How to Grow Mindblowingly-Green Grass
BEFORE:
AFTER:
(same yard, just looking north from the wooden fence)
HUMIC ACID
22% concentration is preferred and purest form. SiteOne Landscape Supply in Englewood. Cost for the best in class is 120. Thus, you’ll get 320 fl oz to work with, which is ~53 treatments at 6oz per treatment. Since each house is roughly 7000-9000 SF of lawn (or 7-9 ‘treatments’), this cost per house is $17 to lay this down… a good deal. Use 6 oz in 1.5-2 gallons of water per treatment of 1000 SF… or 12 oz in 4 gallons etc etc. One gallon covers up to 42,600 sq ft. It may be applied alone or tank-mixed with other products.
We’ve used this hybrid option: Simple Grow Solutions Humic. Label is here. It is a mix of 4% Fulvic, 4.5% Humic, and 4% Seaweed. Use 5-6 oz per 1000 SF of lawn (or triple to make concentration closer to 12% each). Water 20 mins after. Before 10AM or after 3PM. Tank-mix as needed. Mix 3oz per 1 gallon of water. Only 70 cents per oz, or about 85 to get a nice heavy treatment on a home 1x per month.
Another hybrid: Simple Grow Root Humic (similar to above but red bottle). Label is here. 8% Humic and 4% Fulvic. 71 cents per oz again, or roughly 59 to get two ingredients down monthly, which is not bad at all. 1x per month.
For sod or new seeding, apply ever 3 weeks to help roots attach. Normally you only have to do this 4x per year though once it’s mature turf. According to Lawn Mastery, Humic at 12% can be done only 2x per year during transition seasons as a supplement. Don’t apply over 90 degrees.
FULVIC ACID
Can do this separately if not included in Humic Compound above. We’ve used this Mr. Fulvic before which is 4%. Cost is 6.50 per treatment of 1000 SF, but only at 4% concentration. If we’re maxing out concentration at say 12% Fulvic, you would use 18oz of product per 1000 SF, and per house about $146.25. 1x per month. Might look for a higher concentration like 12-22%.
SEA KELP EXTRACT
Get a concentrate to blow it up. Microbe food, 50% of the weight is ascophyllum nodosum. Low rate of 1/2 oz per 1,000 sq ft monthly. Water into the soil within 24 hours with 1/4" of rainfall or irrigation. Do not apply if your lawn is saturated.
LIQUID AERATION
K2O Potash at 5%, using 9oz per 1000 SF. Some blends come with more Humic Acid in them also, so stagger your treatments with the Humic 12 or 22 above. Apply in the spring and fall.
FERTILIZER
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.
Note: you will not find fertilizers with bio-stimulants at most big box stores. Pick up 18-0-1 Greene Punch and note, you get 4 gallons (512 oz) for $108.00 delivered. 1 gallon covers up to 8,000 sq ft. Compare that to the big box ferts which only cover about 2,500 SF.
In my experience, a “good shot” of nitrogen that will turn your lawn green is going to be right around .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 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: First, look for the net weight of the liquid container in LBS. Say it’s 10.5 lbs. We need to 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. Then go look at your target application rate, say 12oz per 1000 SF. Do 12 * .082 (lbs/fl oz) will get you the weight of each 1000 SF application. This gets you .98 lbs of total fluid. Then take the percentage of nitrogen, and do .98 * 22% N for example… gets you to .18 lbs per 1000 SF and remember the TARGET IS ¾.
MICROS:
Micronutrients should be used too, like this compound. Will create a blast of green. Contains magnesium, sulfur, iron, manganese, and zinc. Good for blackout periods when you can’t use heavy nitrogen fertilizer. 128 oz covers up to 21,000 SF. Water into the soil within 24 hours with 1/4" of rainfall or irrigation. 9-12oz per 1000 SF is heavy and you will see results fast. Costs about $20-30 per house 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.
MILORGANITE: Bio-Nitrogen fertilizer
Soil temperature tool is HERE. At least 80% of the nitrogen in Milorganite is water insoluble (slow-release) and is delivered to the roots through microbial activity in the soil, but the conditions need to be right. Microbial activity occurs when soil moisture is adequate and soil temperatures are 55–85 F. The microbes break down the nutrients from Milorganite making them available to plants. When conditions aren’t favorable, Milorganite’s nutrients stay right where they are until there’s enough water and the temperature is within range.
Slow-release nutrients, like those in Milorganite, are gradually available for up to 10 weeks, which means fewer applications. This extended feeding provides more uniform growth, a deeper and better-established root system, and a healthier lawn and garden. Slow-release nutrients are also better for the environment because the nutrients are less likely to leach into waterways.
HERBICIDES (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.
CLUMPING TALL FESCUE: Nothing you can do! Just remove and re-seed.
CLOVER: 24D and a Surfactant!
PRE-EMERGENT:
Barricade is applied in March and April, before soil is 55 deg. 4 lbs per SF.
SEED AND REPAIR:
Use regular grass seed, don’t need anything fancy. Pair it with Milorganite and spread around after seeding, 15 lbs per 1000 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.