# Starting care for 1.5 acres without breaking bank



## joecorrell (Sep 1, 2020)

Just moved onto 1.5 acres in Central Ohio. Did okay care with previous 10,000 sq ft lot - mostly Scott's Crabgrass, Spring, Grub Control, Summer, Fall, and aerating. I'm trying to ease into caring for this new yard without spending lots of money right away. Used Scotts Halts and Weed&Feed this Spring. Still have lots of weeds and crabgrass (not worried about crabgrass this fall since it should all die with freeze). Planning to aerate soon (have heavy clay) and hopefully deal with weeds in preparation for next year (not overseeding this fall). I'm thinking of buying a tow sprayer with boom soon. Would you recommend fertilizing and spraying weeds this fall, along with aerating? Or just fertilizing and deal with weeds in the spring with pre-emergent? Or, just spray weeds and aerate this fall? Also, which order should I do these based on your recommendation of what I should do? Also - what products do you recommend for spraying weeds this fall and for fertilizer this fall (willing to buy online or at a feed store). Longterm I'm not wanting a golf course (can't afford that) but desire a decent lawn and willing to buy equipment & learn to do it right longterm and cost-effectively (just bought a tow-behind aerator). Will probably overseed next fall. Thanks for input! I know there are so many questions here.


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## Ngilbe36 (Jul 23, 2020)

Im just under an acre but my recommendation for you would be to shell out some cash up front to get concentrates from DoMyOwn or something similar and go from there. The Scotts brand stuff is going to be expensive in the long run. 
Focus on pre-emergents and weed control until you can get a good overseed next year. As far as equipment, if youve got the upfront capitol and the space to store stuff, try to catch a deal on some mildly used tow behind equipment in the next month or two. I picked up a 48inch roller, core areator and dethatcher (not as effective as a power one) last year for not too much. I tow them all behind my zero-turn. Tank w/boom is next on my list for liquids. I don't mind using a walk behind granular spreader.


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## Chris1 (Apr 22, 2020)

Research local Ag/Farm suppliers . AMS, Urea, possibly SOP . Soil test is the basis for your input plan

Also see the TLF Fall blitz


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## Thejarrod (Aug 5, 2018)

fall nitrogen will give biggest bang for your buck. 
liquids are going to be the way to go. especially for things like spring pre-emergents. The cost of a tow behind sprayer will be paid back withing the first few applications.


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## BobLovesGrass (Jun 13, 2020)

On the towable sprayer aim for a decent one.
I bought the Northern Tool 13gallon 1gpm one for under $100 on sale with a coupon and by the time i upgrade the pump and such it wont be so great a deal.
I will end up buying a big pump and regulator.


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## joecorrell (Sep 1, 2020)

Thanks for the input!

If I do nitrogen and aerate this fall, what order/timing should I do them? Does it really matter?

I'm thinking about buying the Northstar 41 gallon tow sprayer. 
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200697079_200697079


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## Thejarrod (Aug 5, 2018)

Lots of different opinions on this, but i'll share mine...
its about the right time to aerate. Aug15-Sept15 is my window for that. 
I feed aggressively all fall. but i try to get some fast release nitrogen down in november, right around the time i'm mowing the grass for the last time.


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## HoosierLawnGnome (Sep 28, 2017)

There's a lot of assumptions here that shouldn't be made. Ideally you need to know what your soil is like, and what kind of weeds are present to give you a decent plan. Having clay is not a reason to core aerate either, and it may be a silty clay. Lots of silty loams around this area of the midwest.

They may be tight soils and maybe classified as silty clays, but that doesn't mean they are compacted and need to be aerated. Maybe some high traffic areas where the kids always run need it??

What aeration will absolutely do is spread weeds that grow by rhyzomes and stolons, which are notoriously difficult to erradicate like sedge grasses, quackgrass, and *dare I mention that which should not* poa trivialis.

Here's a "shoot in the dark" plan, that really should be optimized with a soil test and weed identification:

Prodiamine WDG - $60 - will last several years - $15 / year lets say - put down in spring when forsythia blooms
24D (from Rural King, Tractor Supply) - $35 - $12 / year - - put a quart out May, September (may be a different herbicide based on weed identification)
6 50 lb bags of urea (from your local co-op) $22 / bag - $132 / year - put 2 bags down May, September, Thanksgiving, always before a rain event

There ya go, a minimal maintenance lawn for $160 ish a year that will get rid of most obvious weeds and be green in the growing season, but dormant during summer drought

You could get a few hundred pounds of MAP (12-45-0) or DAP(18-45-0) and MOP (0-0-60) from the co-op, and spread those in the spring and fall growth surges at maintenance levels for a little step up from the above. Pay < 30 cents a pound on that stuff from a co-op.

Your biggest savings will be finding a good co-op that will sell you fertilizer. Pick up some yellow/black storage bins from Menards or Rural King for $8 apiece, they hold about 100 lbs of fertilizer.


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## KoopHawk (May 28, 2019)

Hoosier pretty much hit the nail on the head here. Prodiamine, 24D (I'd get the 2DQ version from DoMyOwn), and a cheap N source like Urea will keep your grass green (assuming it rains in Ohio!) and virtually weed free.

The 41 gallon NorthStar sprayer will be a great investment. I have about .4 acres of grass and my 21 gallon NorthStar sprayer has been awesome. Going just under 4mph with the stock equipment gives me about 1 gallon per 1000 sq ft coverage. Download a Bike app for a speedometer on your phone, measure a 10,000 sq ft area, and fill with 10 ga of water to calibrate the sprayer.


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## joecorrell (Sep 1, 2020)

Thanks @HoosierLawnGnome for the advice & rough plan!

@KoopHawk I love that idea with the bike app to calibrate the sprayer - genius! On that note...Any idea how to calibrate a tow behind broadcast spreader? I was given this spreader from my Dad but it has no markings, brand, or anything on it besides 0-10 adjustment markings on the lever. Everything seems to work fine - wheels move, gears move, rotor plate moves, lever moves & opens hopper. I'd hate to pass on this spreader and have to purchase a spreader (I need one), but I also want to make sure I'm spreading accurately.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Weight the product to want to apply to the area. Fill the spreader and go at the lowest setting something comes out. Go over the area in multiple directions (north/south, east/west) until it is all gone.


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## joecorrell (Sep 1, 2020)

Thanks @g-man So, if I do the Fall Blitz with urea which you indicated is to apply monthly at 2 lb/ksqft, if I mark an area of my yard that's 10,000 sqft, I would need 20lb of urea for that specific area, correct?


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

That is correct, 2lb x 10k = 20lb.

But, for your first your first use of the spreader go with 1lb/ksqft (10lb).


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## joecorrell (Sep 1, 2020)

Awesome...thanks @g-man


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

@joecorrell around the hoc questions you had, hoc is a very personal choice. Your grass type will dictate some of it. If it is falling over, it is too long. Grass that falls over doesn't get good airflow, so it can get more fungus. Too short can also be a problem if it is too thin since it can't maintain moisture. Find a happy spot that you like and can maintain.


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## joecorrell (Sep 1, 2020)

@g-man that makes sense with the HOC. During spring and summer, I cut about 3.5-4. For your recommendation in the Fall Blitz of 2.5", do you gradually get to that for yourself by sometime in August? Then, do you keep 2.5 for the remainder of the Fall?


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

I keep my lawn at 3/4-1in season long.


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## joecorrell (Sep 1, 2020)

Thanks everyone for the input! Spent some time this weekend actually measuring my new lot and determining what is actual grass. I knew my lot was 1.5 acres but wasn't sure how much to fertilize, etc.


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## joecorrell (Sep 1, 2020)

@HoosierLawnGnome I saw the yellow/black storage bins at Home Depot yesterday, I think you mentioned previously that you can get at Menards/Rural King. Home Depot has several sizes though. Do you know which size holds the 100lb you mentioned? They had 12, 17, & 27 gallons. Do these bins work well for storing extra fertilizer long-term? I have been using 5-gallon buckets with a sealed lid for extra fertilizer in the past, but they aren't very big.


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## HoosierLawnGnome (Sep 28, 2017)

joecorrell said:


> @HoosierLawnGnome I saw the yellow/black storage bins at Home Depot yesterday, I think you mentioned previously that you can get at Menards/Rural King. Home Depot has several sizes though. Do you know which size holds the 100lb you mentioned? They had 12, 17, & 27 gallons. Do these bins work well for storing extra fertilizer long-term? I have been using 5-gallon buckets with a sealed lid for extra fertilizer in the past, but they aren't very big.


The fertilizer I buy, 5 gallons holds roughly 50 lbs.

The black yellow boxes are pretty sturdy, but they do swell holding it long term, and after 4 years, I've busted holes in the corners of a few dragging them on the ground.

The reason i use the big bins is to make buying it easier, but i could probably do that with 5 gallon buckets just the same.


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## jcs43920 (Jun 3, 2019)

1.5 acres is a big area that can be a real nice big yard. Unfortunately with a yard that big the price of using high products for that huge of a lawn can drive the price up.

Normally anytime I begin to work on a yard I try to attack the biggest problem first. If weeds are the biggest problem I would begin spraying them and putting down a pre-emergent to prevent future weeds. If a thin lawn with many bare spots is the issue I would ariate and overseed etc.

What I would recommend is start going to stores like Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes etc and try to stock pile as much product you can for cheap. This time of year places like Walmart are liquidating their lawn care products and you can buy them for a fraction of the price. I recently picked up 6, 15,000 sq ft bags of Scotts weed and feed for just $15 a bag. Also I purchased 4 bags of 8300 sq ft of Walmart brand triple action that contained Dythiapier as a pre emergent. Also on ripped bags you can get 50% off at Lowe's and Home Depot.

I would begin getting as much stuff as you can for cheap and at least put down some fertilizer and weed control now. Then in the spring use a pre-emergent and fertilizer and your weed problem should significantly improve. It's probably too late in the game to reseed a lawn that big if your on a tight budget. I would just attack your biggest issue and continue to fertilize properly next year then come late Summer or early fall then you can do an ariate and overseed.


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## joecorrell (Sep 1, 2020)

I was planning to spread 2 applications of urea this fall according to the Fall Blitz(haven't done anything yet), once in Sept, once in Oct. Just moved here to Central Ohio and found a local co-op with great prices. Went to get urea but they have specialty mix for our area for the fall that they highly recommend (15-30-15). So, I bought enough urea for 1 application and the 15-30-15 for 1 application. Would it be okay to apply urea now and then in Oct apply the 15-30-15? Or should I do 15-30-15 now and then urea in Oct? Or, was it a mistake to buy the 15-30-15? Or, any other suggestions with what I bought?


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## massgrass (Aug 17, 2017)

I would suggest using the urea last. I believe the current thinking continues to be that late season potassium application can contribute to snow mold.


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## HoosierLawnGnome (Sep 28, 2017)

Yeah, use urea last. The 15 30 15 is starter fertilizer. Central Ohio definitely should factor in snow mold to their plan. Extended snow coverage is a big contributor to it, especially if you have PR / fescue, which you probably do if you don't know what grass you have and most are mixes.

But the most important app would be 2 lbs / K urea when top growth stops but roots are still active, maybe mid to late November for you.


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## joecorrell (Sep 1, 2020)

g-man said:


> That is correct, 2lb x 10k = 20lb.
> 
> But, for your first your first use of the spreader go with 1lb/ksqft (10lb).


@g-man just making sure I'm calculating this correct. If my urea is 46-0-0, do I still use 2lb of product per 10,000 sqft or is it 2lb of Nitrogen per 10,000 sqft, thus I divide 2/.46 for how much product to use?


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## HomerGuy (Jun 5, 2017)

As someone that went from a small yard to a larger yard (35k SF of turf), it was an eye opener for me. When I had the small yard I never really paid much attention to how much things cost. Now with the larger yard, I calculate how much each application will cost on my lawn care spreadsheet.

These items were already mentioned, but two things that really helped me were to find a cheap source of fertilizer (co-op, farm supply, etc) and building a spray rig with boom for liquids. I was buying 46-0-0 for $12 until they went out of business.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

@joecorrell

2lb of urea = 1lb of nitrogen
1lb of urea = 0.5lb of nitrogen
0.5lb of urea = 0.25lb of nitrogen

I recommend that you do a 0.5lb of nitrogen rate to avoid any overlap issues. This means you apply 1lb of urea for every 1,000 sqft of lawn.


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## joecorrell (Sep 1, 2020)

g-man said:


> @joecorrell
> 
> 2lb of urea = 1lb of nitrogen
> 1lb of urea = 0.5lb of nitrogen
> ...


Thanks @g-man That's what I needed!


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## joecorrell (Sep 1, 2020)

Where's the best place to buy prodiamine? I see a few different products listed at DoMyOwn, Yard Mastery, Lawn Care Nut, and Amazon. I'm willing to buy the large container but see some different names on them. Which is recommended?


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

joecorrell said:


> Where's the best place to buy prodiamine? I see a few different products listed at DoMyOwn, Yard Mastery, Lawn Care Nut, and Amazon. I'm willing to buy the large container but see some different names on them. Which is recommended?


There are lots of places. Allyn Hane has some on Yard Mastery for a decent price. He also has the smaller bottle, which I would buy, but you probably need the 5 lbs. Their price is lower than domyown, but I don't know if they charge extra for shipping, so it might even out.


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## joecorrell (Sep 1, 2020)

Thanks to all the input over the last several months. I've got a decent granular spreader. I just bought a 26-gallon Northstar sprayer I'm mounting to my garden tractor. I found a great local co-op with cheap fertilizer prices. I'm in the process of getting Prodiamine. A few more questions, that are probably very elementary. My local co-op will do $9 soil tests. Seems like the Fall is best time for soil tests, but can I do the soil test this spring? If so, when is best time to do so? Currently snow-covered. Also, with soil temperature...what's the best way to check this? Just use a kitchen thermometer with a probe? Like a meat thermometer?


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## balladinsurgency (Nov 23, 2019)

You can test the soil at any time, and if it were me I'd do it soon and use it to determine spring fertilizer needs.

For soil temps: https://www.greencastonline.com/tools/soil-temperature

Good luck this year!


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