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Lawn Food
Hibiscus mutabilis ---> |
- Double Pink Confederate
Rose - |
No perennial Hibiscus should
be |
fertilized until April,
when it |
resumes growth. |
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NEVER
USE A WEED AND FEED FORMULATION !!!
In spring, the optimal time
to apply an herbicide is mid-February. The optimal time to apply the optional
feeding is mid-April. And in fall, one should apply herbicides mid-September
and fertilize mid- to late-October.
So, how
can one correctly apply a weed and feed?
The buyers for the big-box
merchants or corporate clone nurseries must be horticultural morons. Leave
the weed and feed on the shelf and select the correct product instead.
Your grass will thank you. |
SPRING FEEDING
The optional spring fertilization
of grasses in central and south Texas should not take place until mid-April
(south of San Antonio) to mid-May (Hill Country). Feeding too early, before
the grass can use nutrients, is, at best, a waste of resources. At worst,
premature feeding will cause a flush of weed growth and encourage
the spread of disease-causing organisms.
The best slow-release fertilizers
for this area are 3-1-2 ratio products with slow-release encapsulation
of nutrients. The old-fashioned "sulfur-coated urea" products, even those
labeled as premium formulations are not as good.
Never fertilize Buffalograss.
Feed Zoysia only every other year in the fall.
St. Augustine grass requires
only fall feeding. Bermudagrass grown as a utilty turf should be fed mid-April
and mid- to late-October. If you want greener grass, apply Ferromec, as
needed, mid-March to mid-September.
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FALL FEEDING
Please, do not apply "winterizing"
fertilizers before grass has become dormant in October. Feeding too early
causes a flush of growth and does not promote the storage of nutrients
which is desired.
Big-box retailers and corporate
clone nurseries sell "winterizing" fertilizers which do not contain a 3-1-2
ratio of nutrients, as recommended by university turf experts in Texas.
The numbers mean 3 parts of nitrogen to 1 part of potassium to 2 parts
of phosphorus. Fertilizers with a 3-1-2 ratio of nutrients include: 15-5-10
and 21-7-14.
Never fertilize Buffalograss.
Feed Zoysia only every other year in the fall. St. Augustine grass requires
only fall feeding. Bermudagrass grown as a utilty turf should be fed mid-April
and mid- to late-October.
Watch out for inflated claims
of coverage for fertilizers. For example, if one wishes to apply the recommended
one pound of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet, a 20 pound bag of 15-5-10
will cover only 3000 square feet. 15% of 20 pounds = 3 pounds, at rate
of 1 pound per 1000 square feet, the coverage is 3000 square feet.
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Spreader
Settings for 15-5-10
Ev-N Spread Rotary - 14.50
Ortho
Rotary - 3.25
Precision
Rotary - 7.50
Quaker Rotary - 4.00
Republic EZ Grow
- 6.25
Republic EZ Rotary - 3.25
Scotts EasyGreen - 26.75
Scotts SpeedyGreen - 5.50
Scotts SpeedyGreen
1000 - 8.50
Scotts SpeedyGreen
2000 -10.0
Scotts SpeedyGreen
3000 - 8.25
True Temper Rotary - 4.00
Vigoro Rotary - 12.0
Spreader Settings
for 21-7-14
Ev-N Spread Rotary - 13.50
Greenview Rotary - 3.75
Ortho Rotary - 3.0
Republic Rotary - 3.0
Scotts Easy Green - 26.5
Scotts Speedy Green - 6.0
Sears Rotary - 3.75
Sta-Green Broadcast (Round
Hopper) - 3.75
Sta-Green Broadcast (Square
Hopper) - 6.0
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