SE Mass Lawn Rehab Sample....

[northeastlawn]

Hi...

Had a 1,000sf patchy lawn in Southeastern Mass. with a clover problem. Some spots were thick some were thin and you can see the ground. The clover was choking out 30% of the lawn. I would like to get all the bare spots covered and not all the thin spots.

Detathched and pulled the clover out and planted scott sun seed mix, used scott starter fertilizer twice. Used a lawn butler hand core aerator on the entire lawn in April and have added lime every fall along with scott winter guard fall/winter fertilizer. Still have a lot of patches of bare ground, think the soil is compacted. A hot and dry May didn't help.





I did add some starter fertilizer a month before, so it may sway the sample, but collected the soil from all parts of the yard then combined them. I plan on sending a new sample in before the fall.

It says I need lime, but don't think I can add it with the new grass from May coming in. Any suggestions on what to do before a Aug/Sept over seed would be appreciated.

[andy10917]

Several ideas - not all directly related to the soil test...

Many of the techniques that you're using are the standard "Joe Homeowner" techniques that are the reason that people spend lots of money without anything improving year to year. Spend time on the site reading about BLSC instead of core aeration, the Triangle Approach to weed control, and when to seed/overseed.

Please also know that we're going to discontinue the UMASS tests and use Logan and a new lab (to be determined). Your test is exactly why - if you look at the numbers and ranges, your soil looks OK. Since there aren't many soils that are TEC = 14 in Massachusetts, the soil looks right but isn't -- you have a somewhat heavy soil that is not taken into account.

Apply 9 lbs/K of good calcitic lime (Encap/Mag-I-Cal/Pennington) with 2 lbs/K of Epsom Salts mixed in. Apply at 11 lbs/K every 90 days, starting now.

Now, there's a tough one -- the Potassium (K) needs to go up. You need to locate and apply Sulfate of Potash ("SOP") and apply it at 2 lbs/K monthly until September. It's not easy to locate. Don't apply it within two weeks of the Lime.

I don't see an organic matter rating on your test.

I see you live in Mass, but where? Is Quincy within road-trip range? If so, get Bay State fertilizer and use it as often as the budget allows. It's 1/3 of the cost of Milorganite, the other alternative. Both are great stuff.

The miicronutrients are OK for your stage of remediation - we'll deal with those next year.

Please use Logan Labs for the Fall test (the basic test is all you need).

[northeastlawn]

Thanks for the thorough reply, I couldn't find "good calcitic lime" at any of the big stores, the local farm supply place had no idea what I meant. All they could find is this...




They had some powdered stuff buried, but said this is the stuff was what I was asking for. The label seemed right, no Mg, but not sure. If anyone knows if this is the same as calcitic lime? please let me know

On application, I am guessing I put it on just before it rains? Locally we are probably in a drought now, but I can try and get it down if we get some thunder storms this week. Just want to make sure this wont't hurt the seeded ares Im trying to grow.

I have a few areas that look like this, I put some seed down last week to fill in the bare spots, the grass is like a month old....





Just need to know if I need to avoid this area when applying any of the above treatments....

Thanks, new to all this, and learning as I go...

[JustAGuy]

That is high calcitic lime and not dolomite lime it may work just fine for you.

[mattya]

Where in SE mass are you? Ace hardwares carry Jonathan Greene Mag-I-Cal. That is calcitic lime but not one of the "good" ones we recommend. It'll work, but if you can find JG (or Encap or Pennington) it's much preferred.

[northeastlawn]

Im from the New Bedford area, there are a few Ace Hardwares around, Ill check it out. So there is a difference in what I got and the others?

Is it OK to put the lime down on the spots I am still trying to get grass to grow?

Grabbed 4 bags Bay State Fertilizer today in Quincy, never thought I'd be hunting down lawn care supplies and organic chemicals all over the state. Im officially obsessed

[tlinden]

The ace on that island bridge thing between new bedford and fairhaven doesnt have good lime. No pelletized.. the lowes nearby did in the dartmouth mall did in the way back (they put the cheaper stuff up front)

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[mattya]

I'm from Dartmouth, so perfect. The Ace on Dartmouth street carries it and usually always has it in stock. I was there a couple weeks ago and they had plenty.

Yes, there is a difference. It's a lot to get into and I honestly don't even completely understand the difference. There was a discussion (mostly Andy sharing info) in the ST6 forum last year that I can dig up if you're really interested.

[northeastlawn]

I swung by and grabbed some. I'll probably apply to the whole lawn today, the old lawn and the new seed.

If we get thunder showers it will wash in, if not I plan on watering tomorrow morning. We are getting no rain this year.

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[northeastlawn]

All my BLSC ingredients came in today, mixed it all up and will plan on every other week until I overseed this August..