Thanks for the input Derek. Was able to locate some DAP online, but not any MAP. The other stuff should be easier to source. I have no plans to bag grass this season either. Only did it last year after mowing 3 years with my ZTR (no bagging) and wanted to see if bagging would improve the KR bluestem problem caused mostly from runoff, poa, and other weeds. Sounds like a solid plan. Now it`s up to me to work the plan. Thanks again.

Nice. You should get a decent color response using AMS vs Urea which is mostly Scotts N source. You can play around with those N amount numbers. I know people that go a full 1lb of actual N a month. 0.5 works well for me. Just be prepared to mow more than you probably are now lol.

This is advice for everyone. Whatever fert or pre emergent you like. I would buy a 2yr supply now and store it. I don't care if you like Scotts, APF, Vigoro and so on. AMS is up 25%+ and will increase. The fertilizer I use is double or triple vs last years price. Pre Emergent is insane. Prodiamine granular Stonewall was $34.00 That's not too bad. Dimension(Dithiopyr) is $70.00 a bag at Lowes last week. That is an insane amount of money for Dimension. Supply vs Demand for a lot of these raw materials and the cost to produce them is not good. Get what you like now and then some and save some coin. As companies restock their inventory you will see the price increases.

due to the recent (several months) cold weather, we brought my wife's Hibiscus inside to prevent any freeze/frost damage. It has continued to bloom like crazy ... but it appears there is some type of insect or something on it. Wife has tried liquid Seven spray but doesn't seem to reduce whatever these are ... any idea what these are OR suggestions???

aphids.......start putting it outside w during the warm days. something will feed on them


dont overwater

Sevin makes it worse. Get horticultural oil, not neem. Follow label directions and apply every 7 days. Going to take a few weeks.

My wife has pet tortoises in the back yard, so I have to stay near 100% organic. For aphids in my vegetables I use Castile Liquid Soap in a pump sprayer at 4 tablespoons per gallon. Or less. You could figure a ratio from that for a smaller spray bottle, but I would not mix it any stronger. I use Eucalyptus scented, but I think most people use Peppermint. I also pour in an unmeasured dash of vegetable oil to help it stick. Fatty acids in the soap paralyze and kill the aphids. It really does work and it works the first time, but like anything I have to spay again in a week or two as they return. You can probably use other dishwashing liquid, but I'm unsure about harming plants due to additives in some of the non organic ones. I spray it in the evening when the bees are not present and so it has time to work and not dry out too fast. As long as I get it on the aphids, it kills them. Lots of info on that one online which is where I initially learned of it.

What kind of tortoises do you have? I have 2 Red Footed. I am going to enclose the walk spaces between my raised beds this year to give them a larger sq footage area.

Have they gotten any bigger?

A lot. They are growing fast. I'll get some pics. They were fired up they got to spend the weekend outside. Going to work on designing a hot house in the garden so they can stay outside full time.

thanks!!! I passed along the information to my wife so she can get something that ya'll are recommending

Russian, Ornate and three toed Box Turtles. I have my wife talked into only ones that can hibernate. I'm the one who builds the habitat though. Older pictures, but it still looks about the same.

That looks incredible! I plan to make a setup like that at some point. Great job.

Hey Derek...anything we should be doing to our lawns right now? I put down pre-emergent middle of last month. Lots of weeds showing currently. Thanks

If you have Bermuda I would be getting ready to scalp. I'm going to next week. And when I say scalp I don't mean take it down one notch. Take it as low as your mower will go. It's a PITA but worth it. What you're seeing are winter weeds and they germinated long ago. They have just been sitting idel waiting on the right conditions to take off. I'm seeing Poa, Resue and lots of broadleafs. Poa and Rescue is a SOB and tough to kill with box store products, they will die off as it warms up. If you have small amounts you can spot spray them with roundup. If you're seeing lots of broads go with hose end yellow label Spectacide. If you have St Aug you will see a hose end product labeled as Southern for St Aug. Look to make sure the active ingredient is Atrazine.

I have lots of green bermuda under my dormant. It's getting ready to take off. I'll probably put down my first app of fert April 2nd.

https://www.spectracide.com/Product...or-Lawns-Concentrate-Ready-to-Spray.aspx

St Aug
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Spectracid...ne-Lawns-32-oz-Lawn-Weed-Killer/50083004

Thank you Sir.

Jimbo what kind of weeds are you seeing? Did you put out Stonewall last August?

Little bit of everything it seems. No, I just started my pre-emergent plan 3 weeks ago. Should I spray them before I scalp?

Spray then scalp. If there is any way you could spray tomorrow that would be ideal. Perfect temps and low wind and it can get soaked in prior to the cold and rain coming. You're on the right track. No fall pre, so your weed pressure is normal. What you applied a couple weeks ago wouldn't do anything for what you're seeing now, August app is for now. It will get much better. Keep up the great work. Proud of you.

Got it. Thanks again.

be careful with atrazine.............get it nowhere close to your trees and shrubs root dripline.

many people have confused oak wilt when it was really atrazine.

Derek, I bought some of this weed killer a while back to put on my Tifway 419. Is it as good as or any better than the Spectracide that you posted earlier? Going to be much easier applying this year after getting a 12-volt backpack sprayer last year. Not going to miss dragging the hose end sprayer all over the yard. That thing is a game changer.

That is pretty much the same thing. It will work well for broads. When mixing and spraying your own. Make sure you follow the label directions on mix rate. Little more is not better. Make sure your sprayer is calibrated and you are applying enough carrier(water per 1000) With my pace and stride I can avg right at 1gal per 1000. That would be the minimum you would want to target. A lot of people shoot for 2gal per 1000. Make sure to get a good gram/ounce scale for granular and some good ml/oz syringes for liquids.

That goes for most herbicides. Specially in high Ph soils. I use some heavy hitters and if not used correctly would smoke even the biggest and strongest oak tress.