# Weigh in -how much N to push Bermuda lateral growth?



## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

We have a bunch of different threads where this comes up, figured I'd let everyone weigh in here, in one spot, for future searchers to find it, and for my own selfish motives - I have 6 week old bermuda that needs to thicken and spread over bare areas.

So, for this "hypothetical" example:

Newly seeded improved common bermuda 
Adequate Irrigation 
Hot temperatures (80s-90s at least)
Ability to mow every other day

1. How much N would you give per 1M?
2. How often?
3. In what format (granular, organic, slow release, fast release, liquid, foliar, etc)
4. What else would you add and how often? (iron, P/K, humic, kelp, etc)

Go!


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

Easiest starting point - Granular AMS every five days; 0.6lb of N/1,000 sqft.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

Movingshrub said:


> Easiest starting point - Granular AMS every five days; 0.6lb of N/1,000 sqft.


Ok, so over double what I'm doing, lol. I'm doing 0.25lb N/1,000sqft every 7 days. Question, I spray in the evening, and let it sit, then water in the AM. Will that routine still work with a higher dose, or do I need to water in right away? Product says not to water in right away, it's a foliar spray, but also label has you applying .33 or less lbs per 1K, so not sure if higher dose means risk of burning. Or is it fine if it is in the evening


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## Gopherecon (Jul 21, 2019)

I'm spreading urea at 1lb N per 1000 weekly. Have been all summer. I water it in immediately. Mow every other day. My Bermuda is loving it. Spreading and thickening like crazy


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

Gopherecon said:


> I'm spreading urea at 1lb N per 1000 weekly. Have been all summer. I water it in immediately. Mow every other day. My Bermuda is loving it. Spreading and thickening like crazy


Liquid application or granular? Any other fertilizer/nutrients/etc?


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## Batsonbe (May 9, 2019)

ktgrok said:


> Gopherecon said:
> 
> 
> > I'm spreading urea at 1lb N per 1000 weekly. Have been all summer. I water it in immediately. Mow every other day. My Bermuda is loving it. Spreading and thickening like crazy
> ...


How early did you start feeding your Bermuda post germination?


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

I've done a pound of N/per 1k a week, but the plant can only absorb so much, and the soil can only hold so much nitrogen.
If you're doing liquid, I wouldn't do anymore than 0.25lb of N/1k.


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## Gopherecon (Jul 21, 2019)

I have sod. I did a bunch of leveling in May and had many spots to fill in. I planted some sod and let most just grow in. The original Bermuda is 2 years old. The new sod is now 2 months old. The new sod loved the urea too. It's granular. That's all I have used so far. I'm planning to apply pgr soon though. The wife is getting irritated about how often I mow.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

Movingshrub said:


> I've done a pound of N/per 1k a week, but the plant can only absorb so much, and the soil can only hold so much nitrogen.
> If you're doing liquid, I wouldn't do anymore than 0.25lb of N/1k.


And I have sandy soil, and it is the rainy season, so trying to avoid runoff as much as possible. Hence the liquid. Would it make sense to try 0.25lb twice a week, instead of once a week? I know we both saw the aggressive grow in recommendations for athletic fields, which was I think 0.5lbs every 5 days? But I hate to "waste" N by having it wash down into the aquifer, so maybe 0.25 twice a week, if I don't mind the work? (now that I figured out NOT to use the pressure regulator on the wide angle fan tip I am much faster, lol)


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

Gopherecon said:


> I have sod. I did a bunch of leveling in May and had many spots to fill in. I planted some sod and let most just grow in. The original Bermuda is 2 years old. The new sod is now 2 months old. The new sod loved the urea too. It's granular. That's all I have used so far. I'm planning to apply pgr soon though. The wife is getting irritated about how often I mow.


Very nice clean lines on your lawn/property! What is your HOC and how often do you mow??


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## Gopherecon (Jul 21, 2019)

Thanks @ctrav. 3/4" hoc. Mowing every other day.


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

Gopherecon said:


> Thanks @ctrav. 3/4" hoc. Mowing every other day.


Yep that's a lot of mowing...best I can do is twice a week.


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## cglarsen (Dec 28, 2018)

I would assume 1 lb N/wk removes nitrogen as the limiting parameter. At that point with sufficient sunlight, water, and mowing the plant's growth rate should be maxed out unless something unusual is going on. I'm pushing my plugged area hard for the next month.


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## Hexadecimal 00FF00 (Sep 20, 2018)

All summer I have been applying 0.5 lbs per 1k of Urea to my established Bermuda. I think I have only missed two or three applications (due to travel or weather). Couple times I applied 0.6. I may do an application or two at 0.75, maybe 1.0 once this heat wave dies. I also use PGR.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

Hexadecimal 00FF00 said:


> All summer I have been applying 0.5 lbs per 1k of Urea to my established Bermuda. I think I have only missed two or three applications (due to travel or weather). Couple times I applied 0.6. I may do an application or two at 0.75, maybe 1.0 once this heat wave dies. I also use PGR.


How often are you applying?


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## LawnRat (Mar 22, 2019)

High N will push top growth but not do much for the roots, so make sure you give it some P and K too. In FL you already have plenty of P, so I'd make sure whatever you are applying has about as much K as N. Steady and healthy wins the race. Too much N is like too many steroids....your balls will shrink.


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## flynavy812 (May 15, 2019)

Where do you guys purchase your urea? I'm searched around and only see small quantities on Amazon.


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## Gopherecon (Jul 21, 2019)

Sod farms sell urea usually. Like $15 per 40 or 50 lb bag


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

Urea has to go through a chemical change before it's available for uptake by the plant. Ammonium and nitrates are available immediately for use by the plant, which is why ammonium nitrate was the gold standard, aside from that whole explosive thing.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

LawnRat said:


> High N will push top growth but not do much for the roots, so make sure you give it some P and K too. In FL you already have plenty of P, so I'd make sure whatever you are applying has about as much K as N. Steady and healthy wins the race. Too much N is like too many steroids....your balls will shrink.


I put down some generic K-mag two weeks ago, and am thinking I'll get some water soluble potassium sulfate to tank mix with the Gordons' 20-0-0. Or alternating the Gordon's with Miracle Grow All Purpose, which is a 24-8-16, although i don't need the P. Other suggestions on how to get the K in there without breaking the back are welcome. Simple Gro Solutions has a 15-0-15 but it is $$.

Found this water soluble potassium sulfate - decent choice? Price seems really good. https://www.seedworldusa.com/products/sulfate-of-potash-0-0-52-granular-fertilizer-50-lbs?variant=28796490129&currency=USD&gclid=CjwKCAjw-ITqBRB7EiwAZ1c5U2tcyOqq9eZ7cQTwrUE0pMLur6c3IY1Ee4QFWhVeP6aH9APmnbyCJRoCmOsQAvD_BwE
Or I could just throw down granular K, and not mix it in with my N liquid apps.


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## cglarsen (Dec 28, 2018)

flynavy812 said:


> Where do you guys purchase your urea? I'm searched around and only see small quantities on Amazon.


Local landscape suppliers like site one and independent shops.


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## erdons (Apr 3, 2018)

flynavy812 said:


> Where do you guys purchase your urea? I'm searched around and only see small quantities on Amazon.


Check if you have a Ewing nearby you.


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## LawnRat (Mar 22, 2019)

ktgrok said:


> ....
> Found this water soluble potassium sulfate - decent choice? Price seems really good. https://www.seedworldusa.com/products/sulfate-of-potash-0-0-52-granular-fertilizer-50-lbs?variant=28796490129&currency=USD&gclid=CjwKCAjw-ITqBRB7EiwAZ1c5U2tcyOqq9eZ7cQTwrUE0pMLur6c3IY1Ee4QFWhVeP6aH9APmnbyCJRoCmOsQAvD_BwE
> Or I could just throw down granular K, and not mix it in with my N liquid apps.


Free shipping? If not, pass. What does your soil test show? Mine is very low in K. The highest K I could find locally (Site One) was 9-0-24 with micros. Not cheap ($43) but a few apps should get me in the ballpark, then I'm switching to a 15-0-15. The only 15-0-15 available locally is from Lowes and has bifenthrin in it. Not ideal but it'll work and isn't too pricey..~$30 for 50 lbs. And it may help with your army worms .

P and K stays in the soil longer than N. You can bring your K up gradually with a 15-0-15, but you already have too much P so don't add any more if you can help it.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

LawnRat said:


> ktgrok said:
> 
> 
> > ....
> ...


Haven't checked to see how much shipping it, but it still may be the cheapest option for now. I am also going to check the local feed stores, to see what they have. Southern Agricultural makes granular 0-0-50 products, but can't find them locally so far, but like I said, I need to check the feed stores. Tractor supply turned out to be a good source of some things as well - found Bifenthrin there, etc.


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## Hexadecimal 00FF00 (Sep 20, 2018)

ktgrok said:


> Hexadecimal 00FF00 said:
> 
> 
> > All summer I have been applying 0.5 lbs per 1k of Urea to my established Bermuda. I think I have only missed two or three applications (due to travel or weather). Couple times I applied 0.6. I may do an application or two at 0.75, maybe 1.0 once this heat wave dies. I also use PGR.
> ...


@ktgrok

Gosh, I'm sorry for missing that key piece of info! I do the Urea application weekly and the PGR based on GDD.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

And to add to the questions, is spoon feeding the liquid N each week or 5 days really better than just hitting it was a granular that is part slow release, part fast release, once a month? Am I just doing extra work, or is this really the best way to get it to fill in and take over before the winter? I'm happy to keep doing this if it is benefitting the lawn, otherwise I am also happy to just throw down some Carbon X or 15-0-15 or whatever and call it a day, lol. It SEEMS to make sense that small amounts frequently will be better, especially given the rain, but maybe I'm wrong. 
I am also doing Simple Lawn Solutions kelp/humic/fulvic and have no idea how often I should be doing that, lol.


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## flynavy812 (May 15, 2019)

erdons said:


> flynavy812 said:
> 
> 
> > Where do you guys purchase your urea? I'm searched around and only see small quantities on Amazon.
> ...


Looks like I do about 30 minutes away... never heard of them but they have quite the store online. What would you recommend I get if I want to spoon feed some N?


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## erdons (Apr 3, 2018)

flynavy812 said:


> erdons said:
> 
> 
> > flynavy812 said:
> ...


Last time I went I just got a 50lb bag of 46-0-0 urea. Makes your grass grow like crazy...


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