Anyone do the Scotts Fertilizer?

[lovemachine]

Anyone here use any of the products by Scotts Fertilizer? I'd like to give it a try this year, but I'm not sure what to use.

I see they have a 4 step program. And then they have other products.

Any ideas?

 

[pilotof727s]

I use Scotts. I just follow the recommendation on the website. I've already mowed and saw no weeds. I used to pay for the professionals to come out but every year they kept increasing their prices. I dropped them about 6 years ago and haven't had any issues yet, except for putting the fertalizer on late due to forgetfullness.

 

[Classic]

It works great! Used it for years successfully until I moved and have about 4.5 acres of lawn. Now I have to use bulk liquid and a pull behind tank sprayer. Works OK, but not as good as 4 step.

 

[SMiller]

I would rather spread fertilizer and spray, 1/8th the cost and does a much better job.

I did it professionally for 18 years though.

One advantage to what you are trying to do is you will have a better chance of killing crabgrass.

 

[lovemachine]

Any idea what the difference between these are?

How to Start the Scotts® 4 Step® Program - Scotts 4 Step Program - Scotts

And:

When to Feed for a Greener Lawn - Scotts

 

[sugarcreekbrass]

I have used the fertilizer with crabgrass preventer. I don't think there is much difference between it and the Step 1 stuff. I think the 4 step plan is just to get people to remember what to use and when. Some people say the Scott's stuff has too much nitrogen for the spring and you shouldn't mix the fertilizer with weed control. Last fall I sprayed 2,4-d to kill broadleaf weeds. It's too early to tell how much it is helping, but I have seen lawns that sprayed and you could see turnarounds and areas that didn't get sprayed. Those were the only areas that had clover. You can get that at a place like Rural King pretty cheap. I don't think it hurts to try something and adjust until you find out what works best for you.

 

[patience0830]

If it's green, it's lawn. Grows fast enough.

Why would I lose my mind and feed it?


Crazy people.

 

[SMiller]

I would rather be putting down urea then nitrogen right now.

 

[Fishersjohn48]

I would rather be putting down urea then nitrogen right now.

Wait....What?

 

[lovemachine]

I would rather be putting down urea then nitrogen right now.

When I first read that, I thought it said urine.

 

[gregkl]

I used to use the 4 step program. It worked great. One day a Tru-Green guy came by. I asked him if he could get me lawn to look better. He said no.

Since I have moved to my new home in Bloomington I have been pretty hard on my lawn doing the renovation and it's going to get worse this year when I dig up the ground down to the footers to waterproof the basement so I'm not using it.

I will start up again one day but I may need professional help to get rid of the wild violet.

 

[poppy]

Just checked lawn and it is wet. Was going to spread scott's turf builder w/crabgrass preventer but bag says apply on dry lawn. I have been checking soil temp @ 2" below surface and temp is right to spread.

 

[KittySlayer]

The 4-Step works well. As someone mentioned it is really more of a reminder that it is a year long process.

Depending on sales the Scott's products are sometimes overpriced. I go to my local hardware and ask the old guy that owns the place for help. Right next to the Scott's bags are generic brand fertilizers that mirror the mixture in the Scott's bag for each of the four steps. Just look at the label for the ## - ## - ## mixtures to confirm.

Don't forget to spread Grub Killer if you have blind rodent issues.

If it's green, it's lawn. Grows fast enough.

Why would I lose my mind and feed it?


Crazy people.

That was always my dad's philosophy until he retired. When he was no longer working 50+ hours a week he had time to fuss over the lawn more than his teenage kid (me) would.

 

[boogieman]

I've been using this one from sams club for about 3 years now and have had really good luck with it. My lawn looks better and is more weed free than some of the professionally sprayed lawns in my neighborhood. This bag is big enough to do my lawn 2.5 times.
https://www.samsclub.com/sams/12m-t...f-builder/prod17230396.ip?xid=plp:product:1:1

 

[KittySlayer]

You could drive over to Terre Haute and see if Timothy McVeigh left any lawn care tips scrawled on the inside of his cell.

 

[Tactically Fat]

I use the Scott's Weed n Feed a few times a year.

My lawn sucks.

My neighbor uses it - and his lawn looks a lot nicer....

 

[bocefus78]

A generic fertilizer for lawns (not 12 12 12), a pump up $12 sprayer, and some form of liquid selective herbicide will save you lots of money, kill more weeds, and produce a yard just as good if not better than the $50plus bag of Scott's fertilizer.

A soil test for 10 bucks should also be done and ph amended accordingly so you aren't pizzing $ away on fertilizer that the soil can't even absorb.

 

[SMiller]

A generic fertilizer for lawns (not 12 12 12), a pump up $12 sprayer, and some form of liquid selective herbicide will save you lots of money, kill more weeds, and produce a yard just as good if not better than the $50plus bag of Scott's fertilizer.

A soil test for 10 bucks should also be done and ph amended accordingly so you aren't pizzing $ away on fertilizer that the soil can't even absorb.

Nothing wrong with 12-12-12, if a guy was a true tightass he could throw cheap 12-12-12 and 2-4-D at a yard and it would be decent.

 

[HoughMade]

Nothing wrong with 12-12-12, if a guy was a true tightass he could throw cheap 12-12-12 and 2-4-D at a yard and it would be decent.

You rang?

 

[Gluemanz28]

I work and travel too much to deal with it. I tried to keep up with it one year and then went back to a local company.

I pay about $250 once a year for four Spraying's

All I have to do is pay at the beginning of the year and pull the marker he places in the yard.