Fertilizer recommendations for MD lawn

5 years ago

Greetings, I am hoping to get some input on what to do about our lawn moving forward. We are working with approximately 48,000 sq ft of lawn area. We purchased the property about 9 months ago and the only thing we really did in the Spring this year was lay down some Scotts triple action.

This labor day weekend I just cut the lawn lower (3" vs. my normal 3.5"), I did a core aeration of the entire lawn area, and I did some overseeding with a "ultra premium" quality tall fescue seed from TSC.

My soil test indicated the all except for Phosphorus are at or above optimal levels. Phosphorus is reading "very low" at just 0.7 (optimum range is 4-14). Ph is 6.3 and they are not recommending any lime since the target is 6.5.

Now I am trying to come up with a plan to fertilize the property and get this lawn in excellent condition. I had to treat with tenacity twice to knock down some broadleaf weeds and the crabgrass has been especially bad as well. Since the weeds and crabgrass are so bad in this area I need to incorporate a pre-emergent into my treatment plan. The lawn is not in horrible condition but it needs a lot of TLC as it has many small bare spots and was over run by weeds and crab grass this season.

I did talk to the local extension office master gardener and she advised to use a 10-5-5 fertilizer twice this fall (before 11/15). First time after overseeding has reached 3" and then a second time about 30 days after. The soil test is recommending the following at lbs per 1000 broken up over 3 or 4 treatments:

N - 2-4

P - 2

K - 1

The only general purpose fertilizer I can find is a 10-10-10 and so I was planning to apply that after I get some growth from my overseeding.

I am in Central Maryland. If this were your lawn what would you do? Thanks in advance.

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Comments (2)

TBL from CT
5 years ago
Bone meal will increase the phosphorus, applied not to exceed 2 pounds per thousand square feet. Given the size of the lawn, I imagine you leave the clippings, which will add nitrogen and organic matter. The core aeration is a great move, and you did it at the right time of year to avoid bringing weed seeds to the surface which would have germinated had this been done in the early season. Healthy soil is the foundation of a great lawn, so annual aeration if it's compacted, addition of organic matter if feasible, and adequate water with periodic nutrients. If you do a soil analysis next year to check your levels, you can order an organic matter test as well. It takes time to establish and improve healthy turf. Overdoing the chemicals can cause imbalances so be careful there.

If it were my lawn, I would reduce the size of it. Over an acre of turf grass is not a natural environment and requires significant resources (water, nutrients, labor, chemicals). Gas mowers are a big contributor to pollution, stated by the EPA at 5% of all air pollution. The average U.S. lawn is 1/4 the size of yours. If you can go fume-free with the mower and use organic fertilizer, it would be helpful. 48,000 square feet is just an enormous area to expend water, time, etc., on.
dchall_san_antonio
5 years ago
alternatives to grass on large acreage

accent lighting in trees

arbors (for vines)

bamboo

beds (perennials, annuals, bulbs, herbs, ferns, roses, hostas, container plants, rock, and fruits).

bee keeping

benches

butterfly garden

decks

decorative gates (may be free standing)

dog run or kennel

edibles (veggies)

fences (accent)

fences (privacy)

fountains

fragrance garden

gazebo

greenhouse

ground covers

hedges

herb garden

hot tubs

hummingbird garden

Japanese garden

jogging track

moon garden (plants and lights for night time viewing)

orchard

ornamental grass garden

other groundcovers

out buildings (like sheds)

outdoor theater

overhead sunshades

parcours (exercise stations)

parking area

party room (free standing for games, theater, pool table, etc.)

patios

picnic or barbecue area

play yard for children

ponds or garden pools

pools

potting bench or shed

putting green

rock garden

rolling hills

rose garden

screened rooms (free standing)

screens (foliage hedges or growing on a wire mesh)

sitting or reading area

sports courts

statuary

steps

storage buildings

sun room (free standing)

swimming pools

tool shed

topiary

trees (shade)

trees (accent or decorative)

tulip garden

vining plant garden

walkway (formal paved)

walkway (informal path)

walls (retaining)

walls (accent or decorative)

wildflowers

Zen garden
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