It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 9:39 am

All times are UTC - 6 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 10 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 3:55 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sat Dec 25, 2004 8:23 am
Posts: 20
Location: Ovilla,TEXAS
I have a 3 acre lot. Organic fertilizer is roughly 17 bags per acre and about $15-$20/bag. That means on the low end $255/acre per application of organic fertilizer. If I did the whole 3 acre lot, $765.00. That is why my lawn has had NOTHING but sprayed on liquid molasses in 4 years which doesn't seem to do a whole lot. I also spread compost in the bare spots and let the grass clippings fall where they lay. So far though it just doesn't seem very economic or practical to handle larger lots or acreage. I'd like to hear some tips on being more cost effective and still be able to do something for the yard. I am not interested in the "dry molasses" answer. What did people do before these companies started putting this stuff in bags for us? Maybe its time to get back to nature and let nature and start letting mother nature make some of this stuff?


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: The Answer
PostPosted: Sun Jun 19, 2005 9:55 am 
Offline

Joined: Sat Dec 25, 2004 8:23 am
Posts: 20
Location: Ovilla,TEXAS
I saw alot of people read my message and no attempts at an answer. I have found an answer for how to fertilize organically on larger lots or acreage without nearly as much cost. The answer is you need to suck up the expense and get a good sprayer and take advantage of the liquid forms of all the favorite substances. You can get humate, molasses, apple cider vinegar, and many other liquids and spray it on at a mere fraction of the cost of the spreadable stuff.

There are two nice sprayers that are fairly comparable. One is from Crafstman and the other is from Brinley. they both have about a 90" spray pattern and hold 25 gallons of your mixture. They hook up to your lawn mower battery and you simply flip a switch and it starts spraying while you move at a constant speed. I got the Brinley because it is cheaper. A test run down the driveway shows good complete coverage.

You can pretty much get 5 gallons of molasses for about $15 to $20. You need 3 oz per gallon so it is pretty cheap to fill up the sprayer.

Anyway now I need to know what all the recommended liquids are and how much is needed per acre. Anyone have any thoughts?


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jun 19, 2005 11:43 am 
Offline

Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2003 10:51 pm
Posts: 747
Location: Garland, Texas
swb_rob, OK I'll confess to being one of those who read your thread, but didn't reply. :oops: I am a suburbanite and managing acreage is not in my life'e experiences repetroire :) So rather than give you a best guess, I've left the answer blank for someone with real life experience. There may be others qualified to give you such advice, but my first thoughts are of (in not particular order) Robert D Bard (mod), TonyM (mod). Brad Watson, Bluestem. You might PM any of those members and I'll bet that you will get some tried and true help.

Good luck

_________________
Keeping it clean and green here, Boss.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Acreage Naturally
PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 12:17 pm 
Offline

Joined: Wed May 21, 2003 5:33 pm
Posts: 829
Location: Dallas,TX
My only confession is that I've been so busy I haven't been able to check the forum in a while.

Let me say I am delighted that you were resourceful enough to find out the exact information you needed. Yes, liquid products are almost without exception the most economical for acreage. You've got the right combination and you've got the right approach. BRAVO!

As for resources, there are many in our area so you are blessed with that fact. Randy Mosley at Enviromate has some very good basic products you should check out. www.enviromateinc.com. He's a good man with good prices and products. He works with large acreage all over the globe and his products are very good.

As Bluestem says, compost tea is a very effective way to provide your soil with resources. His track record of blue ribbon winning hay crops certainly stands behind him.

Keep it up and know we are cheering you on! 8)
Kathe


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 5:39 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sat Dec 25, 2004 8:23 am
Posts: 20
Location: Ovilla,TEXAS
Wow thanks everyone for the responses. I have really learned alot over the last week. I even got some more information from Bluestem in a PM. Kathe, I can see why he must have some blue ribbon hay crops with all the organic knowledge and I am glad you guys are willing to share.

I'm brewing my third batch of aireated compost tea. The first two had compost and molasses and the last one has some Bioform Fish & Seaweed in it. I know it is hot but I have sprayed my front and back yard nearest the house with this and the first pasture had previously been sprayed with molasses and water. I'm going to do my best to get the whole thing sprayed so that all of the microbes that might be alive out there will be happy.

This stuff is INSTANTLY helping my squash seedlings in the garden and the landscape plants that have been sprayed. They are saying "thank you". Even all the spiders and bugs in the yard seem to be doing great. You guys KNOW if it doesn't hurt the bugs it should be safer for us.

I hope to continue the areated home made compost tea and molasses/fish/seaweed applications on through the summer and get out some crimson clover over the entire 3 acres including the garden in september, get some Mycorrhizae out there to help with drought tolerance for next year, and keep learning. I'm also trying my best to get all bare soil mulched. I can't wait to report back next spring. I should take some before and after pictures.

Thanks everyone for your help and I hope to continue to learn and also contribute as I can.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 7:19 pm 
Offline

Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2005 12:59 pm
Posts: 3
Location: Dallas,TEXAS
I use AGGRAND Liquid organic fertilizer which $9.00 worth covers 5000 square feet. The lawn has never looked so good. I did compost and add a bit of sulfur, areate and just lay on the liquid. I do use it more often that they say though. Also it cut the labor on the food plots in the hunting areas.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 10:04 pm 
Offline
Moderator
Moderator

Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2003 3:45 pm
Posts: 2884
Location: San Antonio,TEXAS
I didn't reply because I'm having trouble getting on Dirt Doctor. I deleted my cookies on my other computer and DD doesn't know who I am on that one.

Anyway, I hope you've read the ingredients on the bags of commercially branded organic fertilizers and discovered that you can get those same ingredients at your local feed stores in 50-pound bags from $5 to $10. Another material you can try is milk. Milk is inexpensive and easy to spray. You can dilute it in water to apply 3 ounces of milk per 1,000 square feet. Unfortunately hardly anyone has experience with milk so the frequency of this application is not really known. If you want to control disease with milk you can spray weekly, but for long term use as a fertilizer, I don't know.

Another tack is to take your 3 acres, mark off 2 acres for beds, trees, walkways, statuary, walls, fences, benches, tables, etc., and you're down to 1 acre of turf to fertilize. .

_________________
David Hall
Moderator
Dirt Doctor Lawns Forum


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Jul 23, 2005 12:06 am 
Offline
Moderator
Moderator

Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2003 3:45 pm
Posts: 2884
Location: San Antonio,TEXAS
Bluestem, what problems have you seen with with milk? Garden-Ville has been using tank car loads of milk (actually it's cream) in their compost for years. Additionally they have been composting the source of the milk, dead cows, for several years.

_________________
David Hall
Moderator
Dirt Doctor Lawns Forum


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 10 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 6 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by eWeblife