Salvas Soil Test 2017 - Backyard

[salvas]

Backyard is about 3300-3400 sq feet in a "squarish" format.

Lawn was barely ever taken care of.

I decided to start treating more for the lawn last summer, after it had deteriorated a lot. I did a fall overseeding with Ultra Black Beauty and was somewhat happy with results.

Used Weed-be-Gone and it got rid of most if not all broadleaf weeds.

Used Milorganite in the fall and then did a Urea program at half rate.

Soil sample is of backyard taken from about 5 spots from around the yard mixed. The backyard is exposed to the sun and barely any shade apart from the 6PM onwards where the house starts casting a shadow on the lawn until sun sets.

I applied Prodiamine this March at the rate shown in label for TTTF.


I want to prepare my soil so the grass can thrive and since during the fall I plan to have either a full reno or an overseed, depending on how i will be able to control the grassy weeds I currently have ( I will start a new thread just of my lawn for this purpose). I will do a PRG/TTTF overseed/reno (in case this information is relevant)

Here is the lab results:

I apologize but for some reason the BBcode for image is not working. Here is the direct link:

https://s2.postimg.cc/kqbcw4v2h/lablawn.png

[andy10917]

Make sure to add a Link to this thread in the Soil Test Interpretation Queue thread, so that you have a place in line.

[salvas]

yup just did. I was waiting for this post to be approved to get the link!

Thanks for the heads up :)

[andy10917]

Not so bad, but not the normal profile that I see often...

You've got a very sandy soil with a OM of 3.8%. That says that the organic component is significantly more pronounced than the mineral component. All you can do is continue to push the OM angle - lots of leaves, peat moss and compost whenever you can.

In your cations, Calcium and Magnesium are low, and Potassium is OK. Use a good calcitic lime (Encap/Mag-I-Cal/Solu-Cal) at the "Heavy" bag rate, mixed with 2 lbs/K of Epsom Salts. Apply every 90 days.

Phosphorus is a bit on the trim side for the type of lawn you plan to have.

When P is low and K is OK, we lean on the Starter fertilizers to help us. So, locate a Starter fertilizer and post the NPK for rate and frequency.

Iron is just short of my targets in your situation. A little Milorganite as part of your Nitrogen plan would help - monthly if the budget permits.

In the micro's, it's Boron and Copper. Up for that in 2017?

[salvas]

Yes I am up for a regimen in 2017.

I mulch leaves and the clippings all the time.

Regarding Phospohorus what do you mean by trim side? Too low? (Sorry English is not my primary language therefore some terms might be "new" to me).

As for starter fertilizer I have this one available as well as other brands at my local Lowes

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sta-Green-5M-1 ... 1000140041

If you think this one is not suitable let me know or if anything else is better.

How many pounds on the ground of N P and K you recommend for me?

Thanks

[g-man]

That product (18-24-6) will work. It goes down at 4.1lb/ksqft.

The recommendation is not to exceed 1lb of N, P or K per ksqft per month.

[andy10917]

Regarding Phospohorus what do you mean by trim side? Too low? (Sorry English is not my primary language therefore some terms might be "new" to me).

On the Trim Side means a little bit small, or in this case, a little deficient. We need to add some Phosphorus.

As for starter fertilizer I have this one available as well as other brands at my local Lowes

That will work, although it is slow-release and will extend the program. Apply it at 4 lbs/K every six weeks, but skip July. Quit when it is time for the Fall Nitrogen Regimens and use that after September.

[salvas]

Ok thanks.

So should I go for a faster release one instead of the one I mentioned?

At 4lbs per K, this one means I am getting 0.72 lbs of N, 0.96 of P and 0.32 lbs of K per 1000 sq feet.

You mentioned Milorganite, should I put enough Milorganite to bring N up to 1 lb per K? ( My Milorganite is the old version at 5-2-0 still)

And regarding Boron and Copper how would I address that?

And regarding pH is ok?

Thanks again :)

[salvas]

Regarding pH I see that i need lime and salts. Just found it at local store... and epsom salts in Target for around 70 cents a lb

http://www.target.com/p/epsom-salts-4-l ... lsrc=aw.ds

which is considerably cheaper than Amazon or Ebay or other online stores i was able to find.

[andy10917]

Whether to use a faster-release fertilizer is up to you. It speeds up the process, but requires more caution.

For the Boron and Copper, you buy a box of Twenty Mule Team Laundry Soap from the grocery store and a few lbs of Copper Sulfate from EBay or Amazon. Apply each one at three tablespoons/K every 60 days, as outlined in the Micronutrient Application Guide.

And regarding pH is ok?

No, and that's why you'll be applying Lime and Epsom Salts. It will take a few years to get the cations right and the pH to follow it into being OK.

[salvas]

Great! I will do all of those this weekend!

Regarding the fast-release I just posted that one because at my local Lowes was 5$ a bag (already clearing out) while all others are around 15$ up ...

If it's a bit slower but saves me 3x my money and is more forgiving, I will go that route if its all up the same. :)

[redcoat]

Regarding pH I see that i need lime and salts. Just found it at local store... and epsom salts in Target for around 70 cents a lb

http://www.target.com/p/epsom-salts-4-l ... lsrc=aw.ds

which is considerably cheaper than Amazon or Ebay or other online stores i was able to find.

How big are the Epsom salts crystals in that bag? Are they similar size to the lime?

[salvas]

Not sure. I am heading there tomorrow and buy everything... from the bag seems like a standard epsom salt bag to me but i may be wrong.

[andy10917]

Spend at least 4 nanoseconds thinking about that, but anything over 5 nanoseconds spent thinking about that is overthinking it.

[salvas]

About the calcitic lime ...

Would StaGreen be okay or not good enough?

I ask because Magical is 53$ for a 40 lb bag while the StaGreen I can get the 30lb bag for $4 (initially it was 15$ but after clearence discount and coupon discount I can get it for 3-4 dollars)

Here is the label of the StaGreen Lime:

https://s13.postimg.cc/5g29maemf/IMG_2 ... 154530.jpg

[salvas]

Dropped today the starter fertilizer along with Epsom Salt (it goes nice with spreader in the low setting) and team mule soap (i used the sprayer for this one since it was like a talk powder type)

Copper should arrive tomorrow and will put it along with Lime

[andy10917]

Give it a shot.

[salvas]

So not much difference?

Because the price difference is ridiculous - almost 10x more. I know its probably an abnormal ocurrence being this cheap but they already have it on clearance and by buying more than 5 bags they give another 10% off.

I also have a 40% OFF coupon so the price gets really low like 3.60 dollars a bag versus the 50+ dollars. Even accounting the differences for coverage the MagIcal I saw at heavy rate covers 7500 sq feet while StaGreen only 2500 sq feet on the "raise pH" amount... so magical covers 3x more than Stagreen. Still with this in mind, it's a 5x price difference.

Should I apply the same amount with StaGreen vs what you advised me with the other brands? the Label of the bag states 12lbs per K to raise pH.

Thanks again for all the info!

[andy10917]

This is why I've switched from stating a specific lbs/K number to "apply at the Heavy rate on the bag". The Humate products are arriving in the mainstream now.

[salvas]

Humate products? When you say these things out of context I get intrigued... remember not only I am foreign I knew nothing of lawn stuff.

I am slowly getting acquainted with the terms though :)