viva_oldtrafford said:
LouisvilleGrubber said:
I'd also be curious to know who is using these products and how they are working. Where are people buying them? The fact that I've only seen these products on YouTube channels is a bit of a yellow flag for me, but I could be talked off that ledge.
Rightfully so. These products come with claims that cannot be backed by science. Sure, you'll get some anecdotal stories of positive results, but nothing more. If you have the disposable income, and have some free time, by all means, give these products a try (spoiler...don't expect any real results from the super, duper, mega liquid aerification product). My favorite professor at Penn State, Dr. McNitt, would always tell us something along the lines of "if the product really works, the industry will let you know. You won't need a salesperson to fill you in".
I use the N-Ext products, but only the RGS, Humic 12 and GreeNe Effect. Below is how I use them in my program.
GreeNe Effect:
I can affirm that the GreeNe Effect definitely works in making the lawn green. I used it in the Summer months to green the lawn when I use no fertilizers and recently (November 8th) I applied it to my lawn and the lawn is still a deep green (see photos below). I want to see how long it lasts and how long I can keep the grass green deep into the winter months. I plan to make another application in December, weather permitting. The area in the 2nd photo was badly damaged by fungus during the September rainstorms, along with the high humidity. From the calculation below, you can see the amount of N applied is very negligible, so the iron is doing the work. It costs me $10.40 per application on a 8k sq' lawn ($104/5 gallon or $20.80/gallon. At 8 oz/1k sq' (@ 8k sq'), I get 2 applications per gallon or $10.40 per application or $1.30/1k sq').
Liquid Fertilizer calculation: GreeNe Effect
2.5 gallon of product = 26.25lbs
2.5 gallons = 320 oz (128+128+64)
1 oz of product = .08lbs (26.25/320)
8 oz of product x .08lb = .64lb/1k
.07N x .64lb = 0.0448lbs of N\1k per application
Humic 12:
What you'll need to understand is that this is not going to make your lawn green per se, but instead, it helps the lawn more effectively use what's there. This helps condition your dirt and is not an overnight remedy for jacked up soil. I see long term solution with this product. So, if you are thinking it will green up the lawn like fertilizer, you will be disappointed and barking up the wrong tree. Additionally, I've found a more potent Humic product (70% vs 12%) and applied it this fall and will do so again in the spring - again a long term solution with 2 applications per year (see below).
Andersons Humic DG Granular Soil Conditioner
RGS:
Again a long term solution that is suppose to help the grass during harsh weather conditions. Since it's suppose to stimulate rooth growth and help the grass withstand heat stress etc, I applied it this fall as part of my winterizer application. So, basically I use RGS like Potassium, if you will.
Air8 or Detathch:
I am not convinced that these products work nor replaces the regular 'ole mechanical stuff because no one has conducted real testing that has convinced me, so I will continue to use mechanical means to Aerate or Dethatch my lawn whenever it's needed.
To sum it up, I am working on a long term solution to a healthy lawn and therefore I am focused on feeding and conditioning the soil with these products. My plan is to use more organic fertilizers this season.
Note: I renovated my lawn in fall 2017 with a complete kill off and to jump start the soil conditioning process, I rototilled compost about 6-8" into the clay soil and top dressed the lawn the following spring.