# Fertilizing Bermuda in Summer-Conflicting Advice



## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

I went to my local SiteOne to buy some fertilizer. I didn't know which one to purchase because I've never done anything before except for weed'n'feed. Yeah.... The guy at the counter told me to buy a slow release Lesco 22-5-8. I thought I wanted the fast acting kind but he said it's over 100 degrees outside and that would burn my Bermuda. He called the sod farm for me and they said yes, 22-5-8. He said it lasts for two months. I haven't seen much of a difference in my lawn since using it. I even put it out again after 6 weeks instead of waiting the 8 weeks the bag suggested.

My sod is 4 months old and has some thinner spots after sanding that I'd like to fill in. I've read a lot on here about fertilizing and from how I understand the calculation, I should do 1/.22 x (# of thousand square feet). For me, that's 6.8lbs of fertilizer per month for my 1500 sq ft. Using the directions from the bag, I've been using 1 pound. Is it because it's slow release? Why is the directions so different from what I'm reading on here?

My question is, can I use something strong and just spread it more often? I believe this is spoon feeding but I'm concerned about using a strong fertilizer and burning my lawn. Is there a reason to use quick release vs. slow release? Was their concern over the heat legitimate? It will continue to be over 100 here for at least the next month and probably into the beginning of September.

Last question, how long after watering in should I let my daughter play on the lawn? If I spread it on Monday night, water early in the morning Tuesday, can she play on it or should we wait another day?

Thanks!


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## Alan (Apr 23, 2017)

That's 6.8# of fertilizer, not nitrogen. It's still only 1# of nitrogen per 1k sq. ft.

I don't believe that fertilizer burn is related to weather conditions(temps). Get some 46-0-0 and feed it 1# per 1k sq. ft. per week. That's about 1/2 a normal dose. Then water in well.

I suppose once the prills aren't visible any longer that it would be safe to roll around on.


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

Alan said:


> That's 6.8# of fertilizer, not nitrogen. It's still only 1# of nitrogen per 1k sq. ft.
> 
> I don't believe that fertilizer burn is related to weather conditions(temps). Get some 46-0-0 and feed it 1# per 1k sq. ft. per week. That's about 1/2 a normal dose. Then water in well.
> 
> I suppose once the prills aren't visible any longer that it would be safe to roll around on.


You're totally right. I meant fertilizer and wrote nitrogen. I'll go back and edit my post for clarity. Thanks for the info. I'm just a little afraid to hurt the new lawn. Guess we'll try it and see.


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## Alan (Apr 23, 2017)

My recommendation above is feeding it roughly 1/2# of nitrogen per sq. ft. per week(.46 to be exact, hence the 46-0-0). Provided you water it well you shouldn't have any burn issues. If you don't feel comfortable with that, then split that dose in half.

You are feeding a crack whore crack...that's Bermuda on nitrogen.


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

Alan said:


> My recommendation above is feeding it roughly 1/2# of nitrogen per sq. ft. per week(.46 to be exact, hence the 46-0-0). Provided you water it well you shouldn't have any burn issues. If you don't feel comfortable with that, then split that dose in half.
> 
> You are feeding a crack w---- crack...that's Bermuda on nitrogen.


That's what I planned to do, a half lb. That should give me a total of a little less than 1lb of nitrogen for the month + the slow release that's already on there. The analogy is helpful. I'll keep that in mind


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## Alan (Apr 23, 2017)

I guess hore is a bad word...wow! This is more censored than network TV.


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

Alan said:


> I guess hore is a bad word...wow! This is more censored than network TV.


Haha!

Ok I don't know where my brain is. I'm sorry for being so dumb today but you said a half pound of nitrogen per week per 1k sq ft? Wouldn't that be over the 1lb of nitrogen per 1k per month?

I was thinking since with the 46-0-0 being 2.17lbs per 1k , doing 1/2 lb of fertilizer per week. Is that what you meant?


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## Alan (Apr 23, 2017)

My 1/2# of nitrogen per week, per sq. ft. would be 2#'s of nitrogen per month(1/2#*4 weeks), so yes it would exceed the 'typical' dose. You said you wanted it to fill in. If you think that may be too much or if you don't like living on the edge, split that in half and you'd be back to the 'typical' 1# per month dose. Water, sun, nitrogen...yum, yum!!

You may be too young to remember, but there once was a video game called "Pacman" and what comes to mind is that the pacman is Bermuda gobbling up nitrogen pellets. Yet another analogy for ya! A G-rated one, I suppose. :thumbup:


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

@Alan Thanks so much for clarifying. I do want it to fill in. We'll see how much of a risk taker I am. Yes, I do remember Pacman although I think I only remember the Mrs. Pacman arcade game. I'm going to hope that my bermuda is like her and has an endless stomach!


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

It's okay putting down more than 1lb of fast release N per month. The downside is, expect to be cutting the grass frequently.

So long as it's watered in, fast release N is fine.

I was putting down 1lb of N per 1k, per week, for 14 week straight. Your lawn will be fine so long as it's watered in.

So long as your kid isn't going to eat the fertilizer, I'd imagine she can play on it immediately. With that being said, if you apply Monday night, water monday night/morning, I'd say you're good to go, and its up to you whether you want to wait for the blades to dry.


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## Alan (Apr 23, 2017)

@Bermuda_Newbie

There you go. My recipe wasn't living on the edge as much as I thought, in fact, it's conservative compared to the above.

:thumbup: to you @Movingshrub


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

Now I'm feeling brave! Time to get some urea and more gasoline for the mower. @Movingshrub I would hope my daughter wouldn't eat the fertilizer but her choices surprise and confuse me sometimes.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

Just need to point out, that 14lb of N was for a sprigging grow-in. I wouldn't normally apply that, but the point was that, you're not going to hurt it.


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## jonthepain (May 5, 2018)

Urea won't hurt you. I use 41% urea gel on my left foot for an issue i have.

46-0-0 will certainly burn turf at high temps, not to mention volatalizing off. Been there, done that.

Watering it in should ameliorate those issues.

If 1 lb a week of N doesn't put some serious growth to your bermudagrass, then you have something else going on.


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

I went to find urea today and no luck. I went to several feed stores, tractor supply, a nursery, and siteone. I'll check back with siteone about ordering some otherwise I think Amazon is my only choice.

The owner of the nursery told me not to use urea and to buy this $60 bag of organic fertilizer. She told me that the trouble is not a lack of nitrogen but that the soil needs stuff. She said the nitrogen won't do anything for my soil. I'm not sure what the extra nitrogen will do to my soil but my understanding is it feeds Bermuda. I wish people in the stores would get on the same page. Every store you go to everyone has a different opinion. I appreciate that people here are normally on the same page. I feel like I have to be sneaky about buying this stuff as if I'm doing something wrong.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

You might need to find a Simplot or Nutrien Outlet willing to do business with an individual and not a company. Urea is normally used by nurseries and golf courses. Not lawn and landscape people.

During a grow in of warm season grass, I want 1/4-1/2 lb of soluble nitrogen per 1000 sq ft. TLDR 1/2-1 lb of Urea. 1.25-2.5 lb Ammonium Sulfate 21-0-0. Unless your soil is rich in P, K and micronutrients, I rather you even apply 1.25 lb per 1000 sq ft per week of soluble Miracle Gro plant food in absence of pro grade products. Forget the slow release, forget the "organic" stuff. I will tell you why. You want the N to take effect right now. You also want the effect to stop when your grow in is done. Piling on Slow Release or "organic" stuff during grow in may give you grass that wants to over grow long after it has filled in to your satisfaction. Too much slow release or "organic" can give you grass that needs mowing 3-4 times a week long after grow in is over.


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

Greendoc said:


> You might need to find a Simplot or Nutrien Outlet willing to do business with an individual and not a company. Urea is normally used by nurseries and golf courses. Not lawn and landscape people.


So that's why it's so hard to find. I bought 5lbs of 46-0-0 on Amazon for $10. That's not too bad since I have only 1500 sq ft but I'm looking to find a better source for larger amounts. I may call one of the golf courses around here and see where they get there stuff if they buy it locally. Thanks for the suggestions!


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Yes. Welcome to TLF. If you were to talk to someone that calls themselves a lawn pro or landscaper, most of them will not know what Urea is or how to use it. I am actually a pro in the business. But I deal with turf at golf level not landscaper level. The individuals on this forum also deal with their home lawns at golf level. Then again, I know most of them fired their lawn people and are now doing it themselves.


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## jonthepain (May 5, 2018)

My local SiteOne carries both sprayable and spreadable 46-0-0. I think I pay around $13 or $15 for 50 lbs but would have to look it up.

I also concur with everything Greendoc said.


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## Smokindog (Jun 20, 2018)

Is that the "walk in schmuck" price or the "I have a discounted Company account" price? Also, if the latter that discount varies based on your purchase volume, or at least it used to.

Don't get me wrong, I like places like Site One but the walk in guy usually pays MSRP. They'll sometimes negotiate on bigger ticket items but not often and it's not just Site One. That goes for most of the supply stores for the pros (electric, ...).



jonthepain said:


> My local SiteOne carries both sprayable and spreadable 46-0-0. I think I pay around $13 or $15 for 50 lbs but would have to look it up.
> 
> I also concur with everything Greendoc said.


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## jonthepain (May 5, 2018)

It only makes sense to discount based on volume. As you said, all vendors in all industries do it that way.

Does trubrown get a better price than me? Of course.

I have no idea what retail would be. I was trying to provide a point of reference. I'll refrain from posting my cost from now on.

My main point was that my local siteone carries what the op was looking for.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Agreed. Vendors carry what their main customers routinely order. The Site One in Honolulu does not carry much in the way of fertilizers or chemicals. They mostly service irrigation installers and repair people.


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

@Greendoc when would you recommend fertilizing my buried plugs? Should I use the 46-0-0 on them?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

I would start now. Unless your soil is known to be sufficient in all elements except for N, I would be fertilizing with a complete fertilizer.


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

Greendoc said:


> I would start now. Unless your soil is known to be sufficient in all elements except for N, I would be fertilizing with a complete fertilizer.


The plugs are in fescue. Will the complete fertilizer hurt the fescue? It's 102 today.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Even the 46-0-0 would hurt the Fescue. Most of what is done to favor the Bermuda is harmful to Fescue.


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

Greendoc said:


> Even the 46-0-0 would hurt the Fescue. Most of what is done to favor the Bermuda is harmful to Fescue.


Yep. That's what I thought. Maybe I'll just let the Bermuda come up in it for a while at it's own pace. Not much of a choice there if I won't want to burn the grass everyone can see.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Then again, a lot of the don'ts for Fescue originate from growing it in the Transition zone with no irrigation. Not sure how it would react if you are watering.


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

Greendoc said:


> Then again, a lot of the don'ts for Fescue originate from growing it in the Transition zone with no irrigation. Not sure how it would react if you are watering.


My coworker used 22-?-? On his fescue two years ago and it burned his whole lawn because of the heat. He had to resod the whole thing. I'll try it when I'm ready to get rid of the fescue altogether and start mowing low for the bermuda. If it wasn't on a slope I'd sprinkle it on just the plugs but I think it would run off to much with what I have.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

@Bermuda_Newbie the second product in this thread is a good replacement for urea. And it only $5, but check your local Walmart.

Ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) will go down at 2.3lb /ksqft (to get 0.5lb of N/ksqft). You have a small lawn so get a weight and water it in.

A Scott wizz spreader is a good tool for your lawn size. I use it on mine (6ksqft).


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## Bermuda_Newbie (Jun 15, 2018)

g-man said:


> @Bermuda_Newbie the second product in this thread is a good replacement for urea. And it only $5, but check your local Walmart.
> 
> Ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) will go down at 2.3lb /ksqft (to get 0.5lb of N/ksqft). You have a small lawn so get a weight and water it in.
> 
> A Scott wizz spreader is a good tool for your lawn size. I use it on mine (6ksqft).


Thanks! I'll check my local Walmart and see what they have. I'm still hoping I can order it from siteone. I am waiting for them to call me with my celcius order. They don't keep in the store. It's mostly irrigation stuff.


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## Fishnugget (Sep 29, 2017)

I live in 120F weather and I fertilized with a triple 9-9-9. The next few days I developed some burned spots.

A month later, I fertilized with a triple 15-15-15 and got no burn in. The key this time was that I watered it in really good.

So, just like everyone else has said, you can fertilize in hot weather but you just have to be sure you water in well. My 2cents. :thumbup:


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