Is there an additive/fertilizer that will not flash off ths time of year?

[dvcochran]

Need to align fertilizer application with growth periods. Standard cool season grass advice in the upper midwest is 60 to 70% in the spring and the rest in the fall. Fall here usually starts in early August.

Some wait for the first good rain in August and then broadcast granules. Others spread compost after the first cutting. Compost does not flash.

Yes, that is our normal procedure. We have already done our spring application of 55-30-45. The grass is not coming back as well as usual and wondered what others have done.
We will lime and fertilize in the fall.

If your pH is at 8.0-8.5 why would you apply lime in the fall? That would be spending money to make your field less productive. The fact is that your high pH could very well be the reason your grass doesn't seem to be doing well.

No, I will not lime this year and hopefully next year either. That has been a normal year for some time though.
pH jumped a full two points since last fall.

 

[Dave]

Yes, that is our normal procedure. We have already done our spring application of 55-30-45. The grass is not coming back as well as usual and wondered what others have done.
We will lime and fertilize in the fall.

If your pH is at 8.0-8.5 why would you apply lime in the fall? That would be spending money to make your field less productive. The fact is that your high pH could very well be the reason your grass doesn't seem to be doing well.

No, I will not lime this year and hopefully next year either. That has been a normal year for some time though.
pH jumped a full two points since last fall.

Lime does not move easily into the soil profile. There are way too many variables to come up with the reason for the jump in pH here. The weather, pore size in the soil, lime score, and the cation capacity of the soil are just some of the factors. Also one time I ran into this on the job. A soil that would vary hugely from a fall test to a spring test. I consulted with a soil scientist from Oregon State University that I know. It was years ago and only happened one time. As I remember he advised me that it had something to do with the soil type. And that is was rare but it does happen. I remember at the time being baffled as to how this could possibly occur.

 

[littletom]

Anyone ever try aluminum sulfate? That is what our local co-op recommends for stockpiling fescue. It is $340 a ton for 24-0-0

That is all i use on tobacco. Not a big fan of urea. Have used on some later hay too

 

[Stocker Steve]

P and K values vary greatly due to the biological activity during the year. Highest values are during the spring flush when soil is warm and wet. Could be double compared to early or late in the season.