Yeah, that doesn't sound right. If you did not get the soil tested by Logan Labs in Ohio, you might consider doing it again. I think their price is $20, but you get a much better test than the normal university tests perform.

Calcium content of the soil does not necessarily directly relate to soil PH. (gypsum/calcium sulfate vs lime/calcium carbonate) I agree, before amending the soil for PH, you should get a second opinion (soil test). If you need to adjust PH to reap its attendant benefits, forget "above optimum". As long as the calcium content does not interfere with the availability the other nutrients and minerals at sufficient levels for soil fertility, increased calcium levels are not a concern.

Thanks for the info. I live close to the Jonathan Green plant, so I may take a soil sample there for them to test before I buy their Mag-I-Cal product. It seems to have good reviews, so unless anyone here has a reason why I shouldn't buy that instead of regular old calcitic lime I think I'll go that route.

One other question...assuming it's accurate, the soil test also indicates I have low Boron at .35 PPM. Is this having a negative impact on my lawn? Should it be amended?

You got a soil test that told you about boron??? Where did you get the test?

There are two kinds of lime that are generally used on lawns. If you use the wrong one, and Mag-I-Cal would be the wrong one in certain circumstances, then you can negate the effect you were trying to achieve. Is your soil like clay or does water penetrate pretty easily when you water?

I can't find a copy of a Mag I Cal label anywhere on the net, but I believe it contains only 35% calcitic lime. Advise you read the label and do the calculations. The recommendation was 40# of lime/m. That could be a lot of bags of JG product at a higher price than than you need to pay. Plus, as dchall said, you may need to apply dolomitic lime rather than calcitic.

Advise you stay away from adding boron without professional guidance. It needs to be applied in VERY small doses (grams vs pounds) and too much will make your lawn a wasteland.

Edit: "Boron at .35 PPM. Is this having a negative impact on my lawn?"
Not likely. Grass needs very little boron for healthy growth. Adjustment in a boron level that is above .20 ppm may give fractional improvement but is for the lawn perfectionist who is trying to improve from 99% to 99.5%. IMHO.

This post was edited by yardtractor1 on Wed, Jun 11, 14 at 12:03

I know I don't need dolomite lime because my magnesium is "above optimum" at 442 pounds per acre. I believe my soil to be pretty sandy, but there's definitely some clay mixed in. The only time water doesn't immediately penetrate the soil is when it puddles in a couple low spots during very heavy rains, and even then the water is gone within an hour or two after the rain stops.

The soil test was done at Rutgers. It's just the basic test and includes macronutrients Phosphorus, Potassium, Magnesium, and Calcium as well as micronutrients Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Boron, and Iron. Guess I'll leave the boron alone...