Fertilizer?

Hello all, I used A LOT of fertilizer this year, was curious what brand/type of fertilizer everyone is using? I used a local farm supply store's in house mixed brand, with mediocre results and lasting effects, I also used Scott's products quite a bit as well. I've considered switching to something all natural, I've heard a lot of good things about the AGGRAND products, is anyone else using something all Natural/Organic and what's been your results? Thanks for the ideas! ANDY NEW CITY LAWN CARE LLC MEDFORD, OREGON

Lawn care business tips

I subcontract all of my fertiliations and weed apps and they use a commercial CIL brand. I use to use Scotts and had very good results, but I found that it only lasted so long in the package. If I didn't use it before the winter the following spring it would be a solid block.

[Little's]

BEST makes a 15-15-15 that I use on most plants/trees. It is granulated at spreads well with a spreader without a lot of dust/etc. Last year the price was $15 for a 50 lb bag. this year the price went to $30 per 50 lb bag, due to the price of fuel. Hopefully next year the price will be back down.

See it here http://www.simplot.com/turf/best/pro...odid=140&cat=1

[justin_time]

Originally Posted by ritchiem

I subcontract all of my fertiliations and weed apps and they use a commercial CIL brand. I use to use Scotts and had very good results, but I found that it only lasted so long in the package. If I didn't use it before the winter the following spring it would be a solid block.

I have the same problem with the Scotts brand, I think when it catches a bit of humidity it clogs up into big chunks, and i've crunched them back into small pieces again but i didn't see as much as a better result, so what I try to do, is get all my fertilizer's done all at once so I can order so many bags and use it all

But now i'm thinking of going with Natural fertilizer and Home Hardware carries a good brand that works really good, it almost looks like cocoa/chocolate haha

http://homeathome.homehardware.ca/na...a_arch_03.html

Yeah, I've noticed the same clumping with the scott's stuff, and yeah its such a small granual it only lasts so long.

I've been referred to some all natural/organic fertilizer, 1 is a liquid natural fertilizer by Aggrand, and the other is a granual, Dr. Earth Supernatural, since they are all natural I've been told the results will last longer, create better soil conditions and require less watering.

http://www.altrumonline.com/aggrand/index.aspx

http://www.drearth.com


I'm going to experiment next spring with those.

Anyone else experiment with any other products not mentioned above?

Thanks for all the ideas.

So Ritchie tell me, you subcontract out all the fertilizing, do you use Trugreen or similar company, is this cost effective?
Do you work out the price into your service agreements, or offer this as an optional charge? I include fertilizing in all my contracts, but I guess by the time you spend $25-50 per bag of ferilizer, and your time to spread it, I guess it would be the same price to just have someone else do it?

[legendlawn]

There is a great article in last months issue of lawn and landscape magazine about a company that has a organic fertilizer program. If you dont subscribe, It is free and a great source of information. Anyways, This guy had a great analogy for the organic to pesiticide deal. He said using chemicals on your lawn is like taking steroids. The results are quick and don't last as long. In contrast using organics is like working out and eating healthy. It takes a while to see results, but overall you are much healthier, and the effects last. He also stressed the importance of explaining to the customer that it may take several orgainic applications to begin seeing prolonged results.
I was strongly considering an organic program, but the article brought up some second thoughts.

Yeah, that's a very good point, I do think most customers are looking for a wow factor, but with organics they are not as strong, so they take several applications to take effect.

I do believe I read that article, and they say to transition slowly by using your new organic fertilizer and using half as much as your old chemical fertilizer the first couple of applications, than go only organic.

So what are your second thoughts, if you don't mind sharing?

[legendlawn]

You just stated my second thoughts exactly. Customers expect to see results and expect us to produce those results. I think it might work just still thinking about it. Starting with chemicals then easing into an organic program is a really good idea. It would would produce that wow factor, then you could sustain that with organics.