In regards to winter fertilizing, I understand the concept of "winterize" but what I am trying to understand is what if the grass does not go dormant, should I encourage the roots to grow?

With root growth in mind, and the soil temp hovering in the mid 40's with plenty of moisture, top growth has slowed (for the most part);

Can the roots utilize the N and grow more than normal, or is there "too much N" and it washes away.

Might want to read this thread for info.

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xapabwa wrote:Might want to read this thread for info.

Click here for more information

Thanks, it's always good to reread some old threads. Let me ask another way?

I understand that the grass this year doesn't really require winterization (which is to store carbs when the top can't photosynthesize and survive the winter that way). But feeding still encourages that root growth cycle to continue; while TTTF is not the heaviest feeding grass, is there an amount of N that will hurt or damage the grass during the winter? Would weekly feeding of .5 lb/k of N actually be used while there is slow root growth? or does some go to store carbs and the rest wash away? Maybe all three?

I know there have been some here who applied alot of N weekly to KBG to promote spreading; but what about TTTF. My goal is to promote the deepest roots possible but I don't want to waste any time, money or resources if it's for nothing.

we did weekly N during the growth season for N hungry KBG. i stopped weekly 1 lb N apps at the end of November and there were some of us who stopped Decemberish.

i think you may be wasting your time and money right now. Winterization is timed so that when it is applied the grass hasn't gone completely dormant yet and is still growing roots and storing carbs. Now at least up here in NJ, the ground is close to frozen and the grass is mostly dormant by now. When they are dormant, (andy or morph can chime in on this one), they stop or minimize absorbing nutrients and start living off stored carbs.

I'm also under the impression that TTTF requires less Nitrogen than KBG. I don't see why u need to feed it weekly with .5 lbs and during the non-growing season. If anything u are not harming ur grass at all. Most likely, u will be harming your nearest watershed by dumping un-utilized Nitrogen. I know for a fact here in NJ, it is illegal now to fertilize from end of november to march. i'm pretty sure that is the rationale why the law is like that here and in some other states.

i guess u can think of ur grass at this time as a hibernating bear. the bear has eaten all its fill in preparation for hibernation. now that it is hibernating, do u think if u throw a big fat steak at it, it will wake up and eat it?

Agree....at 40F and dropping, the root growth is extremely minimal and about to stop completely- adding nitrogen now will not change that.

+1 Above. Root growth is minimal now, but this is actually a great time to winterize with one final blast of 1 pound N per thousand at those temperatures.

Will you get some root growth? Sure, right down to freezing, it continues. But very, very slowly. Most of that N will turn to carbs and store for spring, and help protect the grass if you suddenly actually get a winter...

I would think that being in Charlotte, NC that his ground is likely not frozen yet. I winterized here in Maryland on December 2 and then mowed once not too long ago because I had a litte bit of growth. Not much, but I didn't want it to get snowed on with it more than 2" high. I certainly wouldn't continue with weekly feedings where I am because the ground does freeze here and the grass does go dormant, but perhaps that's not the case in Charlotte - especially this year with the whacky temps we've been having.