Originally Posted by SwampYankee

Wait until the forsythias start dropping their petals or dogwoods just start budding. Crabgrass won't germinate until the soil temps get into the 50's (we're hovering around 37* here). If you figure you're getting 6-16 weeks of control (until that barrier breaks downs) depending on product, putting it down 2-3-4 weeks early is 2-3-4 weeks of control you'll lose on the tail-end when you're more likely to need it when your turf starts to stress and thin as the heat comes in the summer.

The Four Step programs really have been the bane of IPM in the the residential market. Thanks to Scotts and their mega money advertising budget it's already time for Step 1 because you need to wait 6 weeks until applying Step 2. In the northeast the ideal time for crabgrass control application is just about the time Step 2 goes down but obviously you wouldn't double up. I can tell retail customers until I'm blue in the face to hold off on Step X or when it comes time for Step Y take a look at your lawn and see what it needs, if it doesn't need step Y use Z instead, or try this organic fertilizer right now instead because of conditions but that marketing has done its job. If I weren't a firm believer in IPM and a balanced approach I could make a lot more money pumping out our eqivalent of a season program.

AFA chemical fertilizers go we don't sell Scotts but rather a better, professional grade one so they buy it from me anyway. It'd be better if we could just get them to use only what they need when they need it rather than looking at a calendar or doing what the radio commercial said. OTOH I have been successful at reprogramming a good percentage of them so it's not a lost cause. The lawn care guys and golf course superintendants (who you would hope know what they are doing) are heavily regulated yet homeowners can spread stuff willy nilly.

Weeee...lawn talk.

Jeez, Jordan. Those have been some bombshells today. Disposable diapers and Scotts fertilizer????