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Put down first application of SBM (I think)

mpcart
15 years ago

This year I went organic and had been using the branded organic fertilizers. I found a local feed store that special ordered SBM for me at $16/50# but I noticed that the bags had quite a few corn kernels in them - maybe 20 or so a bag. The SBM came in bags labeled "Horse Feed" but no other labeling. Having never seen SBM before I'd like some confirmation that I got the right stuff.

Here's a pic.

-Mike

Comments (8)

  • jcflys
    15 years ago

    Mike, yep that is the stuff. The brand I get has the same mix. I got the last bag that my local store had. This seems to get used more for lawns than farm animals. The salesman said that they don't get much demand for it.

  • stan6
    15 years ago

    MP I bet you have a great lawn. I tried SBM for the first time this week. I applied just before a great, steady rainfall. What part does rain play in the effectiveness of grain fertilizers? What part does soil and daytime temperature play? I need to know in CASEy rain doesn't MATTerialize.

  • billhill
    15 years ago

    SBM and other organic fertilizers require soil microbes to consume the product in order to release their nutrients to the plants growing therein. Rain or irrigation is not required but some moisture is. Soil microbes are more active at higher soil temperatures (think Summer or tropical rain forest), but remain active down to about 40 degrees F. Only soil temperatures are relevant since that is where the microherd lives.

    Bill Hill

    Here is a link that might be useful: Gardenweb Organic Lawncare FAQ - dchall

  • stan6
    15 years ago

    MP I bet you have a great lawn. I tried SBM for the first time this week. I applied just before a great, steady rainfall. What part does rain play in the effectiveness of grain fertilizers? What part does soil and daytime temperature play? I need to know in CASEy rain doesn't MATTerialize.

  • stan6
    15 years ago

    Thanks BH. I'm so used to watering in fertilizer I tried to dissolve the SBM. According to the soil temp website I'm still at 55+ degrees, so I'm OK.

  • stan6
    15 years ago

    I understand there's a website that measures soil temps throughout the country. Anybody know what it is? What are the important temps to track for my lawn?

  • Kimmsr
    15 years ago

    Rather than go to a web site to determine your soil temperature buy an inexpensive dial thermometer and measure your soils temperature your self. Any temperatures you might find on the web may, or may not, be close to yours.

  • skizot
    15 years ago

    stan6,

    This site has a list of SCAN (Soil Climate Analysis Network) stations which record quite a bit of stuff about the soil, including temperature. If you have one relatively close to you, then you can use it for temperatures. Just click on your state to get a better view of the stations in your area (the National map has the dots slightly off).

    Here's a soil temperature map I came across. I'm not sure where they get their data, but it's not as accurate as the SCAN data.

    Or, you can do as kimmsr says and get a thermometer to stick down in the soil. The only thing about that is, you'll want to stick it at least 2", but closer to 4" to get a good representative reading.

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