Based on what you've done and your plans, I think you might have this forum confused with another one you've been reading. That's fine. We're looking forward.

Basics of Lawn Care

After reading numerous books and magazines on lawn care, caring for lawns at seven houses in my life, and reading numerous forums where real people write in to discuss their successes and failures, I have decided to side with the real people and dispense with the book and magazine authors. I don't know what star their planet rotates around but it's not mine. With that in mind, here is the collected wisdom of the Internet savvy homeowners and lawn care professionals summarized in a few words. If you follow the advice here you will have conquered at least 50% of all lawn problems. Once you have these three elements mastered, then you can worry about weeds (if you have any), dog spots, and striping your lawn. But if you are not doing these three things, they will be the first three things suggested for you to correct.

1. Watering
Water deeply and infrequently. Deeply means at least an inch in every zone, all at once. Infrequently means monthly during the cool months and no more than weekly during the hottest part of summer. Do not spread this out and water for 10 minutes every day. If your grass looks dry before the month/week is up, water longer next time. If that does not work, then you might have to water more than once per week during the summer's hottest period. Deep watering grows deep, drought resistant roots. Infrequent watering allows the top layer of soil to dry completely which kills off many shallow rooted weeds.

You will have to learn to judge when to water your own lawn. If you live in El Paso your watering will be different than if you live in Vermont. Adjust your watering to your type of grass, temperature, humidity, wind, and soil type. It is worth noting that this technique is used successfully by professionals in Phoenix, so...just sayin.' The other factors make a difference. If you normally water 1 inch per week and you get 1/2 inch of rain, then adjust and water only 1/2 inch that week. Generally with temps in the 90s, water once per week; with temps in the 80s, water once every 2 weeks; with temps in the 70s, water once every 3 weeks; and with cooler weather, water once a month.

2. Mowing
Every week mulch mow at the highest setting on your mower. Most grasses are the most dense when mowed tall. However, bermuda, centipede, and bent grasses will become the most dense when they are mowed at the lowest setting on your mower. In fact there are special mowers that can mow these grasses down to 1/16 inch. Dense grass shades out weeds, keeps the soil cooler, and uses less water than thin grass. Tall grass can feed the deep roots you developed in #1 above. Tall grass does not grow faster than short grass nor does it look shaggy sooner. Once all your grass is at the same height, tall grass just looks plush.

3. Fertilizing
Fertilize regularly. I fertilize 5 times per year using organic fertilizer. Which fertilizer you use is much less important than numbers 1 and 2 above. Follow the directions on the bag and do not overdo it (unless you use organics in which case you may overdo it without fear of hurting anything).

At this point you do not have to worry about weed and feed products - remember at this point you are just trying to grow grass, not perfect it. Besides once you are doing these three things correctly, your weed problems should go away without herbicide.

Okay, back to me again. Fungicide should only be used if you see disease in the grass. Mushrooms are not disease. The use of fungicides can hurt the beneficial fungi that normally live in your soil. The same goes for insecticides. Only use them if you see the actual insects you're up against. There are tens of thousands of species of beneficial insects living in your soil. Using fungicides and insecticides can cause an imbalance that knocks out "normal" conditions and leaves you with unhealthy soil and grass. That results in overuse of water and fertilizer to try and correct the problems. Usually it doesn't work.

You won't be fertilizing again until spring, and yes, a good soil test will take the guess work out of fertilizing. You will also want to apply a pre-emergent in spring, but avoid the fertilizer/ pre-emergent combo products. 'Dimension' pre-emergent works really good, and it helps to make a second application about 3 months later. Re-seeding is usually not necessary if the lawn is properly maintained. Disease usually shows up during prolonged overcast, wet conditions, or hot and humid periods. I am not familiar with some of the more natural fungus controls, but there are many on this board who can help you out with that topic.

Actually, you probably DO want to fertilize one more time, when growth finally ceases completely but the lawn is still green. For Long Island, that's probably Thanksgiving, plus or minus some, using a high nitrogen (low everything else) fertilizer at bag rate.

Fertilization of the lawn, using a synthetic, is usually done on Memorial Day, Labor Day, October 1st, and that last winterization step, which varies. Ignore all advertising that screams at you to feed the lawn in April or early May. It's a recipe for overgrowth of the grass and major problems come July.

>>Crabgrass control, weed control, fungicide, seeding,etc? I am all about a one stop product but i assume that is not possible, so what are recommendations as far as products to put on lawn, at what times and dates, to maintain lawn?

Crabgrass and weed control can be achieved with any good pre-emergent (Dimension, Barricade, and so on). Generally, that's applied when the forsythia bloom, or early to mid April. Since you shouldn't feed at that time, choose one with no nitrogen feeding in it.

Seeding is done as temperatures drop for fall, so mid-August to mid-September.

Fungicides are used on an as-needed basis only. The only tolerably good, safe preventative is cracked corn or corn meal, which can be applied at 10 to 20 pounds per thousand square feet at any point in the season, but April to May is best. That should give you about 90 days of light to modest protection.

Trimec is a post-emergence herbicide, not a pre-emergent. So it's good for some weeds after they sprout, but doesn't stop them from sprouting. And I have no idea how much that covers, either. :-)

Pre-emergents go around the time the forsythia blooms in your area, which varies depending on how cold the winter was and the temperatures that spring. Usually, I'd say early April, but I've seen them blossom much earlier and much later.

Generic Prodiamine can be mixed in water and sent through sprinklers.

http://www.amazon.com/Prodiamine-Generic-Barricade-5lbs-ali8056/dp/B004GTQBEK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447176819&sr=8-1&keywords=prodiamine

I bought one of these around four years ago and still have plenty left.

Missed it, sorry.

Given the timing, winterization really shouldn't be done via sprinklers as you're pushing temperatures that are too cold (and the window remaining to get them winterized is short--I did mine last week).

That's one case where I'd use a spreader. If it's physically impossible for you, you can skip winterization if you must, just make sure the grass is well-fed the rest of the year.

Ok. I have so many questions, I'm so sorry but i dont want to screw things up. So this is what I had gathered:

1) Winterization for lawn to be done around thanksgiving, when grass is still green but not growing. High nitrogen, low everything else. What do you recomend for this? Link is very helpful, im going to buy and have everything ready.

2) Pre-emergent every year when forsythias bloom, around early april. I will use this for sprinklers as you had recommended: http://www.amazon.com/Prodiamine-Generic-Barricade-5lbs-ali8056/dp/B004GTQBEK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447176819&sr=8-1&keywords=prodiamine

3) Fertilize every year on May 31, Labor day, then october 1st. What do you recommend for this for sprinklers? If you have a link, that would be great again.

4) Seeding if needed, mid August to mid September.

5) Originally when i started new lawn i put down starter fertilizer which contained lime. Do i need to lime again at any point? If so, when, what kind and if you have a link? And can this be done with sprinklers?

I want to have all these items ready so i can maintain the lawn when the time comes without running around at the last minute. Thank you for the advice and time as always.

Those details basically supplement the 1-2-3 that I posted up above. For example if you don't have your watering right, nothing else much matters.

+1 DCHall. Mowing and watering are certainly the things to nail down first.

1) The cheapest high N fertilizer. For me, this year, it's Vigoro 29-0-4 (or something like that) with no slow release nitrogen. I have no specific preference on which one you use because it doesn't matter.

3) I'm not a fan of applying feeding over very wide areas using the sprinklers (although I do this myself in the gardens, which are smaller and more targeted). I suppose Miracle Gro or any other water soluble feeding would do...but I actually make my own for the gardens.

5) Not without a soil test, and this isn't something you can do with the sprinklers. The preferred chemistry isn't very water-soluble.

While a few species do benefit from being mowed very short, northern lawns aren't among them. They do best mowed as long as you can stand them (and that doesn't break any local laws!)

The top deck on my robot is 3" so I mow there, but I've always wished it had higher settings. My Toro goes to 5 1/2", but it's rare that I manually mow, and when I do I mow it at 3 1/2" to avoid stressing the robot the next time.

You can certainly mow short in fall, it's not a stress for the lawn, but don't blow or rake the leaves. Mow those little organic material presents right back into the lawn! Your grass and soil will thank you for it--leaves contain resources the trees mined from the soil, and returning them helps out immensely.

Yes and no. If you can't see the grass tips post-mowing, it's probably too much. But if they settle in a day or two, no big deal.

At first, a soil may be hesitant to accept too much leaf mass at a time. As the bacteria and fungi build up, the limit becomes...very, very high. One fellow I know practically lives in a grove and mulches every single leaf. That's feet per year.

Very heavy leaf mass can be blown out over the lawn so it's not extremely heavy in any one spot. With five trees, I distribute it just to make sure that wider areas get at least some leaf mass, but I tend to concentrate it heavily in problem areas where the grass dries out faster. Over the years, those areas are getting smaller and more able to retain rainfall.

If you find decay is slow, you can feed gently with quarter or half rate of Milorganite or any good nitrogen-heavy synthetic. Leaves' limit is their lack of nitrogen, although the associated bacteria and fungi can synthesize it (slowly) from the air.

This is good to know. I had just purchased a Hustler Raptor zero-turn mower in September because i knew this half acre lawn was going to need cutting. It is the base residential model, but I am very happy with it.
Luckily enough we had this conversation about the leaves because I actually have an order placed with Lowes for the bagger system attachment which is $650.00. I personally think it's overpriced for what it is.
Now that we have discussed mulching, I am thinking that I should buy the mulch kit instead which is $159.00. It consists of 3 mulching blades that replace the present 3 blades, and the side cover that stops the side-discharge. Hopefully this will do the trick.

That bagger is pretty useful for odd jobs... If the mulching kit doesn't have to be welded-in, you could keep the bagger to attach as needed. 650 is a good chunk of change though, tough choice.

If you have Home Depot near you, here is a link to the fertilizer Morpheus mentioned:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/vigoro-15-000-sq-ft-lawn-fertilizer-52211/204750013

It also comes in a smaller bag. If the ground has not frozen, you can still apply the fertilizer. You will need a spreader. Some states have laws about not applying fertilizer after certain dates and that may be an issue in your area (why the dealer would not sell you fertilizer). If that's the case, your local Home Depot would probably not sell it either. Or they might not keep it in supply after a certain time. Not sure what would happen if you buy it online and just pick it up at the store.

5-6 inches seems rather high. I would try 4 and maybe increase it a bit after that if it stands up well enough (long grass can get floppy). I did 4 inches this year for the first time and was happy with it. I had been doing 3 inches.

1) No. Commercial companies, in some states, are legally bound not to winterize after certain dates. The homeowner usually isn't included in that, but check. There's no sense getting a huge fine if they catch you, although that's extremely unlikely.

This year's weather is ridiculously warm, with early December more like early October. The current temperature in my garden is 57. My grass is still growing, although only very slowly.

2) What Becky said.

3) If that 29-0-4-ish combo isn't available, 35-0-5, 21-0-0, 34-2-5, or other numbers like that might be. Like those numbers, just make sure the first number (nitrogen) is way bigger than the other two. It's best if the second number (phosphorus) is as small as possible (less than 5) for winterization just because it's mostly useless at this late date.

4) You can if you want, but like Becky said, I'd be inclined to start at 3 to 4" to start and work up slowly if you want to end up there. Moving straight to a five inch lawn is likely to be extremely floppy at first until the stems grow and support the blades.

If you'd rather end up at 3", that's absolutely fine as well. Three inches is a perfectly acceptable height for a northern lawn in all seasons.

Hello all. I have a couple of questions.

1) What is the best way to tackle these bald spots in my lawn come spring? Most of the lawn is great, but it seems these bald spots are mostly where the 2" of topsoil we put down, was very compacted. We put 2" of topsoil across whole lawn, but certain spots I'm guessing where the piles were, are compacted.

a) I am thinking because it's compacted that either the seed got washed away when watering or maybe it's just simply too compacted for the seeds to penetrate? Idk

b) I never tried the shampoo yet and I plan to do the whole lawn through the sprinklers. Can I apply shampoo at anytime during the warmer months or will it interfere with the pre-emergent and fertilizer i plan to do? What I am asking is can I regularly apply during normal waterings whether in a pre-emergent phase or fertilizing phase?

c) Ever since sprinkler guys came in and dug, there are some low spots here and there throughout lawn. Not that much of a big deal, but around some sprinkler heads there are low spots in which the seed got washed away and it is also bald. I need to add some topsoil and reseed I assume, but when I plan to tackle these areas as well, what is the best way to go about it so seed does not wash away.

d) With all this being said, my concerns are that it may be difficult to maintain the rest of the lawn while giving tlc to these problem areas because of the difference of care needed for new lawn vs existing lawn, need of mowing the lawn and the watering being different than growing new grass again. It's a lot easier when everything is at the same growing stage. Is there an easy way? Do I even need to reseed, maybe once I soften the ground with the shampoo, the grass will fill in? Wishful thinking.

2) In response to mulched leaves possibly not decaying fast enough, Morpheuspa said, "If you find decay is slow, you can feed gently with quarter or half rate of Milorganite or any good nitrogen-heavy synthetic."

a) What do you mean by synthetic? Can you post a link to an exact kind of this Milorganite, i will use this as I still see leaf pieces in between grass blades?

b) Is there any time NOT to apply this(meaning, will it interfere with pre-emergent or fertilizer)? Im all about low maintenance, so it would be nice to run through sprinklers. I assume the time to apply this would be during months when sprinklers are winterized :(. Will it interfere with this that I just applied early December: http://www.homedepot.com/p/vigoro-15-000-sq-ft-lawn-fertilizer-52211/204750013

3) During regular fertilizing sessions throughout next season, as mentioned, I plan to run it through sprinklers. You had stated Miracle gro or any water soluble fertilizer. Can you be more specific regarding the three numbers that I should be looking for to accomplish the regular feedings for May 31st, Labor Day, October 1st?

Thank you so much for everyone's time and help!

Morpheus was referring to synthetic fertilizer. The Vigoro you used was a synthetic fertilizer. Milorganite is an organic fertilizer. It is simply called Milorganite and it's found in the fertilizer section. You should plan on using a spreader to spread fertilizer rather than using sprinklers. If you have KBG, it will spread to fill in empty spots. if you have fescue, you will need to plant more seed (or transplant some plants, maybe from pots you plant with seed). Use a hose end sprayer to spray the shampoo. Then water with the sprinklers. I hope you did not mess up your grading by adding 2 inches of dirt over the whole yard. You should only add soil to holes or low spots.

Overall, your lawn looks really nice!

>>1) What is the best way to tackle these bald spots in my lawn come spring? Most of the lawn is great, but it seems these bald spots are mostly where the 2" of topsoil we put down, was very compacted. We put 2" of topsoil across whole lawn, but certain spots I'm guessing where the piles were, are compacted.

In spring? Ignore them, it's the wrong time to seed and small bits of sod tend not to survive well.

In late summer (probably around August 20th where you are), you can seed those patches. Mulch with 1/4" of peat or compost and keep damp until fully established.

>>a) I am thinking because it's compacted that either the seed got washed away when watering or maybe it's just simply too compacted for the seeds to penetrate? Idk

Fortunately, seeds can penetrate even soils that seem rock hard to us, so it probably washed or something else went wrong. It could be that those spots are slightly hydrophobic and don't stay damp well.

>>b) I never tried the shampoo yet and I plan to do the whole lawn through the sprinklers. Can I apply shampoo at anytime during the warmer months or will it interfere with the pre-emergent and fertilizer i plan to do? What I am asking is can I regularly apply during normal waterings whether in a pre-emergent phase or fertilizing phase?

You can apply shampoo any time you like and it won't interact with any other product (tank mixing with shampoo isn't recommended, but you can apply it immediately before or after anything else).

>>c) Ever since sprinkler guys came in and dug, there are some low spots here and there throughout lawn. Not that much of a big deal, but around some sprinkler heads there are low spots in which the seed got washed away and it is also bald. I need to add some topsoil and reseed I assume, but when I plan to tackle these areas as well, what is the best way to go about it so seed does not wash away.

See #1 above; do this the same way.

>>d) With all this being said, my concerns are that it may be difficult to maintain the rest of the lawn while giving tlc to these problem areas because of the difference of care needed for new lawn vs existing lawn, need of mowing the lawn and the watering being different than growing new grass again. It's a lot easier when everything is at the same growing stage. Is there an easy way? Do I even need to reseed, maybe once I soften the ground with the shampoo, the grass will fill in? Wishful thinking.

If you have Kentucky bluegrass in your lawn, it'll naturally spread into holes where it can. It won't invade shaded areas, or severely dry areas under even thin trees, but in a sunny area with decent soil, if well-fed, it spreads like mad.

Fescue and rye won't spread, but may clump up to cover some of the smaller holes. Otherwise, reseeding is necessary.

>>2) In response to mulched leaves possibly not decaying fast enough, Morpheuspa said, "If you find decay is slow, you can feed gently with quarter or half rate of Milorganite or any good nitrogen-heavy synthetic."a) What do you mean by synthetic? Can you post a link to an exact kind of this Milorganite, i will use this as I still see leaf pieces in between grass blades?

It's way too late to do this now, decay of leaf matter is falling to zero in winter temperatures. By spring, it should take care of itself.

Milorganite is a pretty popular organic, but any synthetic (like Vigoro or Scotts) can be used. Synthetics have higher numbers (like 29-0-5, or up to 43-0-0).

>>b) Is there any time NOT to apply this(meaning, will it interfere with pre-emergent or fertilizer)? Im all about low maintenance, so it would be nice to run through sprinklers. I assume the time to apply this would be during months when sprinklers are winterized :(. Will it interfere with this that I just applied early December: http://www.homedepot.com/p/vigoro-15-000-sq-ft-lawn-fertilizer-52211/204750013

Your Vigoro is still at work, and this is the wrong season anyway. In spring, if you want to use an organic, great--but avoid synthetics until late May at the earliest. Ten to one the leaves will disappear on their own in April anyway.

>>3) During regular fertilizing sessions throughout next season, as mentioned, I plan to run it through sprinklers. You had stated Miracle gro or any water soluble fertilizer. Can you be more specific regarding the three numbers that I should be looking for to accomplish the regular feedings for May 31st, Labor Day, October 1st?

Something like 24-8-16 would be tolerable (standard Milorganite), but I tend to be a fan of high nitrogen and not applying other resources without a soil test. Urea (43-0-0) dissolves beautifully in water, and would require 2.2 pounds per thousand square feet.

I've never tried this, so play it by ear. Burning the lawn seems unlikely, but possible.

Thank you. Just to be clear, the 24-8-16 was for regular feedings for May 31st, Labor Day, and October 1st? You had mentioned "standard Milorganite" next to that so I am not sure if it was a typo or not. Maybe I am getting confused in thinking that Milorganite is a totally different animal than regular feeding fertilizer(besides for being organic as opposed to synthetic). So based on this, I am understanding that Milorganite can be used in place of the synthetic feedings for May 31st, Labor Day, and October 1st, if I wanted to do organic. Is that correct?

It seems much simpler to me to just do fertilizer with a spreader. If you do it through the irrigation, you will need to measure the square footage for each zone and put in the proper amount of fertilizer for one zone, then the proper amount for the next zone when the first one is done, then the next, etc. Some areas of your yard may get more sprinkler water than other areas. With a spreader you measure the whole yard, put the proper amount in the spreader, and spread it at a low setting, back and forth, then up and down, until it's all down.

Slip of the brain there, I'm afraid. Standard Milorganite should have read "Standard Miracle Gro." Sorry!

But yeah, I'm with Becky on this one. Spreaders will distribute better without the worries of severe overlapping or overapplication. Particularly when using an organic fertilizer (Milorganite or a grain-based item) where overlap and overapplication simply isn't that much of a problem.

There are very few water-soluble organics that are available and none are particularly cheap. The volume required for good effect is so large that it's simply easier to spread the stuff.

Your lawn, your irrigation system, but I believe what you're proposing is a good way to destroy both:

1. A bag of fertilizer is not 100% fertilizer, it has other "stuff", fillers etc. Whether this "stuff " will dissolve, ruin your piping or clog your sprinkler heads, who knows.
2. All the fertilizer in a bag of fertilizer is not meant to become available to the plant all at once. You do that and you will burn your entire lawn. The granules are slow release, it rains today it releases some more into the ground, it rains again next week or you irrigate it releases a little more etc. Diluting it all and applying it all at once is a recipe for disaster.

These are good points and very much appreciated.
I understand your points on the granules of the fertilizer being time released. I did not think of that. I'm going to check on some fertilizers that are strictly for sprinklers instead of mixing regular fertilizer granules with water. I know that the golf courses do it this way.

If I am feeding May 31 and then Labor day. Thats about 3 months in between. What if I took the regular fertilizer granules and time realeased it myself over the course of the 3 months. Like diluting the bag over a 12 week period? Any takers?

1) Does the same hold true for pre-emergent because I have the granule pre-emergent and was planning on doing this the same way, can it burn lawn?

1a) If so, how long does the pre-emergent last for so I can figure out how to apply over a period of time?

2) What happens once you burn the lawn? Can it recover or do you have to start over?

Why not just buy a $20 spreader and spread it? I have a 10,000 sq ft lawn and it takes me about 15 minutes. That's 30 minutes a year on your twice a year schedule, it just doesn't make sense to do what you're describing. High risk, no benefit. As far as the pre-emergent, if it's prodiamine the label specifically says not to put it through the sprinkler system.

Fertilizers for irrigation systems are either liquids already or are designed to be liquefied and then applied with an injector system. You will never find these specialized products in a Home Depot. Best bet would be to find them online. Generally I believe they are urea based for a relatively high strength of N fertilizer but applied at a very low dose every time you water. The better injectors are programmed along with the sprinklers so the dosage for one zone can be different from dosage on another zone.

The issue I have with products like Miracle Gro, the one that gets dissolved in water and then applied, is that you have to use it all the time. If you're buying the little packages you can run up quite a bill. But if you're buying several gallons of a concentrate, it should be more affordable. Many people come to this forum looking for a low cost or low hassle solution to their problems. Once a 'fertigator' is installed, it certainly is low hassle.

The rules for watering (deep and infrequent) still stands, so keep that in mind when you're setting this up. In the spring you will be watering maybe once in March, once in April, and twice in May. Then into June it will change to weekly. What needs to be adjusted in the fertigator as the watering frequency goes up?

j4c11:

I have a $20 spreader, the reason I am looking to do all this through the sprinklers is because I had already purchased a $400 mixing tank and installed it, and also because there is nothing easier than to pour a fertilizer in the tank and then push a button to fertilize the lawn. I just need to figure all this out. I really appreciate everyone's input.

dchall_san_antonio

Thank you for your input as well. I will keep those things in mind. I am going to research some items specifically for what I am trying to accomplish. If anyone has any websites to direct me that would help as well.

Well if you insist on making use of the sprinkler system , don't use the granular it's not meant for what you're trying to do, use the liquids. Something like this seems decently priced:

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/gordons-liquid-lawn-pasture-fertilizer-20-0-0-with-micronutrients-2-1-2-gal

Or, dilute urea to make your own concentrate, cheapest option.

You can skip anything with micronutrients (except maybe iron). If your soil is balanced, you don't need them. If your soil isn't balanced, they aren't sufficient to rebalance anything. A little extra iron always helps, but it doesn't sit in fertigation tanks well (particularly with most nitrogen sources). It'll turn to rust.

For nitrogen, very little beats urea. It's water soluble, non-clogging, and incredibly cheap (I can get a fifty pound bag for $15). 2.2 pounds of urea equals one pound of elemental nitrogen, close to the best percentage out there (and the best percentage that the homeowner can get).

I use it as the base of my feeding for the gardens, which goes in my EZ-Flo when I irrigate.

I apologize everyone. I know I am that person that the more you tell me, the more I ask. I'm really trying here and I am learning so much.

1) I see a bunch of options, is this ok?: http://www.seedranch.com/Urea-Nitrogen-50-Lbs-p/Urea-Nitrogen-50-Lbs.htm?gclid=Cj0KEQiA_MK0BRDQsf_bsZS-_OIBEiQADPf--uMai21sram5jZuYD0AdgZ9rzS1tS6eBWRrUvEy981oaAgbY8P8HAQ

1a) It states it has carbon in it but not sure if that comes as normal with urea.

2) How long do you think it would take these Urea granules to dissolve for one application if applied with spreader? I assume that whatever time it takes, I can dissolve in water and apply as a liquid, and spray lawn, matching that same time frame, in turn simulating the rate.

3) How long would these granules of Prodiamine 65 WDG Generic Barricade 65 WDG 5lbs ali8056 take to dissolve if applied with spreader? Again, I would apply the same amount but in liquid form, but over the same time period it would have taken to dissolve if applied with spreader.

4) I most likely with do the Urea as mentioned, but I do see that they have miracle grow that can be sprayed. Would this risk clogging sprinklers?

5) Morpheuspa, do you also mix P and K numbers to your Urea with your fertigator? Any clogging problems?

1a. Yes, the urea molecule is an organic compound containing carbon.

Go to your local farm store for the cheapest prices. JD Landscapes may have urea too. Urea is urea, regardless where you get it. Prodiamine is not meant to be spread as granules, it should be disolved and applied with a sprayer. The prodiamine label states:"Apply this product only through an overhead sprinkler irrigation system. Do not apply this
product through any other type of irrigation system."

1) I see a bunch of options, is this ok?: http://www.seedranch.com/Urea-Nitrogen-50-Lbs-p/Urea-Nitrogen-50-Lbs.htm?gclid=Cj0KEQiA_MK0BRDQsf_bsZS-_OIBEiQADPf--uMai21sram5jZuYD0AdgZ9rzS1tS6eBWRrUvEy981oaAgbY8P8HAQ

The product is fine, but the price is far out of line. 50 pounds of urea is $15 for me.

1a) It states it has carbon in it but not sure if that comes as normal with urea.

It does. A carbonyl group (CO) bonds two NH2 ions together. So all urea contains not only nitrogen in large measure, but also some carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen.

2) How long do you think it would take these Urea granules to dissolve for one application if applied with spreader? I assume that whatever time it takes, I can dissolve in water and apply as a liquid, and spray lawn, matching that same time frame, in turn simulating the rate.

Very fast. Urea is highly water soluble and very quick to dissolve. A few minutes? That seems a good guess for a standard prill.

3) How long would these granules of Prodiamine 65 WDG Generic Barricade 65 WDG 5lbs ali8056 take to dissolve if applied with spreader? Again, I would apply the same amount but in liquid form, but over the same time period it would have taken to dissolve if applied with spreader.

If stirred in water, they dissolve almost instantly. Nobody spreads these, they're meant to be applied with a backpack or tow sprayer, so I'm not sure how long they'd take if dropped.

4) I most likely with do the Urea as mentioned, but I do see that they have miracle grow that can be sprayed. Would this risk clogging sprinklers?

A little. Over time, Miracle Gro will clog micro-sprinklers and also filters (fortunately, filters are easy to clean). I clean my filters and main lines twice a year or so if I use Miracle Gro. Ditto with simple urea, although there's rarely any problems.

5) Morpheuspa, do you also mix P and K numbers to your Urea with your fertigator? Any clogging problems?

P yes, K no. I use monoammonium phosphate as a P source. Get lab grade (white) and very finely ground, it's not tremendously water soluble if you go this route.

Urea phosphate is another possible (and superior) choice if you can find it.

Great!

I have a question that refers to a question I had already asked about tackling low, bald spots in the lawn where seed had washed away. Thank you for answering that, I will definitely give reseeding and mulch/pete moss a try come late August/September.

My new question, is how can I tackle low spots in the lawn that already have grass established? The low spots I am referring to are mostly where the sprinkler pipes were dug and the soil sunk a little. It's not too bad where you can notice it by eye(sometimes), but it's enough of a dip where you feel it as you walk or ride the mower. The problem is that the grass is established already in areas like this and I didn't want to add too much topsoil and kill the grass, or should I anyway, and just reseed as you had explained above? Thanks

Primarily, two reasons: Grass will always react to an N application by trying to employ it. ( for that same reason, it's advised not to fertilize during Summer). In Spring this means increased top growth which 1. means more mowing and 2. new blades are more susceptible to disease and insect damage as the new blades are young and tender and haven't hardened off (Spring is prime time for disease due to warming temps and moisture. So best not to make the turf more inviting). The jury is out on weather the increase in top growth is at the expense of any significant reduction in root growth.

Hello,
I have been consistently mowing once per week at the highest setting on the mower since some of the grass has been needing it. Btw, I never would have thought mowing high would still look good and also benefit the lawn, so thanks for the advice on that. I do notice however, that other areas of grass are still not growing though and are not as thick(i can still see mulched leaves from last fall lingering in between at base. The blades look very thin in these areas also and are about an inch high and do not seem to be growing every week. Its been getting plenty of water so I don't know. Last fall I didnt have this problem I'm guessing because it was being fertilized. Also the whole lawn is a pale green, not dark green. What do you think about all of this? Is this normal? I look around the neighborhood and everyone elses lawn is thick and dark green lol.
I just wanted to update what is going on in case there is something that needs to be done. Thank you.