# Adding iron to cool season lawns?



## MasonDixon (Jun 2, 2020)

Does anyone add a little bit of iron to their lawn for an enhanced green color? If so, how much iron do you add to your cool season lawn? Liquid or granular? I'm a novice so if anyone does add iron, I'd appreciate knowing the suggested details as to how to apply iron. Thank you


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## Stuofsci02 (Sep 9, 2018)

Yes lots of folks are doing this. Most are adding iron foliarly by spraying. One of the cheapest ways to do this is with Ferrous Sulphate and AMS. Folks often refer to this as FAS. There is a large thread on the topic here:
https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=211


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## MasonDixon (Jun 2, 2020)

Stuofsci02 said:


> Yes lots of folks are doing this. Most are adding iron foliarly by spraying. One of the cheapest ways to do this is with Ferrous Sulphate and AMS. Folks often refer to this as FAS. There is a large thread on the topic here:
> https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=211


Thank you, I will read that thread.

How is iron naturally created in soil? If someone hasn't added iron to their soil for many years, is it likely required or could it be naturally present year over year without additives?


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## Chris1 (Apr 22, 2020)

FE is present and in some cases added but it can be tied up in soil (eg, high phos, high PH)

FAS negates the problem

soil test will provide insight into your soil condition


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## Shindoman (Apr 22, 2018)

I apply 4oz. Per 1000. Only way to get deep color with a short hoc.


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## gatorguy (Mar 13, 2020)

Shindoman said:


> I apply 4oz. Per 1000. Only way to get deep color with a short hoc.


So you use the Warm Season rate then and get away with it? Applied some straight FS before my AS arrived to make FAS and I didnt notice a difference at cool season rate. Soil test came back as iron being high, but...


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

KBG does will at 4 Oz/1000 square feet. Tall Fescue can turn weirdly colored at that rate, so most people with TTTF use 2 Oz. I don't know about PRG.


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## jha4aamu (Oct 16, 2017)

gatorguy said:


> Shindoman said:
> 
> 
> > I apply 4oz. Per 1000. Only way to get deep color with a short hoc.
> ...


i never saw much difference @ the 2oz/k rate. ive used as much as 6oz/k with great results and no adverse effects to my grass. i would incrementally adjust your rates until you are getting the color you want


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## j4c11 (Apr 30, 2017)

I have uses granular ferrous sulfate monohydrate with great results. Especially in the summer when the heat tends to cause lighter color in the grass and I'm cutting back on N. Stains the hell out of cement though, have to make sure you blow it off thoroughly.


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## Shindoman (Apr 22, 2018)

gatorguy said:


> Shindoman said:
> 
> 
> > I apply 4oz. Per 1000. Only way to get deep color with a short hoc.
> ...


Been using this rate for a few years now. I get it from a local golf course supplier and he also does my soil analysis. It says iron is high but he tells me it doesn't matter. With a Masters in agriculture and 20 yrs as a greenskeeper, I just do what he tells me. It's a great green color right now.


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## gatorguy (Mar 13, 2020)

@Shindoman You bet, sounds like a guy that knows his stuff. What percent of the product is iron that you use? 20% as in the Alpha chemicals or? Cause if it was less then a higher rate would make sense.

Yeah from your journal things look good at your place from some of the pics I saw.


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## davegravy (Jul 25, 2019)

I used the 2oz rate last year with no blackening issues but also minimal darkening. I generally rinsed it off the leaves after 7 or 8 hours.

This year I've been leaving it on the leaf and I'm getting a bit of blackening but still without getting a darker green colour. The lawn just looks unhappy after FAS apps.

Next I think I'm going to try a 4oz rate but rinsed off the leaf after a few hours. Going to start covering a patch of the lawn with cardboard when I spray so I can better gauge if my apps are actually doing anything.


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## Babaganoosh (Apr 21, 2019)

At some point last year I did 3 test sections in my tttf lawn. I think it's in the fas thread


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

@davegravy Try 3-4 Oz and either apply in the evening before AM irrigation, or rinse it off after 4 hours. Shorten the time on the leaf if you get weird color.


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## davegravy (Jul 25, 2019)

Babaganoosh said:


> At some point last year I did 3 test sections in my tttf lawn. I think it's in the fas thread


Was that the youtube video I watched? If so I feel like I'm getting very similar looking results - ie generally it looks better without FAS. It does seem to benefit the areas of my nomix lawn which have higher density of KBG and newer KBG however.

I need to try what @bernstem suggested.


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

@davegravy If you have a mix lawn with patchiness, then FAS can increase the appearance of patchiness by darkening the KBG more than the Fescue.


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## davegravy (Jul 25, 2019)

bernstem said:


> @davegravy If you have a mix lawn with patchiness, then FAS can increase the appearance of patchiness by darkening the KBG more than the Fescue.


Stop it, I don't need more reasons to do a reno! 

Did I mention I really really want to reno?


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## Shindoman (Apr 22, 2018)

gatorguy said:


> @Shindoman You bet, sounds like a guy that knows his stuff. What percent of the product is iron that you use? 20% as in the Alpha chemicals or? Cause if it was less then a higher rate would make sense.
> 
> Yeah from your journal things look good at your place from some of the pics I saw.


Here's what I'm using.
http://www.turfhealthproducts.com/products/soil-liquids/active-fe-13-0-0


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

It is important to calculate the % of iron (Fe) for FAS. Using the FS hepta, that's 20% iron. If you use a 4oz/ksqft rate, then that's 0.8oz of Fe/ksqft.

The product @Shindoman is using is 5% Fe, at 4oz/ksqft he is using, that's 0.2oz Fe/ksqft.

I use FEature, which is 10% iron. I do between 1-2oz/ksqft (I don't love the dark green lawn), so that's also 0.1-0.2oz of Fe/ksqft.

@j4c11 is using FS mono, which I think it is 30% iron. But he is not doing FAS. But on high pH soils, this might not work. What's your soil pH.

Lastly, there is an issue with the process of mixing for FAS. Your water pH and calcium can cause the iron to precipitate and not be available. If you have hard water, make sure you drop the pH of the water with AMS and citric acid, before you add the FS. I'm using 3g of soft water (after softener), then I add the ams and citric acid, mix it very good, then FEature then the rest of the water(hard) to get to the 6g I need.


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## davegravy (Jul 25, 2019)

g-man said:


> Lastly, there is an issue with the process of mixing for FAS. Your water pH and calcium can cause the iron to precipitate and not be available. If you have hard water, make sure you drop the pH of the water with AMS and citric acid, before you add the FS.


How do you know if it's precipitated? Even though I add AMS first the water turns an orange colour after adding the FS unlike some videos I've seen where it is more of a blue-green hue which I understand is driven by pH.

I haven't been getting much darkening from my FS apps (other than ugly blackening of leaves) but I think in the main FS thread others were saying they have success despite their mix turning orange. So I'm guessing orange colour doesn't mean it's precipitated necessarily.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

You should see the precipitate at the bottom of your bucket.

Use this to measure your pH.

Digital PH Meter, Water Quality Tester with Calibration Solution Powder PH Accuracy 0.01 Measurement for 0-14 Measurement Range for Household Drinking,Food Brewing,Hydroponics,Aquariums,Pools,Spa,Lab

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085LKXFT1/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_XIq2EbV7P05KZ


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## Justmatson (Apr 4, 2020)

@g-man or maybe someone else can comment on this:
How soon can you apply FAS to newer grass?

I read through the fas thread and didn't see much about applying to new grass.

Another question... I plan on spraying Tenacity for the first time on this lawn this weekend to knock out some weeds. Should I just hold off on the fas for a month or longer, or would it be ok to spray the fas too?

I'm 33 days post germination.


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