The Basis and the Plan
Soil test says to fertilize the grass with 6 lbs. per 1,000 SF of 15-0-15.
ACES says here for a low maintenance lawn apply 1/2 lb. nitrogen per 1,000 SF three times per year. So to get 0.5 lb nitrogen with 15-0-15 would equate to: Amount of Fertilizer = (0.5 lb per 1,000 SF)/0.15 = 3.33 lbs of 15-0-15 per 1,000 SF. [Note that the soil test recommendation will create a HIGH maintenance lawn–not for us.]
Area of the yard minus items listed is:
- From north of azaleas to fence: 55K SF
- minus driveway and house ~7K SF
- minus large Stewart Pecan trees and blueberry bushes – 8k SF
- Total to fertilize with Extinguish plus mix = 40K SF
At 3.33 lbs/1K SF for 39K SF need to spread 133 lbs of 15-0-15.
Extinguish Plus is recommended to be spread at 1-2 lbs/acre. Say the area to be covered is an acre and we will apply 2 lbs of Extinguish to three 50 lb sacks of fertilizer and spread it.
What We Did
Bought three sacks of 15-0-15 plus 2% iron from AGFA on Dawes Rd.
4/22/2019, Monday afternoon – Used the new-to-us John Deere spreader with the adjustment set to 2.5 that was to apply 50-69 lbs of granular fertilizer per 1K SF. Tested the mowers speed with the peddle fully depressed at different throttle positions (RPMs) to find the RPMs for 40 ft in 9 seconds and marked that throttle position.
Weighted out 8 oz. of Extinguish and scattered half of it over half a sack of fertilizer in the wheelbarrow. Mixed them with a shovel until the yellow Extinguish looked evenly mixed in. Then added the rest of the bag and last of the 8 oz. of Extinguish and mixed it all well with the shovel. Shovel it into the spreader.
Mixed the second sack and third sacks each with 8 oz. of Extinguish and put into the spreader with the first sack.
NOTE – The 24 oz. of Extinguish was 1.5 lbs in the three sacks (150 lbs) of 15-0-15.
Started at the driveway gate going across the yard at the edge of the crepe myrtle bed; then along the fence at the pecan orchard next to those beds; then across the front of the house close to those beds; then across the yard under the kitchen window to the driveway. Stopped the fertilizer and drove back to the starting point where Mary was standing on the spot where the fertilizer ended.
Continued around the front yard until it was covered. The level in the hopper seemed to be going down too quickly and we would not cover the area so I sped up. With those two sacks, we covered: the front yard; kitchen yard; the area south of the garage; and around the oak tree.
With the third mixed sack, we covered: the backyard; area under the pecans back to the grain bin; one pass in front of the barn; and around the camper
Using Google Earth those areas comprise about 43k SF or one acre. So, we applied 1.5 lbs. of Extinguish at the planned rate for the fertilizer of 3.3 lbs. per 1K SF.
4/25/2019, Thursday – As predicted, we got a good rain in the afternoon. So, the Extinguish Plus was available to the ants for 3 full dry days. And now the benefit of the fertilizer will start to show…hopefully
