simpson wrote:What would the affects be of using to much or to often? If watering 1 inch a week can one apply weekly?

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I'm currently at 54 ounces per K of kelp, 54 of humic acid, and 50 of soil conditoner for the year. I see no negative effects but quite a few positive ones. Over 10,000 square feet I've used a bit over four gallons of each product.

I'm assuming your soil biology is up to this, and you have no current major lawn issues, like fungus. Humic acid will feed a fungus and I wouldn't put long odds on the kelp not feeding it either. The soil conditioner should actually set it back a bit--fungi don't particularly care for alkaline pH or sodium products.

In short, unless you're sure and try it in a test area first, I'd go at the recommended rate.

You'll be fine since you don't then have a lawn anyway. I'd revert to normal rate when you seed (or nothing since you can't really walk it for a while), and resume either in October when things stabilize or next year.

It will help, yes! For that to really accelerate, you want some higher mass, higher nitrogen things.

For every 100 pounds of sawdust, 10 pounds of Milorganite will do the trick. So would about 3 pounds of soybean meal or 2 pounds of 25-0-0, but with amounts that low I'm not sure you'd get good coverage.

I dropped about 20 pounds per K equivalent of Milorganite, plenty of horse grain, a little synthetic N, and I'm just letting it perk. I'll spray with kelp and humates later today when temperatures drop a hair and the sun isn't quite so brutal.

Probably not, but I'd skip it until after the seedlings establish. I don't risk stressing a seedling until after its third mowing.

To reiterate the cautions about surfactants:

I backed into the realization that my then 4-year-old daughter is very sensitive/allergic to coconut- and palm-derived products. She gets intense rashes and coughing fits. We finally nailed it when on vacation she was having 2-3 virgin pina coladas a day poolside. By the third evening her discomfort was terrible. We now use very specific soaps and read all ingredients for SLS, ALS, palm oil, palm kernel oil, and all coconut products. It is in everything from cleaning prodcuts to toothpaste to cookies. I now use Biotene toothpaste, and no longer need to use chapstick in winter.

I think something like 5% of folks share surfactant sensitivity. Since this site has more than 20 readers, chances are some of us are also sensitive.

I would hate to see the affect of straight SLS powder inhaled by my daughter. In all seriousness, I think she would go into anaphalactic shock.

*** PLEASE ***
Use caution when handling this stuff, particularly your first time. 1/20 are not super odds. Also, as with any spray, be wary of over-spray and drift if anyone is nearby, particularly kids (their softer skin seems more sensitive).

These home brews are a great idea, and I am in no way condemning them (I might try them myself). Just please use caution when handling high-potency surfactants.

simpson wrote:I think Morph got a wiff of some one time. He cautions using it as well.

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Yeah, I consulted Morph about purchasing the powder for instead of the liquid form because shipping costs would be SOOO much cheaper due to the lighter weight. He stopped me dead in my tracks with that idea with a very, very strong caution against using the powdered form. I'm all for saving a few bucks when I can, but I like my airway and lungs to function properly much, much more and I don't have a level 3 lab suit to wear when mixing. I overseeded this fall and plan to give BLSC a shot starting this spring. I'll definitely be buying the liquid form when I make my attempt with this.

Please, your ability to breathe comes back in just a year or two!

It's not pleasant, no, and at this point I won't use the powder without a full face shield. And I'm not allergic, that's the normal reaction.