# Milorganite on Zoysia



## JOE SCHMOE (May 6, 2019)

Newbie to all of this DIY lawn care. Need to ask a question. :shock:

I need to put down 10lbs of Milorganite per 1000 sq ft. I see on the bag that Milorganite will cover 2,500 sq ft. How do I calculate the rate to. put down that much Milorganite?

Additionally, how do I figure how to set the spreader to get the 10 lbs per 1000 for the Milorganite??

Also, I just bought a "new to me" Lesco 80 lbs spreader, I cannot find a users manual for it online, there are these "square keys" attached to the handle, what are they for?

Again, take it easy on this newbie!! :roll:


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## EOppie (Apr 18, 2019)

Hey Joe,

Milorganite or "Milo" as some refer to it here is pretty forgiving. Don't worry too much about over or under application, I haven't had any issues with either, other than the smell of success being a bit stronger. I have Empire Zoysia in Central Florida.

How much area do you want to apply the Milo to? The key is understanding how long it takes to apply it to your area for your pace and spreader settings. For example, if you walk super slow and have the spreader set to a lower feed rate, it will just take you longer to cover the area. If you have it wide open, start running.

The key is exactly what you said, get the 10lbs down per 1000 sq feet. If you want to start slower, and then just cover the area multiple times, no worries. Just try to be even about it.

Remember that Milo is good on shrubs and other landscaping, so if you have some extra, spread it about.


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## JOE SCHMOE (May 6, 2019)

EOppie said:


> Hey Joe,
> 
> How much area do you want to apply the Milo to? The key is understanding how long it takes to apply it to your area for your pace and spreader settings. For example, if you walk super slow and have the spreader set to a lower feed rate, it will just take you longer to cover the area. If you have it wide open, start running.
> 
> ...


@EOppie I have about 10K sq ft yard in East Tennessee, I am trying to get it back to life, as I started out ruining the Zoysia when I moved in to this house, I let it all but die and have mud in lots of spots.

I have been using N-Ext products this year and using Lawn Nuts Warm Season Grass plan, it's coming back but not like Matt Martin ( @thegrassfactor ) had it looking like 3 years ago. 

I can't find anyone close too his knowledge or skills, so I am trying to do this on my own...Thanks for the input. Just trying to figure this stuff out!


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## drewwitt (Jun 25, 2018)

@JOE SCHMOE

1. Congrats on the coveted lesco spreader! Those are good quality ones.

2. LCN warm-season guide is great. I used it last year and this year to get my bearings and learn the land and process.

3. Milo is a good "training fertilizer". It's slow and doesn't hurt anything.

HOWEVER, when you run the cost per 1,000sf, there a better quality and lower-cost sources of nitrogen and other nutrients.

I used milo last year to learn, and this year abandoned it. One big reason is zoysia is a slow grower and needs about half the N that bermuda needs. I follow the Gospel According to @Greendoc , which basically says the key to zoysia salvation is to use quick release nitrogen in small amounts, It's better to give zoysia what it needs, when it needs it, then to put down a bunch of slow-release and cross your fingers hoping it will release when the zoysia says it wants more food.

However, if you got it and have it, thrower' down!

That being said,

4. I'm sure you already know this, but just in case you don't, or for others, the math on Milo is:

Bag weight: 32lbs
Analysis: 6-4-0
Amount of N in one bag: 1.92 (6% of 32lbs)​
To get:
*.5lb N per M*, you would need to apply *8.33 lbs* of milo product per M.
*.75lb N per M*, you would need to apply *12.5 lbs* of milo product per M.
*1lb N per M*, you would need to apply *16.67 lbs* of milo product per M.​
At your suggested 10lb rate, you'd be putting down .6lb of N per M.

Get a cheap bathroom scale or kitchen scale (I use a $9 one from amazon), put a bucket on it, set it to zero (tare), and pour 10lb (or whatever rate you want) in that bucket. Transfer to your spreader. Mark out roughly 1,000sf, and try to apply that evenly over that area. If possible, aim to do half the spreader in one direction, and then you can drop the other half going perpendicular. This will give you an even coverage.

If I had your lesco, and didn't have the manual, I'd probably guess and put the lever at 1/4 or 1/3 of the way and see how it goes. Eventually, you'll get the feel for what seems right.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

drewwitt said:


> @JOE SCHMOE
> 
> 1. Congrats on the coveted lesco spreader! Those are good quality ones.
> 
> ...


Give the Milorganite to someone with cool season grass. What you want is 0.1-0.2 lb of N when needed not to exceed 0.2 lb N per month of growing season.


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## JOE SCHMOE (May 6, 2019)

Greendoc said:


> drewwitt said:
> 
> 
> > @JOE SCHMOE
> ...


I haven't bought any Milorganite yet....Just trying to get my Lesco figured out before thrown it down...What fertilizer would you recommend? At what rate in my Lesco?


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