A Formula for Green Grass
To whom this may help:
I have experimented many times to find the method for some damn green grass.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
(same yard, just looking north from the wooden fence)
Here is the secret sauce:
1. HUMIC ACID:
All-around steroid for a lawns. Loosens soil structure. Boosts microbial activity. Makes fertilizers more effective. Improves water and air penetration. Enriches soil fertility, promoting deeper root growth. Increases resistance to drought, disease, and stress. Reduces runoff.
If you want the absolute best, find a 22% concentration bottle somewhere - the purest form of the stuff. Check your local stores and what you can get online.
Often comes in 2.5 gal containers. Usually sold for $120. With that size, you get 320 fluid ounces. Use 6 ounces per 'treatment.' That will cover 1,000 SF of lawn. Mix with 1.5-2 gallons of water. Apply alone or tank-mixed with other products.
To figure the cost per house: Your average house is probably 7,000-9,000 SF of lawn (or 7-9 'treatments'), so the cost comes out to $45 to lay this down for the whole lawn.
Frequency: For sod or new seeding, apply ever 3 weeks to help roots attach. Apply 3-4x per year though once it's mature turf. Apply during transition seasons as a supplement. Don't apply in weather over 90 degrees.
2. FULVIC ACID
Similar steroid for a lawn. Not the full growth hormone, but kind of like taking testosterone. Bioavailable molecule that enhances nutrient uptake (makes em eat). Makes fertilizers more effective. Improves root growth. Increases drought resistance.
Check out Mr. Fulvic, which is 4% concentration of the stuff. Cost is $1.18 per oz, or about $6.50 per treatment of 1,000 SF, but only at 4% concentration (lightweight numbers). That would put you at about $52 for the whole lawn.
If we're getting heavy and maxing out concentration at say 12% Fulvic, you would use 18oz of product per 1,000 SF, and per house a whopping $146.25. You can even go with a higher concentration like 12-22%, if you're nuts.
Frequency: 1x per month is plenty.
**Hybrid options combining the above (to save money):
•Simple Grow Solutions Humic. It is a mix of 4% Fulvic, 4.5% Humic, and 4% Seaweed. Use 5-6 oz per 'treatment' to cover 1,000 SF of lawn (or triple it to make concentration closer to 12% each, if you're nuts). Water 20 mins after. Apply before 10AM or after 3PM. Tank-mix as needed, use 2 gallons of water per 'treatment' of 1,000 SF.
Cost: Only 70 cents per oz, or about $27 to do a an average yard. If you want to triple that to hit 12% concentration of all three ingredients, a cost per house of ~$85 to get a nice heavy treatment. Only if you have a lot of cash.
Frequency: 1x per month is plenty.
•Simple Grow Root Humic (similar to above but red bottle). 8% Humic and 4% Fulvic. 71 cents per oz again, or roughly $3.90 per 1000 SF to lay down. Recommend doubling to get 16% Humic and 8% Fulvic. That would bring the cost per house to $59 to get two ingredients down monthly. 1x per month. Cheaper than using the individual compounds above.
3. SEA KELP EXTRACT
Get a concentrate to blow it up. Microbe food, 50% of the weight is ascophyllum nodosum. Use a small amount of 1/2 oz per 1,000 sq ft, treat monthly. Doesn't cost much! About 90 cents per treatment of 1,000 SF. Less than $8 per application for your average size lawn.
Water into the soil within 24 hours with 1/4" of rainfall or irrigation. Do not apply if your lawn is saturated.
4. LIQUID AERATION
K2O Potash at 5% concentration is best. Some blends come with more Humic Acid in them also, so stagger your treatments with the Humic 12% or 22% from above. Costs about $3 per 1,000 SF treatment. Apply 2x per year, in the spring and fall.
5. FERTILIZER:
A) MACROS
Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium (N-P-K).
Pushing too much N can cause flushes of growth and that's not good when summer heat is hitting full force. But it drives the bus. 20-25% should be great as far as N goes. You may not need Phosphorus depending on where you live, recommend to google if you need it.
Note: you will not find fertilizers with bio-stimulants at most big box stores. Check out LawnMastery's 18-0-1 Greene Punch and see the value: you get 4 gallons (512 oz) for $108.00 all-in delivered. 1 gallon covers up to 8,000 sq ft. Compare that to the big box ferts which only cover about 2,500 SF.
A "good shot" of nitrogen that will turn your lawn green is going to be right around a target of .75 lbs of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft. Do this every 4-5 weeks. If you can buy in bulk, you could get your cost per house down to $25 or so, but you need to do the math based on the % of N in each bag, and how many lbs of actual N is getting laid down, and if it hits the target of ¾ LBS per 1000 SF.
The rest of the bag is other organic matter or "filler" materials. In the case of this particular fertilizer, known as a "biosolid," the prills in the bag are what is left after microbes consume sewage and then get baked at high temps.
Another option: Liquid Blitz22.
CONVERTING FLUID OZ TO LBS (to ensure we're hitting the Nitrogen target):
Look for the net weight of the liquid container in LBS. Say it's 10.5 lbs.
Figure out how much each liquid ounce weighs in LBS (lbs per fl oz). For example, if the container weighs 10.5 lbs, then do 10.5 lbs / 128 fl oz = .082 lbs per fl oz.
Look at your target application rate on the bottle. Say it's 12 fluid oz per 1000 SF.
Multiply the two together, so 12 * .082 (lbs/fl oz) will get you the weight (lbs) of each 1,000 SF application. In this case, it comes out to .98 lbs.
Multiply by the % of nitrogen in the liquid. So .98 * 22% N for example... gets you to .18 lbs per 1000 SF. But remember... the TARGET IS ¾ like we said above. So we need to triple this concentration.
B) MICROS:
Micronutrients should be used too. Will create a blast of green. Find a product that has magnesium, sulfur, iron, manganese, and zinc.
Good for blackout periods when you can't use heavy nitrogen fertilizer.
Water into the soil within 24 hours with 1/4" of rainfall or irrigation.
9-12 ounces per 1,000 SF of lawn is HEAVY and you will see results fast.
Costs about $20-30 per full yard to supplement the regular fertilizer.
You should get a soil test to see if you're lacking in micros.
Only need to do 2x per summer to stay flush. Does well supplementing a regular 18-0-1 Greene Punch type fertilizer mentioned above.
6. MILORGANITE: Bio-Nitrogen fertilizer
This is kind of like putting food in Tupperware and putting it into your lawn to eat when is convenient. Cheap stuff and you can get at your local Home Depot or garden store!
Combine this with regular fertilizers. It is a different kind of compound. 80% of the nitrogen in Milorganite is water insoluble (slow-release vs. fast) and is delivered to the roots through microbial activity in the soil.
Soil temperatures need to be 55--85 F. Use google to see what soil temp is in your area.
The Microbes in plants break down Milorganite to feed plants. If cold or not favorable, Milorganite's nutrients stay right where they are until there's enough water and the temperature is within range.
Stays in the ground for 10 weeks, all natural.
Cool-season grasses (e.g., Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, ryegrass): • Spring & Fall: 32 lbs per 2,500 sq. ft. (4 applications per year)
Warm-season grasses (e.g., Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine): • Spring, Summer, and Early Fall: 32 lbs per 2,500 sq. ft. (3-4 applications per year)
7. HERBICIDES (YOUR WEED CONTROL):
POST-EMERGENT
FOR CRABGRASS: QUINCLORAC 75DF. Don't mow 2 days before or after application. .367 oz of product per 1000 SF and 1 gal of water. Keep in mind crabgrass does not germinate until mid-June. It is lime green and thin in color. Mow at 3 in or taller to prevent. Don't scalp the sides.
FOR CLUMPING TALL FESCUE: Nothing you can do! Just remove and re-seed.
FOR CLOVER: Use 2-4-D on Amazon and mix with a Surfactant.
PRE-EMERGENT:
Barricade is applied in March and April, before soil is 55 degrees F. Use 4 lbs per 1,000 SF.
8. SEED AND REPAIR:
Use regular grass seed, don't need anything fancy. Pair it with Milorganite and spread around after seeding, 15 lbs per 1,000 SF. Then get peatmoss as well and spread it. Lastly, get Scotts Patchmaster. Throw the seed out on bare dirt. 10lbs up to 20 lbs per 1000 SF is a general rule. Less than a half inch thick with the Peat Moss. Similar with the PatchMaster or less thick even. Has to be thin and a nice blanket. Water every single day. You have to water every day. One hour every morning. Keep constantly wet for 24 days and beyond. Half inch of water needed. Ideal soil temps are 60 deg F. Use GreenView grass seed accelerator. A lot of grass seed comes with a green coating, get that if you can. Rake the seed in so it's not dense or clumpy. You're aiming for 50% germination.