# Starting my lawn shopping, tell me which products!



## Atlanta Turtle (Apr 22, 2021)

Newbie here ready for my first year of actually taking care of my own bermuda lawn in Atlanta properly.

I need a pre-emergent. In addition, below is my soil test (low P but sufficient everything else).

What specific pre-emergent and fertilizer products do you recommend? Granular preferred (based on my belief it'll be easier, but I am open to being persuaded into going to a liquid solution).


----------



## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

Welcome to TLF!!!!

Can't go wrong with ANYTHING from Greene County Fertilizer/Lawn Care Nut/How To with Doc. Everything they make is pure GOLD!!! 

All jokes aside just look at your local Lowe's or Home Depot as you can find quality stuff their for a fair price. Don't get caught up too much in the numbers, as long as you get something close to what is recommended you and your lawn will be just fine. Remember it's a marathon not a sprint.

Feel free to ask questions as we have all been where you are at one time.


----------



## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

Being in Atlanta, I would say get your pre emergent down now. I would do 1/4 rate, and come back 3 months from now and do the split rate for a year. That will catch you up, and help with coverage through the winter and into spring.

Granular Preemergent is available at the stores- don't get anything with nitrogen in it, and if it says "feed" skip it.


----------



## ionicatoms (Mar 8, 2020)

Atlanta Turtle said:


> I need a pre-emergent.


Are you looking to control something specific? I remember being disappointed after my first attempt at using pre-em (pendimethalin) because Carolina Geranium was all over my side yard in the spring.


----------



## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

Start here
https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1651


----------



## Phids (Sep 24, 2020)

Atlanta Turtle said:


> Newbie here ready for my first year of actually taking care of my own bermuda lawn in Atlanta properly.


That is a crazy high pH level for being in Atlanta. I don't think I've ever seen it that high around here before. :shock:


----------



## Lawn Whisperer (Feb 15, 2021)

ionicatoms said:


> Atlanta Turtle said:
> 
> 
> > I need a pre-emergent.
> ...


When did you apply pre-em (pendimethalin)?


----------



## Theycallmemrr (May 16, 2019)

FATC1TY said:


> Being in Atlanta, I would say get your pre emergent down now. I would do 1/4 rate, and come back 3 months from now and do the split rate for a year. That will catch you up, and help with coverage through the winter and into spring.
> 
> Granular Preemergent is available at the stores- don't get anything with nitrogen in it, and if it says "feed" skip it.


Shouldn't OP wait a bit longer on putting down a Pre M until soil temp is between 50-55 F at 2 in? Right now greencast has ATL at Current Soil Temperature : 41°
24-Hour Average : 45.4°, 5 Day Average : 41.6°.


----------



## ionicatoms (Mar 8, 2020)

Lawn Whisperer said:


> When did you apply pre-em (pendimethalin)?


I remember doing it twice in my first year. First app was In early January and then again some time later. Carolina Geranium wasn't listed on the label though; I didn't know what the heck I was doing in the beginning. Now I use isoxaben to control the Carolina Geranium and it works decently well.


----------



## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

Theycallmemrr said:


> FATC1TY said:
> 
> 
> > Being in Atlanta, I would say get your pre emergent down now. I would do 1/4 rate, and come back 3 months from now and do the split rate for a year. That will catch you up, and help with coverage through the winter and into spring.
> ...


No… he missed his winter preemergent or doesn't have anything. Something is better than nothing at this point, and then he can start watching the soil temps like the rest of us come spring.


----------



## CenlaLowell (Apr 21, 2017)

21-0-0 AS and suflur for sure. The rest you can get reading the Bermuda Bible


----------



## Lawn Whisperer (Feb 15, 2021)

ionicatoms said:


> Lawn Whisperer said:
> 
> 
> > When did you apply pre-em (pendimethalin)?
> ...


Carolina Geranium is a winter weed, the seeds germinate in fall and can be unnoticeable until early spring. It should be easily controlled by a three-way herbicide after germination, but for pre-emergent control it's best that the pre-emergent is also applied in fall. Additionally, Isoxaben is normally combined with other pre-emergent herbicide that controls grassy weeds.

https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/carolina-geranium/



Atlanta Turtle said:


> Newbie here ready for my first year of actually taking care of my own bermuda lawn in Atlanta properly.
> 
> I need a pre-emergent. In addition, below is my soil test (low P but sufficient everything else).
> 
> What specific pre-emergent and fertilizer products do you recommend? Granular preferred (based on my belief it'll be easier, but I am open to being persuaded into going to a liquid solution).


As others recommended, there are plenty of options for granular pre-emergent at big box stores. While granular is easier to apply, the advantage of foliar is uniform and more precise coverage of product. When I say foliar, I'm talking about foliar spraying not hose-end spray.

For the fertilizer recommendations it looks like they're recommending two maintenance applications, 1 lb. of each N, P, and K and only Nitrogen for the other apps. You can find 1:1:1 ratio fertilizers in big box stores or you can use other mixed fertilizers.


----------



## ionicatoms (Mar 8, 2020)

Lawn Whisperer said:


> Carolina Geranium is a winter weed, the seeds germinate in fall and can be unnoticeable until early spring.


I refer you to https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=21771

I have zero Carolina Geranium this year. My neighbors have plenty of it.

My point was that people come on the forum looking for a pre-emergent but, when possible, advice should be tailored to address any specifically unwanted conditions.


----------

