Hey guys anyone done this yet? I don't want my lawn to look like a jungle with overgrown weeds but have no idea what to use or when to apply it. I have 0.25 acres and assume I need one of those spreader things. Anyone have any insight? I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars or have this take 5 hours either. Thanks !!!
Fertilizing lawn
- Thread starter JayDogSmooth
- Start date
well for starters you need a spreader. But get a cheap one, they all work the same. I go to a local nursery and buy the good stuff( and get good advice), but certainly you can go to lowes or home depot and hope they give you the right stuff.
Even if you can't get the advice at one of the big box stores, there are the "4 steps" of lawn care that is easy to find and works well. NOW is time to apply step one, it usually has the wed control in it.
Even if you can't get the advice at one of the big box stores, there are the "4 steps" of lawn care that is easy to find and works well. NOW is time to apply step one, it usually has the wed control in it.
You might try using a hand spreader - I've used this for the back area I'm working on, both for spreading fertilizer and grass seed. I'm not sure if this is too small to use for your area - I was working with an area that's about 1/15th of what you'll be working on. But it really does the job - in fact it spreads out almost too big for what I'm doing.
Scotts Handy Green II 1,000 sq. ft. Handheld Spreader
Scotts Handy Green II 1,000 sq. ft. Handheld Spreader
The walking spreader is easier to use, and with 1/4 acre easier on the body. The only thing I would watch out for is the type of fertilizer used, there are some that are a weed & feed. But, depending on the type of grass you have can either be efficient on weeds, and help grow grass, or Kill everything. I like a natural fertilizer, not as effective(might have to do it twice in the spring), but won't kill my grass. Good Luck Spank.
I think I used Scott's weed and feed. It works well (my land is about .22 acres) and wasn't too expensive. I put it down a couple weeks ago. Weeds are mostly dead/dying and the grass has come up thick and green, so it worked well. If things go like last year the weeds will start to pop back up again around July though.
You might try using a hand spreader - I've used this for the back area I'm working on, both for spreading fertilizer and grass seed. I'm not sure if this is too small to use for your area - I was working with an area that's about 1/15th of what you'll be working on. But it really does the job - in fact it spreads out almost too big for what I'm doing.
Scotts Handy Green II 1,000 sq. ft. Handheld Spreader
I love this little hand spreader so much, that I got rid of my wheeled spreader. I find this hand held thing is actually faster. My lot is 50 by 150, certainly not huge, but I would estimate it takes me less than half the time it used to.
My back lawn was all moss (I took down 26 trees last summer - the back was wet. Now I have a 1/2 arce totally open. The kids will have some k*ller football games back there).
There is a bag of stuff that is specific "moss k*ller" FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. I went over, "If a little works, the whole bag will really work!"
After I put the stuff down it looked like I had a fire back there. It totally burnt the moss out. Again, follow the directions. By the fall, grass began to grow. It is starting to come in now.
Also, mow the lawn often to keep the weeds down. You do not want to the lets the weeds get mature enough to starting seeding.
You may want to consider going with just a straight fertilizer with no additional additives and then use a mixed solution in a pressure sprayer to spot treat the weeds as needed. Much more precise and effective than a combo fertilizer/weed control mix, not to mention you avoid the risk of burning out your entire lawn if not applied correctly. With a lawn your size it should be easy to do. I use a product called Tenacity, which is more of a commercial grade product than you would find at Home Depot. Expensive but goes a long way. You can buy it on Amazon. Just keep in mind that you need to mix it with a sulfactant in order for the product to adhere to the weeds. You can also buy a dye that you mix into the solution to make it obvious where exactly you have sprayed vs not sprayed. I have used this approach with good success, even on stubborn crab grass patches. Good luck.
Jay dog, can only speak on the Walmarts in Pittsburgh, they have a Scott's spreader and step 1 on sale.
The spreader normally $40 now $15 and the step one 5000 sq ft, $8.
Not sure where you live, but if you are in NJ, and if you have neglected your lawn, you might want to get a soil sample analyzed at the Rutgers Extension service. Every county has an office. I would guess you are in need of a heavy lime application. It's cheap, easy to use, and it works. Then, if you can't put down the fertilizer with crabgrass control (I use Scotts Halts Plus), then I would get the Scotts fertilizer with weed control (yellow bag) and put that down. Around the 4th of July, you can consider fertilizer with insect control, and finally, in the fall put down fertilizer to carry you through the winter.
I'm hardly a green thumb at all but I just got the Scott's with crab grass control (blue bag, step 1 I think) a week or so ago from Home Depot. They had a deal where it was 20% off if you bought it together with the fertilizer with weed control (yellow bag, step 2 I think). I also have a Scott's walk behind spreader so it tells you on the bag what to adjust it to so you don't put too much.
Anyways, with the amount of science they put in developing all these seeds and fertilizers they seem to work much quicker and easier for a novice like myself. I put it (blue bag) down just before the rain and it greened up in a couple days and was looking much better. It's been like that for some time though now with the fertilizers and grass seeds. In the old days, it never seemed that easy, at least for me.
Anyways, with the amount of science they put in developing all these seeds and fertilizers they seem to work much quicker and easier for a novice like myself. I put it (blue bag) down just before the rain and it greened up in a couple days and was looking much better. It's been like that for some time though now with the fertilizers and grass seeds. In the old days, it never seemed that easy, at least for me.
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I put down straight fertilizer (along with seeding some bare spots) about 3 weeks ago. I have three bottles of spectacide weed killer down in the cellar. It's the kind that covers about 6k sq feet, claims to kill up to 250 kind of weeds, and attaches to the end of the hose. Was going to put that down this past weekend before my first cut (this coming weekend) but quite frankly I walked the yard and didn't see one dandalion. Also did not see my old nemesis Creeping Charlie in this one area he likes to grow. Looks like the war I declared on CC two years ago is paying dividends. So I'll hold off on the weed killer until I see some weeds.
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