Nope, it's not too hot. I've applied SBM in 100 degree heat. The thing about applying protein based feed grains is that you're not just throwing a buncha N at your grassplants. (Like when using a chemical with salts in there that causes the "burn.") You're feeding your microherd & they'll make the N supply available to the grassplants as needed for uptake.

Good day, Dan

One caveat about soybean meal and hot humid summer weather...be prepared for some odor if you apply it too heavily.

It can really stink.

Oh groovy.
I spread some yesterday, and on my neighbor's lawn, too. The promised rain didn't arrive. Is this going to get ugly?
I didn't pile it on too thickly - you can still see the ground in any bare spots.

I'm hoping to get my neighbor interested in organic gardening (they look after the snow in the winter - I will try to restore their lawn along with mine after a crabgrass attack). However, if things start to smell I can see her reaching for the Scott's.

Will watering it in help, or just make matters worse?

A light watering will help to begin the decomposition process.

I used SBM all last summer (my bermuda likes to be fed once a month) and applied at 15lbs/1000sqft and didn't have any odor issues.

Good day, Dan

+1 okcdan - Same experience in Michigan. No odor.

I applied 14 lbs. of SBM per sqft about 2 weeks ago. It was too hot last week like 95F. I did smell it. I felt I was in an animal store. Honestly, the smell is really not that bad.

By the way, I saw a thread somewhere saying that he's got frogs on his lawn and according to other folks, it's a good thing. 2 days ago, I saw frogs too,c hipmunks and birds in my lawn! Looks like they like the food I spread.

The only virgin land(very dense trees and untouched) that I see from my house is about 1 mile. Maybe, that's were they came from!

Lastly, the SBM are real bad ass! I'm seeing darker blades than when I applied CGM! I love this SBM so much! :D

oops, LOL, 14 lbs per 1000 sqft ....... :D

+2 okcdan, or mostly.

I applied 15 lbs/K ft last week. There was a very faint scent, not offensive, for the first few days after it got wet. Now, five days in, it's totally gone.

I can still slightly smell the animal feed like scent when it's hot but like what you said, not offensive. I applied SBM June 16, 13 days.

Do it msmity29 :)

I'm going to take a bit of a different position. first, I won't disagree with Dan. Bermuda needs fertilizer in the hot months. It is probably when it needs it most and is best to apply it.

But, cool season grasses really don't benefit from being encouraged to grow in the hottest months. While I also don't disagree that organic fertilizers won't "burn" like chemical ones can, especially easy to do in the hotter weather, most cool season grasses are on the verge or going dormant. Of course, lots of water can keep them green, but, most of what I have read suggests that fertilizing cool season grasses, with any kind of fertilizer, is counterproductive to long term health of the grass.

I try to fertilize once in early summer, then three times in the fall.

While giving it a reasonable sized shot of organic fertilizer during the hot months is probably not the worst thing you can do to your cool season grass, in most cases, its probably not the best either.

While giving it a reasonable sized shot of organic fertilizer during the hot months is probably not the worst thing you can do to your cool season grass, in most cases, its probably not the best either.

Under normal circumstances, I'd totally agree with you. There's no real reason to fertilize a cool-season grass in late June.

However...there are two reasons to do so. The first few years, building an organic base can take some effort. And a lot of organics. Splitting them up a bit isn't going to harm the grass (and just might help with water retention), and does keep the stink down.

In my case, I'm coming up on a total lawn kill and rejuvenation. I want a goodly amount of organic food available when that happens...and it's coming up in a month or so. You could say I'm also building an organic base--just one that can be tapped by the seed as it sprouts.