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michaelmassapequa

Apply sythetic stagreen or alfalfa pellets?

My goal is to go full organic when it comes to carrying for my lawn.

I have read up and with the help of those on this forum I am confident I can feed my lawn organically vs going the mainstream synthetic route.

Just one question:

Would alfafla pellets (20lbs per 1K sqft) suffice for my final fall feeding. Or should I use up the remaining stagreen winter fertilizer I have ? Or maybe both?

Thanks amigos

Comments (8)

  • morpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
    9 years ago

    Final fall feeding as in winterization, or just the last feeding you do before winterizing?

    For winterizer, a synthetic has to be used. It's too cold for grains to decay at any decent speed and a lot of it will end up waiting for spring.

    Any time up to around a month before winterization, you can use an organic.

  • MichaelMassapequa
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Guess I was confused. So to winterize would have to use a sythetic, got it.

    So its beneficial to add organic this weekend, then next month winterize with a synthetic?

    Thanks Morpheus

  • morpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
    9 years ago

    >>So its beneficial to add organic this weekend, then next month winterize with a synthetic?

    Sure! The organics will follow suit with the weather. If it's a warm several weeks (so far it has been here), they'll decay in very nicely. If cold, they'll move slowly. If the weather suddenly turns, they may stop and wait for spring--slowly decaying during the winter if and when the temperatures warm above freezing.

    Organics always follow the weather, so cold or dry weather means organics don't process. That's a good thing, as the grass isn't growing in cold or dry weather and doesn't need feeding at that moment anyway. Both the grass and the organics pick up again once it rains or the weather warms.

    All grains are 100% very slow release, so you can apply your winterizer whenever the proper time is without worrying about nitrogen overload. If your winterizer is your only synthetic in fall, overload simply can't happen that easily, and you'd kind of notice it due to the stench of rotting organics.

  • beckyinrichmond
    9 years ago

    The winterizer application of fast release nitrogen fertilizer should be after the grass is no longer growing at all and before the ground freezes. For me in Virginia it's usually early December. Where do you live?

  • morpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
    9 years ago

    Ooh, good one. I presumed Massapequa, NY--a more ocean-influenced climate than I have and a location that will tend to winterize later than I do.

    But if not, let us know.

  • MichaelMassapequa
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi Becky. Morph is correct. I live on Long Island. Grass still growing. So probably mid to late November Im thinking to lay down the winterizer

  • beckcol1
    9 years ago

    I live in south Texas what would be a good winterazation fertilizer to apply l just applied rabbit chow this past Labor Day. And also when should I apply the winterazation fertilizer? I have St.Augastine Flouratam Carpet grass.

  • dchall_san_antonio
    9 years ago

    Beckc0l1, it would be better if you opened a new topic. If you do open a new topic, please mention where you live in South Texas.

    Having said that,...I don't see a reason why winterizing in the south would be much different from winterizing in the north. The big difference would be that some winters in some locations are so mild that the grass never stops growing. Morph's winterizing schedule is to wait until after the grass stops growing but before the ground freezes. Well, our soil will never freeze. I usually fertilize with alfalfa on Washington's Birthday and call it "winterized." If you want to use a high N synthetic fertilizer, I would wait a couple weeks after your last mow just to make sure the grass is not still growing. Then do it.

    I put some Floratam in the sunny part of my back yard a couple years ago. That grass is amazing. It seems to get a little fungal disease but it just powers through it. The common St Aug that I had before simply laid down and died.

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