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humdogj

10-10-10 as a starter fertilizer

humdogj
10 years ago

I am on a tight budget, and having trouble finding starter fertizlizer on store shelves. I'm in northeast Wisconsin. I have 2 bags of 10-10-10 fertilizer. I have a little area to seed and was going to do that in the next few days.

Will 10-10-10 act as a starter fertilizer in a pinch? Anyone know of good spreader settings? 3lbs./1000ft?

Thanks.

Comments (6)

  • JonCraig
    10 years ago

    Yes, I've done it & worked fine.

  • humdogj
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks JonCraig. I was thinking it would work.

  • goren
    10 years ago

    Humdog.....don't waste your time....or your money...ITS TOO LATE.
    Your air temperature outside....right now...might be real nice....we're experiencing mid 70's in southern Ontario....but...as people will do...they forget grass seed does not grow in air...it grows in the ground and the soil temperatures are fast cooling off.
    Grass seed needs a constant soil temperature of 45ð - 50ðF....to germinate. While it might be nice outside now...you and I can expect a killing frost pretty soon and so we should let our lawns and perennials to go dormant naturally.
    Do your lawn fix-up next spring when the soil temperatures begin to go up.....not down as they are now.

  • kbinmd
    10 years ago

    to add, even if it did germinate it would not be established enough to survive the winter

  • humdogj
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Noooooooo!!!!! goren and kbinmd, I got your messages too late. She's already been seeded and strawed. I did this Wednesday night and got your messages yesterday. I know I'm about 2 weeks late from the last day they recommend we plant here in Wisconsin, but I'm hoping that the grass gods will take pity on my and give me something to work with.

    Hopefully just enough to make it through the winter and have something in the spring. I'm thinking that with what I went through with my Town and Developer (long story), someone will look out for me and give me a little green before old man winter comes a knocking.

    If not, well, I'll be out about $30. I still have plenty of seed and 10-10-10 left for spring if I should need it, but I won't. There are worse things in life than grass not growing. It's all about positivity here right?

    The rest of my lawn is doing alright for being planted in the beginning of June. I have a feeling it will be even better come spring. Maybe I can let the KBG spread to the other area if it doesn't work out...well, that's wishful thinking because it's a rather large area.

    I'll post some follow-up pics to see how it's progressing.

  • adscl84
    10 years ago

    I wouldn't sweat it humdogj. I'm in SE WI, and last year I had my yard seeded the last week of September...not by choice, the house builder kept giving me the runaround.

    There were a few nights in the upper 20's within a week of the seeding and I still got very good germination by the end of October.

    All things considered, the grass came up great in the spring. I recently overseeded just to make sure the thin spots filled in and now my lawn looks great.

    I know last October was pretty mild overall, so hopefully this year will be the same.