuff at Lowe's that has nutrients in it, sea kelp, and some other stuff I don't need to know about, anyways it has worked friggin awesome our yard looks better now than it ever has and it's a hell of a lot less money. A little more time and a bit more mowing, but watching the granddaughters play in soft green Bermuda is well worth it. Wife told me to say, also less mud😊

[@Anthony-hx2pq]

Thanks jason. Was just thinking about fertilizer yesterday. How fitting you put out this video today

[@carolynwong4937]

I had a bare patch in my St Augustine lawn and put leaf compost. What grew looks like Bermuda grass. 😂

[@TimothyDavis-n1h]

Thanks for the videos

[@mattmoser6848]

Rule of thumb on numbers are Up,Down,All around. More iron will help retain color longer from what I’ve been told.

[@JohnnyMow]

Would love more information on that spreader I run ground logic

[@KameronWalker-cv7nb]

Will you do a review on this machine?

[@BigJohnson1566]

If you’re are gunna be a yard guy then you best be a weather watcher too.

[@throwingsparks]

@BigJohnson1566 Timing is everything, watering is not a reasonable option for me.

[@travisschoen1344]

Cool

[@BrownsQualityLawnCareLLC]

Love your content....what kind of fertilizer do you use for a centipede lawn?

[@adamc1706]

The brand doesn’t really matter unless you care about prill size. It’s just NPK, I would look how much much nitrogen to apply to centipede yearly.

[@dankanell7151]

How do you know how much of the bag is slow release.

[@Meegy667]

I’m currently in the industry at a company with no future. Are you hiring? I live next door in Clay.

[@gregsmith3752]

Jason, I am in your academy and we have spoken. Keep being you, as you tell the truth on all your products. I test everything. TRUST BUT VERIFY. So, back that Back Slope machine right into my garage. You had me at Hills, lol. Cool Season - Pac NW is my area: Temp and Rain Dependent (KNOW WHEN) Water Schedule (NOT WHAT You THINK) Grass Height Maintained & Seed Chioce (GOT TO DO IT FOR ALL THE RIGHT RESULTS) Synthetic amounts of Nitrogen are less than what everyone thinks. You have to cut with Organics (depending). Granules, so they slow feed the to the root (always slow release for synthetics). There is one thing better than everything that you butter that lawn with. I know what it is (right of passage). Fast is for fungus, or use it up on shrubs, trees, gardens, but you better know how to. Foliar applied is fine if you smack that rear-end with a hit of nitrogen or iron for the ew and ah! Saturated, I guess. Medium green is healthy and what you want, but a hit foliar is nice for the occasional party your client is having. Otherwise, chill out! Anyway, one year in and have renovated 37 lawns this spring and running all out full service lawn care and fertilization and weed programs (solo). I can grow in forested neighborhoods (figure that one out). Have Harrels reach out to me now??? I am already buying correctly (manufacturer). But man I had to push for it. I appreciate your what you do, Jason.

[@lawncarelife]

Thank you for your encouragement. Good to hear from you. The backslope machine definitely will handle a hill

[@sunsetmowing]

Npk... up. Down and all around