Farm Fertilizer on Grass???

Canada_CT230 · Apr 26, 2012

My neighbor has about 300 lbs of left over fertilizer from his brother's seeding last year.

He offered it to me to use on our 3 acres of grass. I bought Scott's Turf-Builder 30-0-03 fertilizer the other day and it cost me over $100 for a very sparse application. I do so little fertilizing because of the cost associated.

He used it on some of his lawn already but didn't make much of a dent in the 300 lb pile.

He said it was a urea fertilizer (granular) and was higher in Nitrogen and does have some Phosphates in it. I don't know the exact formula numbers of it.

My question is that of grass safety. If I use this fertilizer and take back my other stuff to Wal-Mart I'd save a bundle but would I harm/burn the grass. My neighbor doesn't think so as he was a farmer years ago and put it on his yard grass already.

My Scott's fertilizer doesn't need to be applied when rain is forecast or watered in. I am assuming it is a slow release formula.

Would the farm fertilizer require a watering??? The neighbor says no...he said you would just lose some effectiveness after a period of no rain.

Suggestions?

Bird · Apr 26, 2012

I'm no expert, but I think your neighor is right. I know a few years ago when my neighbor went and got a couple of tons of fertilizer, and the trailer/spreader to apply it to the pastures, he and I both kept out a couple of 5 gallon buckets full to use on the grass around our houses. Worked great.

But of course, I'm back in town now, so I use Scotts Turf Builder.

DT86 · Apr 26, 2012

My dad used to make a pass through the yard if he had some fertilizer left over from the farm. Having said it contains a high level of N you would really need to know the analysis to get a good idea of the rate of application to avoid burning it.

DKCDKC · Apr 26, 2012

Check the formula for the ag fertilizer. Most is high in nitrogen, but probably not so high it will hurt anything. I would use it but apply at half the rate of Scotts, then, if the grass doesn't brown at all, use another half application later.

Jimmy Joe · Apr 26, 2012

I have been using farm fertilizer for years. I go to the fertilizer plant and get triple twenty, much cheaper than name lawn brands, still costs too much though.

Canada_CT230 · Apr 26, 2012

I went over and talked to him again tonight. We figured that the N levels are not much higher than the 30 in the Scott's Turf Builder. He said straight urea is 46 on the N and this is blended down with potash and phosphorous. So he said it is probably pretty close to the same.

I never feed too heavy as it is so cost prohibitive to do the suggested application rates.

The only thing is that I am gonna wait until it is raining or imminent rain. My hopper has a cover so I can even apply in the rain and the fertilizer won't clump up.

Thanks for the inputs. Me thinks I can return the $100 in Scott's Turf Builder and put that cash towards an implement. I need a tree scoop!

bp fick · Apr 26, 2012

Sod farmer years and years ago turned me onto urea 46-0-0.

Yup, put it on a bit light and pray for rain. Explosive greening. Not slow release. Re-apply once month and you'll have the greenest lawn ever.

Fossil Farm · Apr 27, 2012

Fertilizer is fertilizer. Whether it is bulk or brand name, the analysis is what matters - N-P-K level. Some bagged brands may be a slow release type or have some herbicides added also. The left over fertilizer may not be a full 30 percent urea anymore if it is old and has gotten moist anyway, depending on how it was stored. Urea is a great nitrogen fertilizer, but it will volitize, especially on grass if you spread it too far ahead of a rain. It would be best to do several light applications just to be on the safe side. Very nice of him to share.

Learning to Farm · Apr 27, 2012

I am so jealous of you, in the nicest way possible. Yes, take it! What was said before is worth repeating: fertilizer is fertilizer all that matters is the #-#-# and it is strong so apply lightly multiple times.

I did 48-0-0, at the recommendation of my extension agent for pastures at 45 lbs/acre. So get out your bathroom scale so you don't get the wrong amount (too much/too little). And go for it.

MarkV · Apr 27, 2012

I'd also use it. Wish someone would give it to me. One other thing, sharpen you mower blades. Your grass will be growing like never before.

MarkV

RippySkippy · Apr 27, 2012

I make a trip to the local Farmers Coop and rent their high flotation spreader (wheels 4'tall, 24" wide) and apply "farmer" fertilizer all the time. We live in a neighborhood with no fences and drive across all the yards at once. 5 of us go together and share the cost based upon acres covered. If we don't share the cart rental is PROHIBITIVE...if we do all at once, it's free! :thumbsup:

As others have said the nutrient content of NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, K=Potash) is the same for all fertilizers. Some wrap it in slow release coatings, but the volume of nutrients is the same.

Duffster · Apr 28, 2012

Canada_CT230 said:
My neighbor has about 300 lbs of left over fertilizer from his brother's seeding last year.

He offered it to me to use on our 3 acres of grass. I bought Scott's Turf-Builder 30-0-03 fertilizer the other day and it cost me over $100 for a very sparse application. I do so little fertilizing because of the cost associated.

He used it on some of his lawn already but didn't make much of a dent in the 300 lb pile.

He said it was a urea fertilizer (granular) and was higher in Nitrogen and does have some Phosphates in it. I don't know the exact formula numbers of it.

My question is that of grass safety. If I use this fertilizer and take back my other stuff to Wal-Mart I'd save a bundle but would I harm/burn the grass. My neighbor doesn't think so as he was a farmer years ago and put it on his yard grass already.

My Scott's fertilizer doesn't need to be applied when rain is forecast or watered in. I am assuming it is a slow release formula.

Would the farm fertilizer require a watering??? The neighbor says no...he said you would just lose some effectiveness after a period of no rain.

Suggestions?

Nice gift. Urea is over $600 a ton right now and in short supply.

Urea is 46-0-0. Phosphate is minimal if any. So you would spread it at 2/3s the rate that you would have spread the 30-0-3.

Your neighbor is right aboot the rain.

mjw357 · Apr 28, 2012

I use the granular urea at a rate of 100 lbs/acre for our horse pasture. I have read study documents that have used more per application, but that is when you are trying to grow hay for baling.

I think if you used 50 lbs/acre per application, say once in spring and again in late summer when it starts to cool off, you'd be fine.

Urea does require watering in. If if sits on top of the soil with any moisture present, the nitrogen will gas off as ammonia. Try to apply just before a rain, or water the snot out of it if you are able with sprinklers. Needs about 1/2" of watering to get it into the soil.

Canada_CT230 · Apr 29, 2012

It is done! I either fertilized for free or killed the grass.

It started to rain this afternoon so I went out and spread in the rain. My tow behind spreader has a covered hopper so you don't get it wet (clumps).

I went over twice and filled up the 75 lb hopper in his barn. Then I spread at the same rate he did. I covered the ground I wanted to and then some (at an even lower rate to feather out the fertilized and non-fertilized areas).

That is all the left over fertilizer she wrote. He took about 150 lbs and I guess I did too.

I'm sure all will be fine but I have a wedding on the grounds in July and don't need burnt grass and a psycho bride.

wrooster · Apr 30, 2012

Canada_CT230 said:
I'm sure all will be fine but I have a wedding on the grounds in July and don't need burnt grass and a psycho bride.

Tagging this thread for either a) tremendous success story, or b) massive family pile-on due to yellow grass at the wedding. :laughing:

Wrooster

hosspuller · Apr 30, 2012

For future use ... Use high nitrogen fertilizers on fescue grasses sparingly. High nitrogen can lead to "brown spot" ... a fungus. I killed my lawn 20 years ago with 50 pounds of ammonium nitrite. (46-0-0) But it was bright green for a while before dieing. :ashamed:

Duffster · Apr 30, 2012

hosspuller said:
For future use ... Use high nitrogen fertilizers on fescue grasses sparingly. High nitrogen can lead to "brown spot" ... a fungus. I killed my lawn 20 years ago with 50 pounds of ammonium nitrite. (46-0-0) But it was bright green for a while before dieing. :ashamed:

46-0-0 is urea. Ammonium Nitrate is 34-0-0

Canada_CT230 · Apr 30, 2012

It was spread very sparingly. It rained for 20 minutes during/after application and today you can hardly find any granules in the grass. I'm sure it will be fine. The neighbor said it was ok for grass and he was a farmer for many many years and was sure quick to spread on his grass...even without the rain forecast.

mjw357 · May 1, 2012

Canada_CT230 said:
It was spread very sparingly. It rained for 20 minutes during/after application and today you can hardly find any granules in the grass. I'm sure it will be fine. The neighbor said it was ok for grass and he was a farmer for many many years and was sure quick to spread on his grass...even without the rain forecast.

You said you had about 3 acres and used 150 lbs. So that's 50 lbs urea per acre, so less than 25 lbs N per acre. No way you'll burn your lawn with that.

Again, it does not harm the grass to spread urea without rain. You just lose the benefit of the fertilizer because some of the N is lost as ammonia. You get the most 'bang for the buck' if it is immediately watered in.