# Fertilizer Choices



## mrigney (Jun 6, 2017)

As I've said in other posts...complete noob to doing more than cutting and throwing out an occasional bag of milo in my yard. Brand new sod (2.5 weeks). When should I apply a fertilizer? 30-60 days after install?

Is there a real difference between fertilizer choices? Brand? Or for all intents and purposes is every fertilizer with the same NPK functionally the same? Obviously you have the choice between synthetic/organic, but within those categories, I guess, I"m wondering how to pick a brand. Any recs there (interested in both synthetic and organic choices).

For this first season, do I need to go with something like Lesco's starter fert (18-24-12)? Should I still be shooting for ~0.75-1 pound of N per 1k/sq ft?


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## Iriasj2009 (Feb 15, 2017)

mrigney said:


> As I've said in other posts...complete noob to doing more than cutting and throwing out an occasional bag of milo in my yard. Brand new sod (2.5 weeks). When should I apply a fertilizer? 30-60 days after install?
> 
> Is there a real difference between fertilizer choices? Brand? Or for all intents and purposes is every fertilizer with the same NPK functionally the same? Obviously you have the choice between synthetic/organic, but within those categories, I guess, I"m wondering how to pick a brand. Any recs there (interested in both synthetic and organic choices).
> 
> For this first season, do I need to go with something like Lesco's starter fert (18-24-12)? Should I still be shooting for ~0.75-1 pound of N per 1k/sq ft?


You sodded with celebration correct?! What I've done in the past after sodding celebration was to apply a 1-2-1 fert, like the lesco starter that you mentioned once it rooted, 4-5 weeks. Use that until next season. Celebration should be happy with about .5lbs/1ksqft of nitrogen. I use nitro-phos 19-4-10 slow release but I bet using only milorganite would be enough fert for celebration. This year I'm pushing my N input as it is still estabalishing from plugs that I planted last July.


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## mrigney (Jun 6, 2017)

Great. Didn't realize Celebration would be happy with as little as 0.5lbs/1ksqft. I'll pick-up starter fert then. You say to use that the rest of this season....monthly application? So I could apply July 1, Aug 1, Sep 1? Or is that too frequent?

Also, love looking at your plugs project. I have about 2k sq ft that I am hoping to plug with Celebration next summer. Was just too much (time and money) to tackle as part of this year's project.


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## Iriasj2009 (Feb 15, 2017)

Monthly application should do until the end of the growing season. If you feel like you're getting too much top growth, then you can back off the fertilizer. Plugs do work great!


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## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

Here is an article I have saved on Nitrogen fertilizers and their different modes of action.

I've never cared for new sod but I would call the sod farm you used and follow their recommendations for the first growing season.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

Great article JN!!! I think I have that saved somewhere. I think giving Bermuda 1lb/K of Nitrogen a month is excessive unless you are trying to get areas to fill in or thicken up. It will create more problems than it solves. I feel like .5 lb/K every 4-6 weeks ( Depending on the amount of slow release) is a better starting point for nitrogen.


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## mrigney (Jun 6, 2017)

That is a great article! Still digesting it. In regards to N required, I have read that Celebration also generally requires less than Tif. Anyone with Celebration confirm this/have experience (larias?). I'm planning on starting at 0.5 and adjusting from there.


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## Iriasj2009 (Feb 15, 2017)

mrigney said:


> That is a great article! Still digesting it. In regards to N required, I have read that Celebration also generally requires less than Tif. Anyone with Celebration confirm this/have experience (larias?). I'm planning on starting at 0.5 and adjusting from there.


Look up the celebration videos from sod solutions, I like watching them. They also mention using a lot less fert. Use .5lbs and I bet that will be more than plenty. I use a lot more because I'm pushing my celebration with all the verticutting and aerating that I'm doing.


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## M311att (May 22, 2017)

Is preventing fertilizer burn as simple as thoroughly watering it in?..….specifically urea?


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

M311att said:


> Is preventing fertilizer burn as simple as thoroughly watering it in?..….specifically urea?


This just happened to me this week, I applied some 46-0-0 and didn't water it in and it was all dissolved in the morning from the dew and now I have little brown spots all over the lawn from it burning. In hind sight I wish I would have just ran the irrigation for a bit to water it all in. Oh well, lesson learned and will be fixed in about 2 weeks 

So, yes, I would recommend watering fast release fertilizer in as soon as possible.


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