# Fertilizing with dormant sod and soil results



## SouthernTiftuf (12 mo ago)

I just got my soil test back and wanted some help with getting it sorted. I am having my yard renovated and new Bermuda sod laid on March 18th. I am in middle Georgia so the sod may still be slightly dormant at this time when it is laid so I am not sure how to approach my soil test recommendations. Below are my results for 3 areas of my yard all with the same recommendation. UGA is calling for 15 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer or 1.5# of N per 1000 which seems very high for new sod.

With the sod potentially being dormant and greening up into April is my best bet to wait for some green up and apply fert then when it starts actively growing? Any 10-10-10 recommendations because I have not been able to find any. I am thinking if I go this route to apply Scotts starter fert which is 24-25-4 whenever the sod begins to green up at a rate of .5# of N per 1000 sq feet.

After this I plan to use a 32-0-10 fertilizer monthly at 1# of N per 100 square feet for my N and hopefully raise my K value along the way. With this I would retest in July or August and see how low I am still before my final fert apps into fall.

What do we think about this plan and should I be applying more Nitrogen early? I don't think I will be able to apply any fertilizer before the Sod is laid since the Sod will be dormant but I think 1.5#s of N on newly laid sod would do a lot of damage so just looking for advice on how to approach this season?


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## Ridgerunner (May 16, 2017)

Incorporate means to till-in. You should raise you P and K levels and applying them now on bare earth prior to install is advised. Given that install is 6 weeks out, there should be plenty of time for even surface fertilizer application of nutrients and N to work it's way into the top of the soil without N issues at the time of sodding. Is this a DIY installation or are you having the sod installed? Many installers will fertilize with N and P upon install, so you need to have that info.


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## SouthernTiftuf (12 mo ago)

Ridgerunner said:


> Incorporate means to till-in. You should raise you P and K levels and applying them now on bare earth prior to install is advised. Given that install is 6 weeks out, there should be plenty of time for even surface fertilizer application of nutrients and N to work it's way into the top of the soil without N issues at the time of sodding. Is this a DIY installation or are you having the sod installed? Many installers will fertilize with N and P upon install, so you need to have that info.


Not a DIY having landscapers do it. When you say surface fertilizer application do you mean applying the fert now/in the next week or so to my current yard/dirt? Sorry if I am misunderstanding with my current grass/dirt also being dormant how would that work as far as it being available for my sod?


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## Ridgerunner (May 16, 2017)

Yes. I mean spread now. It will raise the levels of P and K that the existing soil is missing so when the sod starts rooting into the current soil the nutrients will be there. For 10-10-10, the big box stores keep it in the gardening section not in the lawn fertilizer section. If Lowes/HD doesn't have it, try a garden center or look for a seed and feed store.


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## Jeffersonzoysia (12 mo ago)

SouthernTiftuf said:


> I just got my soil test back and wanted some help with getting it sorted. I am having my yard renovated and new Bermuda sod laid on March 18th. I am in middle Georgia so the sod may still be slightly dormant at this time when it is laid so I am not sure how to approach my soil test recommendations. Below are my results for 3 areas of my yard all with the same recommendation. UGA is calling for 15 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer or 1.5# of N per 1000 which seems very high for new sod.
> 
> With the sod potentially being dormant and greening up into April is my best bet to wait for some green up and apply fert then when it starts actively growing? Any 10-10-10 recommendations because I have not been able to find any. I am thinking if I go this route to apply Scotts starter fert which is 24-25-4 whenever the sod begins to green up at a rate of .5# of N per 1000 sq feet.
> 
> ...


You can get ProPeat fertilizer (11-11-11) at HomeDepot delivered free. I used ProPeat last year after watching Lawn Ginga and others on Youtube using ProPeat greens grade fertilizer and spoon feeding my Zoysia lawn. I really liked the results I got using this brand. I have stocked up on ProPeat from HD online every time I got a 10% (or more) coupon from HD.
https://www.homedepot.com/s/pro%2520peat%2520lawn%2520fertilizer?NCNI-5


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## desirous (Dec 15, 2017)

Jeffersonzoysia said:


> You can get ProPeat fertilizer (11-11-11) at HomeDepot delivered free. I used ProPeat last year after watching Lawn Ginga and others on Youtube using ProPeat greens grade fertilizer and spoon feeding my Zoysia lawn. I really liked the results I got using this brand. I have stocked up on ProPeat from HD online every time I got a 10% (or more) coupon from HD.
> https://www.homedepot.com/s/pro%2520peat%2520lawn%2520fertilizer?NCNI-5


Wow, this is expensive! $30 for 25 pounds! I'd skip the free shipping convenience and look local. Should be able to find 50 pound bags of 10-10-10 for less than $20.


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

Pretty much any big box/garden store should have a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10, 15-15-15, 20-20-20, etc. Just adjust application rate for the higher concentration. For example, 20-20-20 would be surface applied at 5 lbs/1000 square feet. If incorporating, the rate they recommend which would be 7.5 lbs/1000 square feet.


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