We are at the beginning of the Spring fertilizer season and it’s time to prepare. The question we ask when it comes to fertilizer is the size of the lawn. The most common answer is average. We are actually looking for the number of square feet of grass. It doesn’t have to be to the foot but since the average is 1,000 to 7,000 any number is better than average.

The one thing that is for certain, we all need to apply nitrogen (the first number in fertilizer) a couple of times a year. Nitrogen is the big consumable in fertilizer. It is used for plant growth and it can also evaporate and be washed off. Phosphate and potash (second and third numbers) can be anywhere from too much to non-existent. A soil test will help you determine if there is enough or not enough of these nutrients (and others) in the soil.

We all need to apply a measured amount of water to the applied fertilizer. Not enough water can cause burning with synthetic fertilizers (mainly from salt) and too much will cause runoff. Fertilizer runoff has been linked as one of the causes of algae blooms in lakes and ponds. If you use the correct amount of fertilizer it will take less water to get it to where it needs to be. Because some types of water restrictions are the new normal, it is tempting to get that fertilizer out before the rain. I am telling you it is a bad idea to apply fertilizer before rain for the reasons stated above. However, it is a very good idea to apply your fertilizer after a rain when the ground is wet. You still need to put some water on it but it will only take a small amount. See more about fertilizer help by clicking here.

Some of the all-natural fertilizers we offer include Texas Tee (6-2-4), Medina Dry (3-2-3), and our flagship fertilizer is the (almost) world-famous “Dirt Diet”. It is a 4-1-2 in a 50# bag.

Synthetic fertilizers include Wells Brothers’ own 16-20-0 and 28-6-6. Both of these have 12% sulfur and the 28-6-6 contains 2% iron. We also carry 21-0-0, 13-13-13, 46-0-0, and the exceptional 24-0-0. Rounding out the mix is a good selection of Ferti-Lome and Hy-Yield products.

Within a month, it will be time to start applying pre-emergent herbicide to your lawn. Pre-emergent herbicides do one thing and that’s to stop weed seeds from growing. Hence the Latin term “pre,” means before. Post-emergent herbicides kill after the plant is growing, hence, the Latin term “post”, means a large stick in the ground that you attach to a fence. I urge everyone to know the square footage of your lawn before heading to Wells Brothers. Also, don’t forget that pre-emergent is not fertilizer.

The synthetic pre-emergent products that Wells Brothers recommend are Gallery for the control of broadleaf weeds and Dimension for the grass weeds. The 10-pound bag of Gallery will cover 2,000 square feet. This application will last around 4 months. Dimension is available in a 12-pound bag that covers 3,500 square feet and in a 35-pound bag that covers 10,000 square feet. Dimension can be reapplied every 4 weeks.

The all-natural product is called Corn Gluten Meal. It’s available in powder and pelleted forms. The powder works faster but is a mess to deal with. The pelleted is slower to activate but easier to apply. The application rate for both is 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet and needs to be applied now.

We get asked a lot about applying pre-emergent and fertilizer at the same time. The answer is you apply one, then the other. Do not mix them in the spreader at the same time.

Check out the Wells Brothers easy-to-read schedule for the application of fertilizers and pre-emergent. I hope these will fit your needs. Please note that these are guides. Weather conditions such as rain and heat will alter the timing of these products.

Bermuda Grass – Product Application Guide

St. Augustine Grass – Product Application Guide

Fescue is a shade-tolerant turf grass that is available in seed and sod, although sod can be difficult to find around our part of Texas. Shade means the area receives sunlight from 1.5 to 4 hours a day. Wells Brothers sells 2 varieties of seed that are considered “Tall Turf Type” by bag and bulk (by the pound). Our number 1 seller is called “5 Star” followed by “Extreme Shade 5 Star”. 5 Star is sold in 25# and 50# bags and by the pound. Extreme Shade is sold in a 50# bag and by the pound.

From the end of September to the end of April is the planting time for fescue. Application rates vary but the rule of thumb is 10 pounds per thousand square feet on bare soil and 5 pounds per thousand for over seeding existing Fescue lawns. You should over seed once a year to keep it looking like a lawn and not a pasture. Fertilizer and mowing requirements for St. Augustine can be used for fescue. Water requirements for fescue in the summer are enormous and some will die regardless of our efforts. It will require mowing in the winter and it is some of the best-looking grass in the spring and fall.

Fescue must be covered for it to germinate in any reasonable time (7 – 14 days). Seed cover can be dried leaves, dried grass clipping, raking the seed in or a light covering of compost. I am a follower of the compost cover. My goal is a 2 cubic foot bag per 150 square feet. When over seeding, cut the grass and spread the seeds. Don’t mow for 14 days. Water the seed lightly every morning until it starts to look like a lawn. Then you can reduce the watering to every other day until it needs mowing. This process will take between 2 and 4 weeks. You can apply fertilizer after its first mowing. I recommend an all-natural fertilizer for the first application. Wells Brothers Dirt Diet would be perfect.

5 Star is a mix of 5 different varieties of fescue. The theory behind this is if 1 fails (for whatever reason) you have 4 other varieties not failing. The Extreme Shade 5 Star follows the same theory but with a different variety of seeds. Several years ago some folks were using Fescue in the place of Rye Grass for over seeding Bermuda lawns. This is a major mistake, so do not use Fescue. Use Rye Grass to over seed Bermuda lawns.