Fertilizing centipede grass

Fertilizing centipede grass is satisfying, but can be one of those spring chores you would rather ignore. It is always a hassle to lug bugs of fertilizer, haul the springer out of the garage, and realize that you should have washed it better last season to prevent rust. Luckily, centipede lawns have the lowest fertilizer requirement of any Southern lawn and only need to be fertilized twice. It is very important to understand that centipede grass is not just tolerant of low levels of fertilizer it requires low levels of fertilizer. In fact, it is more common for a centipede grass lawn to suffer from excess fertilizer than lack of fertilizer. Don't get carried away!

Fertilizer is described by the percentages of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) contained in the bag. All fertilizer bags are clearly labeled with these three numbers known as N-P-K ratio. Whenever possible use a slow release fertilizer with a 1-0-1 ratio. An example would be 15-0-15. A bag of 15-0-15 fertilizer contains 15% nitrogen, 0% phosphorus, and 15% potassium by weight. The remaining 70% is inert material that adds bulk to the mixture and makes it easier to spread. It is important to use slow release fertilizers on centipede grass whenever possible. Most major brands of lawn fertilizer will have a combination of soluble and slow release forms of nitrogen (indicated on the label). Soluble nitrogen is available to the centipede grass plant immediately while slow release nitrogen becomes available over a period of two - three months. In most situations it is best to have as much of the nitrogen in slow release form . Good brands of fertilizer will have 40-50 percent of the nitrogen in slow release form. This is usually noted in a statement like "containing 6% in slow release form." I do not recommend fertilizing centipede lawns with hose end fertilizer sprayers or dry fertilizers in which all of the nitrogen is in a soluble, quick release form. Soluble nitrogen will cause a major flush of growth for a week or two and will completely dissipate in 4-6 weeks. Centipede grass does not grow well in situations where the level of soil nutrients fluctuates dramatically.

There are universal ways to know how much fertilizer to apply, regardless of the brand or the specific N-P-K ratio. All you need to do is figure out how much "actual nitrogen" is contained in the bag. Centipede grass lawns grow best 1-2 pounds of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet per year. If you use a fertilizer with a slow release form of nitrogen, you can apply the need nitrogen in two applications of .75 pounds of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet in mid-spring, and mid-summer. The average bag of fertilizer does not tell you how much actual nitrogen it contains in the bag, it is easy to calculate, though, using two simple pieces of information: the N-P-K ratio and the weight of the bag. Multiply the percentage of nitrogen (the first number of the N-P-) by the weight of the bag and you will know the amount of actual nitrogen it contains. For instance, a 50 pound of 15-0-15 fertilizer has 7.5 pounds of actual nitrogen (15% of 50). Determine the coverage by dividing the amount of actual nitrogen in the bag by the amount of nitrogen you want to apply in one application. With centipede grass, you will want to apply .75 pounds of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet. Therefore a bag that contains 7.5 pounds of actual nitrogen will cover 10,000 square feet. If your lawn is less than 10,000 square feet, remove the extra fertilizer you do not need. Two cups of granular fertilizer weight about 1 pound. Calculating may seem like a hassle, but it really is the best way to apply the correct amount of fertilizer to your centipede grass lawn. If it also a great way to compare the cost of fertilizers.

Broadcast fertilizer can be done using a rolling spreader, a hand held spreader. To be completely honest spreading fertilizer is not an exact science. The calibrated settings on even the most expensive broadcast spreader are usually completely inaccurate. In addition, the majority of spreaders will clog, break and jam.

It is very important to fertilize Centipede grass moderately and at the right time. The following schedule will help you be on time and on target.

DON'T FERTILIZE TO EARLY! The minute the first Centipede grass emerges, most of us have a driving impulse to run out and fertilize. Hold off. Centipede grass is never truly dormant and fertilizer will stimulate it to begin growing immediately. This tender leafy growth is particularly vulnerable to that inevitable late season frost.

MID-SPRING - Centipede grass lawns begin to green when soil temperatures reach a consistent 60 to 65 degrees. Depending on the particular year, this is usually between mid-March and mid-April. The best time to apply fertilizer is after the danger of frost has passed and when your Centipede grass lawn is mostly green. This is usually in Mid-April. Use a fertilizer specifically labeled for use on Centipede grass that contains a slow release form of nitrogen. A common formula is 15-0-15. Apply at the rate of .75 pounds of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet.

MID- SUMMER - Fertilize your Centipede grass lawn again in early July, using the same kind of fertilizer and same procedure as mid-spring. This is your second and final fertilizer application of the season. Remember that Centipede grass prefers low levels of nutrients. Do not apply more than the recommended rate.

Light green or yellow Centipede grass is caused by an iron deficiency, not lack of nitrogen. Centipede grass can be "greened up" with an application of liquid iron. Better yet, correct the underlying pH problem by applying elemental sulfur product like aluminum sulfate. Apply both iron and aluminum sulfate at the rate recommend on the bottle/bag.

WINTERIZING LAWNS - You hear a lot these days about winterizing lawns with a late fall application of fertilizer. This is not meant for Centipede grass. If someone suggest your fertilize your Centipede grass in late fall, they are surely trying to sell you a bag of fertilizer.

Centipede Grass Seed

Centipede
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