DIY Tips for Irrigation, Fertilization, and Chemical Usage

Irrigation

There is always something that needs to be adjusted or repaired when it comes to irrigation systems. Heads are always getting bumped and hit with lawn mowers, weed eaters and edgers. Dirt will clog systems and pop ups. Squirrels and mice will chew drip lines and risers. Again, a constant battle.

Turning your system on and just watching from a living room window is NOT going to be enough. You must do an evaluation of your system. This means getting wet and dirty! You need to be up close and personal with those spray heads and nozzles. Pay particular attention to patterns and coverage.

Irrigation systems can be very technical given the size and layout of your property. They are underground plumbing systems with pipes, valves and heads. Repairing some of these components will require special skills and tools. Pipe fixing requires some basic plumbing skills.

Document your zones, run times, days and what type of spray head you have in each zone. Be sure to map out or mark the locations of your valve boxes. Keep them clear of debris and uncovered.

Your irrigation system should provide an even disbursement of water throughout your lawn. You can periodically test this by placing containers of the same size in various places around your lawn, and then run your irrigation for one complete cycle. Measure the amount of water in each container. This may help you find gaps or improper working diffusers.

There are specialized tools that will be needed. You can find some of these at your local home and garden center, Tractor’s Supply and irrigation parts distributors such as Site One in Augusta. Having the proper tools makes repairs so much easier!

Dry spots or “hot spots” will show you where you are having problems. It would be better not to have these dry spots appear as they can lead to serious damage and long-term repair times and costs.

Dry spots during the summer will lead to disease issues. Usually, Pythium Blight will follow any irrigation problems. This damage can be expensive to repair. This is why it is so important to test your entire system way before you need it. Winter is the best time to perform evaluation checks on your system.

You should be walking your lawn regularly and looking for these issues before they take over large areas. Dry spots will start as a slightly discolored area and then turn into a large patch of dormant grass.

Some properties may have drip systems. You can even add these types of systems to your garden hose hook up. There are animals that love to eat these! Such a pain in the you know what! Dirt and mud will clog emitters and as the plants grow you may need to adjust the placement of your tubing and emitters.

I am NOT a plumber. I will just be straight up about that. I will not touch anything that has pipes running through the ground or house because of this. I can speak from experience, if you are not good at plumbing….do not touch the main components of your irrigation system. Basic adjustments to spray heads and timer program changes are pretty much all I will touch on an irrigation system. There are professionals you can contact to help!

Fertilization

Remember in school when we would talk about how we are never going to need algebra and advanced math in our adulthood? Well, we were so wrong! If you are going to be doing your own fertilization it all starts with math. There are a few guidelines we must first establish.

1 pound of Nitrogen per 1000 square feet

Not to exceed 5 pounds of Nitrogen per year

This is the most Nitrogen it is recommended to put out. Too much Nitrogen can have detrimental effects on your landscape and the environment. Also, certain types of grass require less Nitrogen than others. Also, if you are overseeding, Phosphorus is more important than Nitrogen.

There are many blends of fertilizer available on the market. Understanding the label and numbers is very important. An even mix of quick release and slow release is always advisable.

N – P – K

Nitrogen – Phosphorus – Potassium

These are the main nutrients in fertilizer. There are other nutrients mixed in, but Nitrogen is typically what we worry about the most.

24 – 0 – 5

24% Nitrogen

0% Phosphorus

5% Potassium

This is our standard fertilizer for most lawn applications. The numbers represent the percentage of nutrients that are in the bag you are using. There is a large variety of blends on the market.

Before you begin to fertilize you will need the area of the lawn. Measure and get the total square footage for your property. Let’s use the following-

5000 square feet

How much Nitrogen can we put out on this sized property?

5 pounds per application/ 25 pounds max per year

Now, we must figure out how much fertilizer we can apply. Using our 24-0-5 blend in a 50-pound sized bag.

24% of 50 lbs. = 12 pounds of Nitrogen per bag

Or

1 bag can cover 12,000 square feet

Now, how much material from the bag are we going to use since we cannot just pull out the Nitrogen.

50 lb. bag at total coverage of 12,000 sqft. = 4.2 lbs. per 1000 sqft.

Or

5000 sqft. x 4.2 lbs. = 21 total lbs. of material

Now that you figured all that out, you are ready to apply the fertilizer! Yay!!!

Next, what type of spreader are you going to use? 

There are 2 types of spreaders available today. Drop spreaders and broadcast spreaders. The most common and easiest to use is broadcast spreaders. We use Anderson spreaders here at Cold Creek. We also have ride on/mechanical spreaders for large properties. You can purchase residential versions at Lowe’s, Home Depot and other stores.

Spreader Output Settings

You may find that the manufacturer has included a nice and easy spreader setting chart for adjusting the output. Some bags of fertilizer will have a settings guide as well.

Look for the adjustment control knob on your spreader and adjust as needed.

You should document each application and track the poundage you use. Every application should be almost the same. I am not saying you need to pull out the scales and take precise measurements doing this. A general amount is good enough!

Understanding how your spreader disperses fertilizer is very important. You always want even coverage throughout your lawn for a good even color. “Streaking” is when fertilizer is not applied correctly.

Excessive fertilizer can “burn” your grass. This will require some extra care to bring back and possibly some turf replacement.

Too much fertilizer is bad for the environment. Be careful not to apply fertilizer near water sources and run off areas.

Chemical Usage

Let me start by saying – I do not recommend utilizing chemicals if you do not read any of the labels. Just because you saw a TikTok or Instagram video, this does not make you an expert. We spend hours getting training and certifications in chemical usage. Some of us even have state pesticide licenses. With all of that, we are not experts as well. That is why we always read our labels.

There are labels on all the typical chemicals you will use in your landscape. Labels contain all kinds of important information for usage and safety.

This is a popular herbicide found at several chain stores. It is sold that it can be used on all types of lawns.

However, if we read the label it states, “Do not apply to Zoysia grass just emerging from dormancy.” That is very important to know. You can seriously damage your turf if used incorrectly.

Notice it also states that you will have visible results in 3 hours. Well, the manufacturer also states the information on the left.

Labels can be deceptive. Only broadleaf weeds may show damage in about 3 hours. Not all weeds are broadleaf varieties.

Labels will also provide rates for use. Just like fertilizer, you will need to do some math.

Spraying Equipment

There are backpack, can and tank system style sprayers available. Each has a particular use and method associated with it. Small style sprayers are good for precision and spot treatments. Tank systems are best for covering large areas.

Tank systems with pumps and tanks require measurements and area coverage numbers.

 2 gallons per minute per 1000 square feet

 This is the rate we use at Cold Creek Nurseries for our large-scale production systems.

More math to do!

Let’s look at a popular herbicide for broadleaf weeds. The product is called Speedzone Southern. The active ingredient is 2,4-D.

How much material can I spray on my 5000 square foot lawn? Let’s say it is Bermuda turf. Let’s also use a high-rate application.

1.5 floz per 1000 sqft. = 7.5 floz total

2 gallons per 1000 sqft = 10 gallons

7.5 floz. of chemical in a mixture of 10 gallons of water for the carrier.

However,

Remember, always read the label!!!!

Chemical Resistance

We prevent resistance to develop by rotating the “Mode of Action”. You should not use the same product more than twice in each period. If you still need to use chemical control, then you must change the mode of action. You will find this information in the label.

Chemical resistance has become a huge problem with Poa Annua and Nut Sedge control. They are also finding resistance to very common herbicides such as 2,4-D due to overuse.

Weeds will start to show die-off at different times. The season will also impact chemical efficacy as well. Most broadleaf weeds will start to show wilting and discoloration in 48 hours with complete kill in 10 to 14 days. Weeds like Poa and Sedge may take up to 4 weeks to start to show. You should wait a minimum of 2 weeks to reapply a chemical. You will not spray today and then wake up to a weed free yard tomorrow. Chemicals do not work that way!

Improper use of chemicals can cause harm to your turf. Spray drift should always be prevented by adjusting droplet size and, of course, not spraying on windy days. It is also not recommended to apply some herbicides in overly saturated areas or even before a water event.

There are products that can be mixed with your chemical to aid in their performance. Spreader/Sticker is a very common adjuvant to use. There is also Glypho-Boost, defoamer and dyes that can help.

Hopefully this seminar has shown you some of the techniques we use for chemicals and fertilizers. I wish to stress heavily – READ ALL LABELS! Even if you have a lawn care company working on your property, there are still some things that you can do to help. Basic irrigation repair and adjustment can save you time and money by paying attention. If you find that this is too much for you to deal with, then contact us and let us show you what we can help with.

Thank You!

·       Routine maintenance – weekly lawn care and mowing

·       Details crew – shrub bed maintenance and seasonal plantings

·       Lawn and shrub care – Chemical, fertilizer and specialty soil amendments

·       Irrigation repair – evaluations and service

·       Enhancement – mulch, pruning and basic landscape services

Contact our office at (803) 648-3592 or email me at chris.clement@coldcreek.net