Nope, it won't burn, and that's true of every organic fertilizer I can think of.

The reason that synthetics burn is that the nitrogen is available in a salt form. Salts, if they get too concentrated, pull the water out of the cells of the plant, either through the roots or the leaves. That makes an ugly burn that looks the same as if it had gone through a long, brutal drought.

Organics, not having much salt, don't burn. Their nitrogen is protein-based and requires bacterial action to become available to your lawn.

If you're using pet food, cat food is a really bad choice as it does contain salt. Cats were originally desert creatures, used to salty water and salty food. They require it. Your lawn doesn't. I doubt it's enough to burn like a synthetic, but I'm not willing to perform the experiment.

Blood meal is the only one that I can think of that will burn your lawn if used much but it's expensive and probably smelly so it isn't used in large amount. It is in Scott's organic. It works fast so that may be what makes your lawn green up within a week. Feather meal takes a while to break down into usable nitrogen for the plants to take up...

Have you looked at the Organic Lawn Care FAQ over on the Organic Gardening forum? You do not have to pay extra for commercially bagged fertilizer. You can buy other materials that apply in the same way but cost 1/6 the cost of commercially bagged organic fertilizers. Or there are free alternatives.

Morpheus,
Where are you getting your organics from? I'm looking to put down some SBM or CGM and I'm not sure where to get them here in the Valley.

Albright's Mill in Kempton, PA.

Er...

Albright's Feed Mill
9927 Kistler Valley Road
Kempton, PA 19529

610-756-6022. Open Saturdays! So Dutchy even the cows say, "Moo, now."

As suggested I have read the Organic Lawn Care FAQ and have a question or two. I applied the Scotts Organic Choice fertilier today. I did not put any compost prior to this application. In the FAQ one comment was that overuse of a chemical fertilizer might/would possibly kill the microbes in the soil. The bermuda sod was laid last year and approximately 2,000 square feet had to be replaced 4 or 5 days later due to fertilizer burn when the sod was being laid. I was wondering if this would mean that possibly the microbes were killed and don't know if compost should have been added or if the soil will automatically replenish itself? What would be the advice on this?

If you are still having trouble growing anything in that spot, then you could apply compost. If it seems to have recovered, then it probably has. Killing the soil microbes in one spot does not cause extinction. They will move back in as long as you don't continually abuse them. What comes to mind is a low spot in your yard that continually collects water. Standing water cuts off the oxygen supply to the soil. The good microbes need air to survive so water standing for a couple days will wipe out a lot of beneficial species. As the soil dries out and the microbes start to recover, if the low spot collects an inch or so of water again, the small population of microbes will die again and you have to recover again. Even compost cannot help a low spot. It needs to have proper drainage. Then if you want faster recovery you can use compost, but it would not be absolutely critical. The worst kind of "chemical" spill is sawdust from treated lumber. Once it is in the soil, you can get temporary help from compost but that wood treatment is very long lasting and will outlast many years of continual compost.

Your Scott's Organic Choice should be plenty for you at this point. Give it 3 full weeks and see if you don't have a very dark green color, even on the burned area.

"So Dutchy even the cows say, 'Moo, now.'"
That's funny Morpheus! Mind if I use that one? :)
Someday I'll run into you up there...
If you see a very overloaded white Elantra in front of you on 737, that's me leaving with a trunk full of SBM.:)

Colonel, I'm not sure if Albright's has the CGM, I've never gotten it, but they do have the SBM @ about $12.50 a bag. They also have the alfalfa pellets.

That's funny Morpheus! Mind if I use that one? :)

Please do. Just remember, if you're the last person out of there, outen the light.

Yeah, well, I'm as Dutchy as they are. I just have more teeth.