I'm just getting into organics. When is the suggested last application for SBM?

Also, what are people paying in your area for SBM? I found it at the local feed store for $13.00/ 50lbs. 15mi down the road its $7.75/ 50lbs! I'm told price changes every Monday - could go up or down. A local farmer tells me its about the highest he's ever seen it.

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I have been paying between 10.75/50 lbs bag and 11.40/50 lbs bag over the last 4 months. There are many SBM plants around me in my area of southern MN. The local feed mill guys have been telling me the prices have been higher this year. The prices change weekly in my area.

Way too late for your area. The SBM will just sit there until it warms up. Try urea for a quick snack before the winter slumber.

texasweed wrote:Way too late for your area. The SBM will just sit there until it warms up. Try urea for a quick snack before the winter slumber.

Well, I put down some Milorganite about a month ago at 17lb/1,000sqft. Hopefully that'll do the trick.

However, I was offered 5gal of urea for FREE! Should I use it? I'm a little nervous about the quick release as I've never done it before.

Supposedly, around here the average daytime temps stay above 50F through mid November. According to the local extension office, the first of November is the best time to put down the last fall fertilizer application. However, the article wasn't written around organics, and they don't specify fast release vs. slow release.

I'm not expecting huge dividents yet this fall, but I want to make sure I've got everything in line for a successful spring green-up.

I bought a bag of urea for my last feeding, which I'm expecting to be around November 15ish. It's 46-0-0 and is very quick release. I've been told by many to treat it like fire. The rest of the year I've been throwing SBM, milo, and CGM. My mix in the front looks 1000% better than everyone else on my block.

Treat it like fire. When we say that 2.2 pounds is correct, we really mean that. Even making the mistake of going to 3 pounds will give you 1.4 pounds N per thousand. You can get away with that in November easily (winterizing with anything from 1 to 1.5 pounds N per thousand is completely acceptable), but at other times, not so much.

It's really easy to accidentally exceed 3 pounds if you're not being careful, particularly if you're used to organics where it pours through the spreader at very high rates. I'm always amazed when putting down a synthetic, because that little bit of material can't possibly be doing anything...

As per the OP, I notice that organic decay really seems to slow about 3 weeks after first frost, depending very much on the weather that fall. Some years we go late summer to winter pretty fast, others fall hangs on for ages. This year, so far, no frost, and temperatures warmer than normal, so I'm still dropping organics and they're still processing. The current temperature, somewhat after sunset, is still 53.

I didn't fertilize as much as expected because of the drought in San Antonio this year, so I have 2 50# bags of SBM sitting in the garage, collecting pests. I'm hesitant to leave it over winter...I prefer the critters outside the house rather than inside. Texasweed, should I just go ahead and put it down, or is it too late here as well? Hammbone, I paid close to $16/bag this year.

Boy, I know how to kill a thread, don't I? Can ANYONE help me with my question of whether it's too late to put out my last 2 bags of SBM so it doesn't sit in the garage all winter? I'm in San Antonio and have bermuda.Thanks for your help!

jenniflower, I would go ahead and go ahead apply some of it now. How large is your lawn? I applied SBM in Dallas well into November last year. It is your soil temperature that matters.

Thanks for your reply, shay. The lawn is approximately 4500sf. Should I throw it down all at once or spread it out a little? Just unsure what to do, since I'm fairly new at organics and new to this climate as well.

i've been an advise getter more than an advise giver, but i've been paying attention and from what i gather, put down the full 100 lbs now, asap. no sense in letting it sit in the garage and attract rodents. then continue with the same amount next year mid/late february. someone correct me if i'm wrong.

jenniflower, you're welcome. I would probably drop one bag. Then wait a week and drop the other bag. SBM can stink for a few days if you over apply.

I was thinking the same thing...had that stench once before, and not excited to go back there! Been having a lot of issues with a resident skunk digging in the yard, so hopefully this doesn't attract it even more. Thanks again shay and versstef1.

my lawns is the same size as yours and i've been putting 100 lbs twice now, and nothing stank whatsoever.

It depends on moisture levels. I drop 15 per K with absolutely no issues, and I've gone to 25 with no issues even in damp weather--my soil is used to it and processes it fast.

I wouldn't have tried that my first year. Phew!