8/27/2012 2:08 PM
Just a thought to add, when I established greens a few years back, I decided to use granulars more often for a couple reasons. These may or may not apply to what you are doing, but it worked for the purpose we were accomplishing.
First off, we laid down at ten day intervals lighter rates of granulars to get .25 lb N/m with a split between a starter and an even keeled slower release product (organic) after we saw our first sign of germination. The thought was that we didn't have that much surface area to hit with liquids, and we were watering so often to keep both tender seedlings wet and in place, we'd be leaching away most materials any how. Also, with a 100% sand mix used, there'd be almost no ability to hold anything from the quicker release products, and the slow release stuff would be giving the young fellas something over the multitude of waterings each day. Waited on the quick release starter to see the plant to make sure the newly germinated seedling had a root to grab the material we were spreading. We waited to spray any foliars until we noticed actual movement from the individual seedlings to get the entire benefit and increase the surface area of tissue rather than "painting the sands" so to speak. Each time we walked on the surface, we'd simply tip the mowers back and walk the roller along idled way down to ensure we smoothed any tracks, and could go slow enough to walk without disturbing the surface. When we put our first cut down at .25" (dont' remember how long it was), we mowed without the baskets, and then began to spray after the first mowing. I wanted to encourage lateral growth after clipping the apical shoot before we put in the biostimulants and hormones you are talking about.
The 2nd reason for this was that in the fall when we seeded the greens, we were also growing in the rest of the property, and if you anything like any place I've worked, lost the help to keep it all going.
We did slowly step things down through the fall to get to a level that was acceptable based on how full the canopy was getting, but really didn't hack it till spring, and then got more aggressive with the liquids as well. Just a thought from a northern grass grower that knows how short fall establishment can be if you get early winters.