# Keeping it simple



## CowboysRDaBest-2020 (Aug 31, 2020)

As I get deeper and deeper into this lawn maintenance culture, I've notice endless products hitting the market and you tubers getting more involved in the business side of thing with sponsored products or products of there own. But my question is can I get away with just using compost and an organic fert like milo or something similar. Or do I need the RGS and humic type product to get the perfect lawn ... with 3 kids I sometimes struggle with time to keep up with a yearly program. I'm able to mow twice a week and put down milo every other week half Recommended rate. And watering of course


----------



## TroyScherer (Jul 17, 2018)

When I step back are really look at it and analyze things I think that lawn care comes down to a 80/20 rule. You can get 80% of the results with 20% of the work. For years people have been getting by with a super simple 3 or 4 step fertilizer program with very basic work.

In my opinion all the Humics, RGS, Mico-nutrients are tools to try and get that extra 2-10% of performance out of your inputs and work. For some people its worth it and for others the time doesn't equal the results.

I do think that there a cheaper or better options for fertilizer than just Milo. A basic 12-12-12 is significantly cheaper and something like CaronEarth 8-1-8 has given me much better color and results.


----------



## CowboysRDaBest-2020 (Aug 31, 2020)

I live in New Jersey milo is 15 bucks. Jersey version is ocean gro that's about $8.

80-20 rule makes a lot of sense.


----------



## turfman73 (May 1, 2018)

It's like most things - there will always be people that choose to spend the extra time/money in pursuit of the next level.


----------



## Deadlawn (Sep 8, 2020)

The law of diminishing returns.


----------



## johnklein25 (Apr 22, 2021)

The only thing I have to add is be careful with the Milo-Only approach. It's tempting because it's so simple to use, and organic but after a while you may end up with high phos and low potassium. A simple approach = mow frequently/correctly, keep the debris off the lawn, control weeds, don't over-water, don't try to grow grass where it will never work, check your pH, phos, and potasium once a year and adjust as needed. Fertilize according to grass type.

I have bought into the "get your dirt right" philosophy and have purchased a bunch of N-Ext products..and have invested in soil tests. I'm going to use them up this year and see if my lawn seems any healthier. If so, I'll continue using them at lower rates for maintenance. If not, I'll call it a failed experiment and go back to granular. The Greene Punch seems to have done it's job so far. Jury is out on RGS and Aer8.

Most of the popular lawn youtubers have good advice, but they're definitely pushing products too. Some of the products are probably snake oil, it's just hard to tell which ones.


----------



## corneliani (Apr 2, 2019)

I totally agree with the 80/20 comment. A few simple things that we do can completely set the tone in our lawns. I love me the idea of natural products that can help drive deeper roots & better heat tolerance (kelp? Humic acid??) and products that can help my soil tilth & nutrient holding capacity (biochar??)... but the reality is that none of that matters if I'm not 80% there already.

I wonder if we can even push that ratio to a 90/10 if we were to simply pull a soil test and use that as a guide towards what to apply. Maybe biosolids is the right option, maybe it isn't... a soil test should shed some light on what to focus on.


----------



## tneicna (May 6, 2019)

CowboysRDaBest-2020 said:


> As I get deeper and deeper into this lawn maintenance culture, I've notice endless products hitting the market and you tubers getting more involved in the business side of thing with sponsored products or products of there own. But my question is can I get away with just using compost and an organic fert like milo or something similar. Or do I need the RGS and humic type product to get the perfect lawn ... with 3 kids I sometimes struggle with time to keep up with a yearly program. I'm able to mow twice a week and put down milo every other week half Recommended rate. And watering of course


Keep it simple.

- Core aeration 
- Detaching <-- important
- Soil test <-- every other year or so 
- Organic feeding
- Depending on your location, Liquid SWE (Seaweed extract) to help with heat tolerance.


----------



## ColeLawn (Nov 11, 2020)

I've done some and will be doing more seeding this year, so I am all over the map, but I can't wait for next season to be able to simplify my routine.

PreM
.25#N Urea every 10 days in the spring and fall
Milo at bag rate/interval
Soil test every spring to recalibrate


----------



## garydasc (Sep 3, 2021)

Here is my simple routine. It's been the same simple routine my Dad did when I was a kid. I am in Colorado and there has been and still is a local fertilizer company who's fertilizer is a blend of chicken litter and synthetic NPK with added iron and sulfur (Richlawn). My Dad would just put down Richlawn fertilizer at bag rate in the spring (May) and in the fall (October) and that was it. And we always had a great looking lawn. Before that, my Dad used to only spread cow manure on the lawn in the spring (really simple!) A product called Revive was introduced here in the 70's that is a wetting agent mixed with organic compounds that helps our clay soils absorb water. My Dad started using that a couple of times a year.

So I was basically using the same routine with Richlawn and Revive but now I'm completely organic. I still use Revive sometimes (since it's organic) if I can find it on clearance in the fall, but I no longer use the Richlawn turf food. I now am completely organic and down to fertilizing just once or twice in the fall. I have used Ringer and Purely Organic and just soybean meal from a local feed mill, but for the last 4 years I've been using Dr Earth lawn fertilizer. They have now discontinued their granular fertilizer so I need to switch to something else.


----------



## M32075 (May 9, 2019)

johnklein25 said:


> The only thing I have to add is be careful with the Milo-Only approach. It's tempting because it's so simple to use, and organic but after a while you may end up with high phos and low potassium. A simple approach = mow frequently/correctly, keep the debris off the lawn, control weeds, don't over-water, don't try to grow grass where it will never work, check your pH, phos, and potasium once a year and adjust as needed. Fertilize according to grass type.
> 
> I have bought into the "get your dirt right" philosophy and have purchased a bunch of N-Ext products..and have invested in soil tests. I'm going to use them up this year and see if my lawn seems any healthier. If so, I'll continue using them at lower rates for maintenance. If not, I'll call it a failed experiment and go back to granular. The Greene Punch seems to have done it's job so far. Jury is out on RGS and Aer8.
> 
> Most of the popular lawn youtubers have good advice, but they're definitely pushing products too. Some of the products are probably snake oil, it's just hard to tell which ones.


I think that's the issue I have now after years of Milo use high phosphorus low potassium. My first soil test this coming spring I will find out


----------



## Deadlawn (Sep 8, 2020)

M32075 said:


> johnklein25 said:
> 
> 
> > The only thing I have to add is be careful with the Milo-Only approach. It's tempting because it's so simple to use, and organic but after a while you may end up with high phos and low potassium. A simple approach = mow frequently/correctly, keep the debris off the lawn, control weeds, don't over-water, don't try to grow grass where it will never work, check your pH, phos, and potasium once a year and adjust as needed. Fertilize according to grass type.
> ...


Phosphorus stays in the soil much longer than other nutrients, especially if you have clay. It could even build up to toxic levels, not to mention the impact on the environment when it eventually leaches.

I would definitely advise getting a soil test before putting down any more fertilizer. The Espoma line of organic lawn fertilizers all have no phosphorus except for their starter fertilizer.


----------

