# Spread Ammonium Sulfate Fertilizer as First Fall Application for Bermuda



## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

This summer was the hottest on record in many areas, and we broke several records for high temperatures.

I talked with the manager at Site One and he recommended that I not push growth on my lawn because of this.

So it is cooling off now, and I just gave my hungry lawn a good dose of nitrogen to get it some nutrients.

I plan to spray some chelated iron too, along with spraying for weeds. Overall yards held up well; I watered a lot.

HOA wanna-be-Nazis inspect this week on Tuesday, so I have been whipping the yard into shape - no letters...!

Still need to put down pre-emergent - Prodiamine spray this season. And get after the yellow nutsedge again....

I will post some before and after pictures once things show improvement - too early to see effects right now....

The fall fertilizer application is supposed to be the most important - I did this last year and green up went well.

So, what are you warm weather lawn care DIYers doing to your lawns? I am hoping to get mine in top shape!


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Unfortunately it's too late in the year for most of us to be applying Nitrogen to bermuda. Early-to-mid September is the cutoff around here. Late Nitrogen apps can promote the development of diseases like spring dead spot. The Fall Nitrogen Blitz is a cool season thing.


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

We were so hot and dry all the way to 2nd week of October that I didn't apply anything after mid-August. Then the brakes got hit and we are high of 58 today. We are getting rain now but I'm just putting her to sleep for the year. I'll chop leaves and run over the lawn a few more times to give an even cut but no more inputs.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

My last fert app was 10-10-10 at the end of September. I'm coming up on my pre-m app window and then I will enjoy some time off the lawn. I'll do an occasional charity mow to keep it even with the warm spells. I'm going to try to keep it at .5" through the winter so I don't have so much to scalp in the spring.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Here, it was 88 degrees and hot and humid today - I actually broke a sweat cleaning my grills and building a fire.

We usually do not get a cold snap until Thanksgiving, and sometimes ice storms, but never very cold for very long.

My lawn never goes fully dormant - it always has some green showing under the straw brown. Gulf Coast warmth.

I was grilling before the Cowboys game tonight, and the lawn is looking much better - greening up again now....

That is what is interesting about lawn care knowledge - it really is affected climatologically and meteorologically.

 :lol:


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Well, my lawn is responding real well to the AMS I put down.

Of course, all that tender new growth is going to need some continuing warm weather to make more chlorophyll....

Today is simply gorgeous - reminds me of San Diego weather. 80 degrees and not a cloud in the sky.

Of course if we get hit by an early ice storm I will be wearing jackass ears for the Holidays!!

I am banking on it continuing to be unseasonably warm. Right now I am right on my educated guesstimate!

I really want my lawn to stay healthy.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Last night my neighbor who keeps his yard real nice (his Dad has a landscape business, so he gets the whole crew on Saturdays) told me he thought my yard "looks really good" and noticed how the blue polka dots of Roundup I sprayed had all grown back in with Bermuda.

It was nice to have all that hard work gets noticed, especially when it's coming from a guy who makes lawn care a competitive sport....

Anyway, done grilling for the Astros game, so it's time to go dine and watch some baseball. Cheers!! &#127867;


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## TNTurf (Mar 20, 2019)

The lawn went really brown during the hot summer so I gave it a real small amount of nitrogen after a lot of rain to fill in some areas that disappeared. Greener than anyone else's at the moment, hope its not an issue.


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## Marlon (Jun 25, 2019)

I recently put down 13-13-13 cheap ammonium nitrate here in Charlotte @1 lb N/1K sq ft and the lawn is very green and lush. Here in Charlotte, we don't expect the first frost until mid Nov. Rule of thumb for bermuda, put down the last fertilizer 30 days before first frost.

Darkest green in the area! My soil was deficient in P and K, by a lot, so do your soil test and don't guess. Next spring - maybe I will level.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Here is a video from Sod Solutions regarding "winterizing" your Bermuda lawn. Note it discusses fall fertilizing....

Each person should decide on what is best for their lawn and their climate, and the potential for weather changes.

I decided to put down some nitrogen to help the lawn recover and I did it early enough (I hope) to feed the roots.

I was worried it would spur a lot of top growth, but the grass really did not get a lot of growth. It greened up some.

I believe the grass absorbed the extra nitrogen and converted it to starch in the root and rhizome system.

I say this without any actual scientific expertise as to that being the case, I should caution. It worked last year....

Anyway, I know the forums have a broad (worldwide) audience, so try and do what will work best for your yards....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1YkP75uqHY


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

I would just note in that video they recommend using a high K, low N content fertilizer in the fall - not an all N fertilizer like AS:

​
That aligns with the university publications I've read about fall fertilization of warm season grasses.

Here is short article from LSU AgCenter on the subject: Winterize Lawn With Potash Not Nitrogen

And here is a good explanation Mightyquinn gave another TLF member last year:



Mightyquinn said:


> The Potassium helps "harden off" the grass for the winter and may prevent some diseases from occurring come Spring time. Potassium is the second most used element behind Nitrogen that the grass uses so giving it a good shot going into Winter can help set yourself up for next year and reduce the stress on the plant.


I really like SOP for this task...


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

I really appreciate that insight, @Ware and it is very beneficial to members and readers alike...!

I am planning to spread dithiopyr again this fall, going into winter, to help control winter weeds, as pre-emergent.

The product available locally at Lowe's is 0-0-7, and is made by Sunniland. I previously used it in mid-March.

So that was the reason for using the AMS first. I agree that a more balanced fertilizer mix would be best to use.

Last season I used the Scott's Winterizer which I think was 32-0-10, but it cost three times what the AMS cost on N.

I try and read as much scholarly research as I can from the Agricultural universities, and reputable companies.

Thanks for the links to the LSU article. And for the K product photo - have never seen that product before.

This website has been so educational and informative, and my bride and I are both very grateful for that!!


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## BermudaBoy (Jun 27, 2019)

FlowRider said:


> I really appreciate that insight, @Ware and it is very beneficial to members and readers alike...!
> 
> I am planning to spread dithiopyr again this fall, going into winter, to help control winter weeds, as pre-emergent.
> 
> ...


Sunniland also make a pre-emergent with dithiopyr that's 0-0-20. That's what I put down in September and plan on doing in another week. It's got a nice dose of potash. I went that route instead of a separate pre-emergent app and potash. It may be an option for you.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

BermudaBoy said:


> Sunniland also make a pre-emergent with dithiopyr that's 0-0-20. That's what I put down in September and plan on doing in another week. It's got a nice dose of potash. I went that route instead of a separate pre-emergent app and potash. It may be an option for you.


Great option - Sunniland 0-0-20 w/0.172% Dithiopyr

@LawnCareNut released an excellent video on fall fertilizer today. The whole video is worth watching to gain a better understanding of the differences between "winterizing" warm and cool season turf, but you can skip to 12:01 for just the warm season info:


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## BermudaBoy (Jun 27, 2019)

Ware said:


> BermudaBoy said:
> 
> 
> > Sunniland also make a pre-emergent with dithiopyr that's 0-0-20. That's what I put down in September and plan on doing in another week. It's got a nice dose of potash. I went that route instead of a separate pre-emergent app and potash. It may be an option for you.
> ...


That's the one. Bought my bag right after he posted the video. Here's to a poa free yard this winter.


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## RDZed (Jul 13, 2018)

Ware said:


> I really like SOP for this task...


Oh man, I need that!!!

Where did you pick that up from??? Im tired of fussing with little 4lb bags of MoP. I need THAT! :lol:


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

RDZed said:


> Ware said:
> 
> 
> > I really like SOP for this task...
> ...


A local Winfield Solutions store stocks it.


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## RDZed (Jul 13, 2018)

Ware said:


> RDZed said:
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> > Ware said:
> ...


Dont have Winfield around here but a Southern States 30 miles from here has it.

Whats it run you for 50#?


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

RDZed said:


> Dont have Winfield around here but a Southern States 30 miles from here has it.
> 
> Whats it run you for 50#?


I paid $33.36/bag.


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## RDZed (Jul 13, 2018)

Ware said:


> RDZed said:
> 
> 
> > Dont have Winfield around here but a Southern States 30 miles from here has it.
> ...


 :thumbup:


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

RDZed said:


> Ware said:
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> > RDZed said:
> ...


How much is it where you live?


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## RDZed (Jul 13, 2018)

Ware said:


> RDZed said:
> 
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> > Ware said:
> ...


No clue yet. Probably run down there this weekend and grab 2 bags.

I just need an alternative to MoP. Its way too pricey and is sold in such small amounts that I cant seem to "stack" it enough to bring my K above 13 ppm and sustain it at 25-30 ppm via spoon feeding, over a season. I need to drop something like 10# per 1K (9k total)to bring it up to manageable levels and MoP just isnt an option for such a heavy initial dose.


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## RDZed (Jul 13, 2018)

That said, if I could find bulk MoP for a decent price, id rather go with that because my S is super stable.


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## RDZed (Jul 13, 2018)

Actually, I just found this....
https://www.pestrong.com/879-mop-muriate-of-potash-soluble-fertilizer-0-0-60-50-lbs.html

The site looks a little 1999 janky but $75 with free shipping for 50# of MOP is pretty friggin good.

Id do an full bag app now and another in spring.


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## RDZed (Jul 13, 2018)

@Ware 
Found this for $28 per 50# bag.


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## RDZed (Jul 13, 2018)

Plan is to front load this weekend, retest in late feb and top off before the april emergent of the Bermuda. I'm almost all clay substrate so leaching shouldnt be an issue. I'm reading that front loading K in clay, during winter is a thing.

My K is complete trash so I need to hammer it to get it up to minor supplemental range.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

RDZed said:


> Ware
> Found this for $28 per 50# bag.


Nice!


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

My decision to put down fertilizer in the fall turned out to be the right decision, I believe. My Bermuda has not gone dormant yet, and we had our first frost this morning, so that may change things some as far as dormancy stages.

With the record setting heat this summer, I took a chance on it being a mild winter, and it really has been. We have only had four days so far where temperatures were below freezing, and have not had a hard freeze yet.

The shady areas of my yard are still quite green, but the growth has really slowed down, but never really stopped....

I am getting some broadleaf weeds now in some spots, a little bit of poa annua I noticed this evening, but overall the weeds are not really noticeable.

I bought a 50 pound bag of Sunniland 0-0-7 dithiopyr, but I have not put it out yet. I had to handle some family matters over the Holiday season, so I was not able to attend to my lawn very much under the circumstances....

I followed the advice of @Greendoc and held off on using Roundup on my yard for now. The weeds I am seeing I think will be controllable with some Trimec, although I did use up about two gallons of Q4 Plus herbicide I had left over from spraying in the summertime. I sprayed along my fencelines where the weeds were mixed in with the Bermuda; it stunted the Bermuda some and it has not recovered, but it has not killed the grass, just turned it a little reddish. The Q4 Plus did kill off the weeds I had breaking through, including suppressing sedge.

I was worried I would find a bunch of weeds because I did not get my Fall preemergent down, but so far it has not been a major problem (famous last words...) so I am going to hold off and put down dithiopyr in mid-March again. I did that last year and it absolutely ended my crabgrass problems.

Anyway, my grass is still showing signs of healthy life, and I am actually going to have to mow it because in some areas it has actually grown a little. Plus, my HOA wannabe-Nazis announced an "inspection" for January 21st, so....

Grass is still very high - I left it at 3.75" on the last cut. I am going to start cutting it back in lifts, getting ready for the scalping around mid-March. I want to be ready for the Spring Greenup without having to mow until I drop dead....

Last year I ended up with over 50 39-gallon bags of clippings; this year I want to take an incremental approach....

Anyway, jury is still out on whether feeding the lawn in the Fall has been worth it; but right now I like what I see....


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