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Logan Soil Test results

ranger481vs
9 years ago

Hello, I just received my soil test results on my lawn, and would like advice on improvements. Thanks much!

Also, I would like to overseed in the fall. I think my lawn is made of mostly of fine fescue, and the grass never really stands up straight. Even makes it hards to follow mowing lines in some areas. This partly due to not having a dense lawn yet, but it also seems like the blades are just too delicate and thin, So, I would like to overseed primarily with KBG. Thoughts? Still need need to research seed types yet.

Comments (14)

  • morpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm going to presume you read Daniel's soil results so I won't go quite so in-depth (typing the specifics every time makes my hands hurt).

    Overall, this isn't bad, but does need a bit of work. I'm going to shift my recommendations to the top of the post to make it easier to find.

    Recommendations:

    General: Consider organic feeding to raise OM level.

    Mid August: 4 tablespoons boron per thousand square feet in Milorganite carrier.

    Late August: Apply 2 pounds per thousand of potassium sulfate.

    Early September: Apply bag rate of any starter fertilizer.

    Mid September: Apply 6 pounds of calcitic lime per thousand square feet.

    Early October: Apply bag rate of any starter fertilizer.

    Mid October: Apply 2 pounds per thousand of potassium sulfate.

    Early May: Apply 2 pounds per thousand of potassium sulfate.

    Late May: Apply bag rate of any starter fertilizer.

    ***
    Soil test reading and some explanation

    Exchange Capacity 11.3: Quite nice! It could be a silty soil, or a mix of very light clay, but this is in a good range.

    pH 6.2: Like I always say, a symptom and not a cause. While this is OK, we're going to play with it.

    Organic matter 2.5%: In the fair range. Consider organic feeding to slowly raise this over a period of years.

    Sulfur 9: Fine! We'll be raising this, but we have the margin to do so and then some.

    Phosphorus 74: Low. I've recommended starter fertilizer to push this closer to the optimal point of 200.

    Calcium 57.7%: While the low end of OK, I'm not happy with the deficit in the numbers and the excess hydrogen kicking around. I recommended calcitic lime above, use Encap or Mir-A-Cal (the latter is by Jonathan Green)--not cheap lime as it's not very effective and takes forever to work. I shot a little low to avoid slamming the top soil layers, so expect to repeat this at a lower level next year.

    Magnesium 23.5%: High, but certainly not a problem. While we'll hope the calcium knocks out a little of the magnesium, it doesn't matter if it does or not. However, avoid magnesium sources, so dolomitic limestone is doubly banned. :-)

    Potassium 1.0%: Very low, but probably not quite deficient yet although it's not far off. I've recommended potassium sulfate above, which you can find online or (probably cheaper) local smaller garden stores and landscaping places will generally order for you. Potassium is important for disease resistance, cold resistance, heat resistance, general structure, water retention, enzyme creation, photosynthesis, starch synthesis, and protein synthesis, so this isn't a great one to be short on... My recommendation is as high as I'm comfortable going on the lawn, there will probably be a much smaller correction next year.

    Sodium 0.6%: Great! It has no major use in plants, so low sodium is best. Yours is quite low.

    Manganese, Copper, and Zinc: While copper might be a touch low, I'm disinclined to play with it while manipulating the others. We can safely put that and twiddling with zinc off for a while.

    Iron 97: Kind of low for good green colors in the lawn, but definitely not deficient and not a problem. Combining this with the OM recommendation above, feed regularly with Milorganite to raise the OM and slowly add iron. It takes years to bring iron up, so there's no big rush and no specific recommendations. You can certainly spray ferrous sulfate for color in fall if you want, but it's not necessary in the slightest.

    Boron Boron is slightly risky to adjust, but in this case I don't see a choice. In the laundry section of your grocery store, you'll find 20 Mule Team Borax. The prescription is for 4 tablespoons per thousand square feet--and don't make a mistake on that.

    Take a bag of Milorganite, empty into a wheelbarrow (or anything else shaped like that).

    Mix 10 tablespoons of borax into the bag, using a water spray bottle to very lightly damp the Milorganite occasionally as you turn it repeatedly until it all sticks. Apply over 2,500 square feet--and be very, very careful that you're accurate on that.

    We'll be repeating this, but boron perks down slowly and it would be a really bad idea to make the top soil layer boron toxic.

  • morpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I always forget the aluminum, don't I? That's because it usually doesn't come into play.

    Aluminum 379: Fine. While toxic, it's not going to be available to plants until a much lower pH than you have, and your amount is pretty low to begin with.

  • morpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    >>the blades are just too delicate and thin

    Try the boron prescription in late August, give it a bit to perk in, and see what you get. Boron is critical for meristem development and separation. Without it, cells tend to extend without properly differentiating, resulting in weak and gangly growth.

    You can certainly overseed with KBG if you want to in a fescue lawn, but I think the KBG will end up being weak and gangly as well until the soil issues are corrected.

  • yardtractor1
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Just a point of emphasis. Milorganite can come in different weight bags. The recommendation is 10 tblsp/ bag. That would be the 50# bags.

  • morpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Whoops! Actually, I was envisioning the 36 pound bags that are common to big box stores. At least around me.

    But if the OP wants to put that in fifty pounds and spread it over 2,500 square feet, more power to him. It'll just increase the amount of organic material a tiny bit and I'm always cool with that.

    As long as 4 tbsp per thousand goes down, the amount really doesn't matter as long as it's sufficient to evenly spread the material.

  • yardtractor1
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Gotta love the Milo folks. I went to their site and it appears no matter what size bag, the application rate is 2500 sq ft. Go figure. My bad, carry on.

  • morpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    >>Gotta love the Milo folks. I went to their site and it appears no matter what size bag, the application rate is 2500 sq ft. Go figure. My bad, carry on.

    That's hardly a "bad" as it simply doesn't make sense for them to do that. Unless they have different nitrogen levels, then maybe, but even so. Organically, you can pour it on pretty stiff before it becomes a problem.

    Actually, the more I think about it, the less sense it makes for the product to be marketed that way.

  • ranger481vs
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks for the help and, especially taking time to do it. Your post is very well detailed, clear on what do, and easy to follow. Really appreciated.

    Should I not overseed this fall, and just concentrate on improving the soil?

    Also, I'm curious, why did this test not include any nitrogen levels?

    I have started with organic fertilizing this year, in the way of Alfalfa pellets at around 30 or so lbs per 1000. Will continue to do that along with your recommendations above.

  • morpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    >>Should I not overseed this fall, and just concentrate on improving the soil?

    You can overseed this fall if you want to! Shift the boron addition to early August, and slip in an extra starter fertilizer application at seeding time. You're going to need the P to bring in the new plants.

    Your soil isn't in bad shape, it's just needs some adjustment. Potassium is the worst shortage, followed by phosphorus. But you have enough to seed.

    >>Also, I'm curious, why did this test not include any nitrogen levels?

    Too variable. They'll give different results depending on time of day, weather conditions, and I suspect sometimes the phase of the moon.

    It's entirely normal for well-fed lawns done synthetically to read nitrogen deficient between feedings with a massive spike at feeding time. Organically fed lawns tend to show modest amounts all the time.

    But again, that will vary. A lot. Almost at a whim.

  • ranger481vs
    8 years ago

    Hello again! So, I did not manage to do any soil amendments last fall. With three kids, 2, 4, and 8, life get rearranged often. Anyhow, ready to start amending this spring. Can I double up on any of these things, like the boran and potassium sulfate being put down on the same weekend? Or is it best to stagger every couple of weeks as has been written? Thanks.

  • morpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
    8 years ago

    Welcome back! Yes, life tends to interfere, doesn't it, with the important stuff like lawn care. :-)

    Here, I'll revise your schedule for you, it's no problem to do so. Since we're now at the beginning of the season (sort of), I've shifted applications around to account for the fact that we have the whole year to work with:

    Early to Mid May: 4 tablespoons boron per thousand square feet in Milorganite carrier.

    Early to Mid May: Apply 6 pounds of calcitic lime per thousand square feet.

    Memorial Day: Apply bag rate of any starter fertilizer.

    June 15: Apply 2 pounds per thousand of potassium sulfate.

    Labor Day: Apply bag rate of any starter fertilizer.

    September 15: Apply 2 pounds per thousand of potassium sulfate.

    October 1: Apply bag rate of any starter fertilizer.

    October 15: Apply 2 pounds per thousand of potassium sulfate.

  • ranger481vs
    8 years ago

    Thanks Morph. One question on the boran application. I've walked off sections of my lawn to divide it up. I'm trying to be as accurate as possible, but it seems there are a few factors that can throw things off. If I'm a tad concerned about putting this stuff down, possibly ending up with a little bit more than prescribed. Should I use less borax to be on the safe side?

  • morpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
    8 years ago

    Definitely use less borax if you're unsure. I'd much rather have to re-adjust on the next soil test by adding a little than find out things are way overboard.

    That having been said, your levels are very, very low and you're not likely to go overboard as I left a lot of give in the above application. This was not a correction I imagined was going to happen in a year. It took me four years to bring boron up into decent range as it's not one we overdo and what I advise you to put down reflects that.

    http://areacalculator.sodsolutions.com/

    That site has a calculator for your lawn so you can get exact square footage for a given area.

    One other suggestion is to set your spreader low and plan on going over the lawn multiple times. That will distribute the boron much more gently.