| How often should I fertilize my bermuda and what is the best product? I have a large Mesquite tree that covers the grass. It therefore does not get full sun - one half gets the morning sun and the other half gets the afternoon sun. I have bare spots and a lot of thinning right now. I used a fungicide by Scotts a week ago, thinking that was the problem. Also, should I aerate - never done that. |
| Fertilize with no more than 1/2 to 1 pound of nitrogen in spring after you have mowed the grass twice, again in June, another feeding in September and again in late November. Apply a product with a 3-1-2 ratio of nutrients as this is roughly the ratio of nutrients grass takes in. So, for example, if you purchased a 15-5-10 fertilizer (15% nitrogen), you would apply about 7 pounds per 1000 square feet (1 pound / .15 = about 7). If you purchased a 21-7-14 fertilizer (21 % nitrogen), you would apply about 5 pounds per 1000 square feet (1 pound / .21 = about 5). A core aerator will remove one inch by three inch plugs from the lawn. Leave the plugs on the lawn and they will dissolve in rain or water from the sprinklers. After aerating spread a thin layer of sand or compost over the area and water it in well. The sand or compost plus the soil from the plugs will work their way down into the holes left by the plugs and help the roots find new growing places and aid in the penetration of water. |
