Fall50 2017 Soil Test

Learn how improving your soil can lead to a better looking lawn
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fall50
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Fall50 2017 Soil Test

Post by fall50 » May 5th, 2017, 4:04 pm

Recently purchased this property and previous owner did provide much if any TLC to the lawn. Last fall I started with the triangle approach and also due to the anomalous warm fall we had thought I could squeeze in an overseed of some 100% KBG. In retospect I am not sure the front yard receives enough sun and the lack of results bear that out.

I took the soil sample before I applied the following.

Step 1 Starter 21-22-4 which included Mesotrione apprx 3.5 pounds per 1000 sqft

The front lawn gets partial sun and has a full canopy of trees.
Back lawn gets a more sun but has several large evergreen trees on the south side
Size is apprx 1200 front and 1000 back
Location Saint Paul MN

fall50
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Re: Fall50 2017 Soil Test

Post by fall50 » May 5th, 2017, 8:45 pm

Image

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andy10917
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Re: Fall50 2017 Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » May 20th, 2017, 8:27 am

There is more afoot about the Front and Back yards than just the sun. The pH's are wildly different, and I would expect lava and earthquakes where those soils meet (OK, maybe a little dramatic).

Any insights at all about soil differences before I take the data at face value?

fall50
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Re: Fall50 2017 Soil Test

Post by fall50 » May 20th, 2017, 1:49 pm

Image

These trees are in the back yard, but beyond that I wouldn't really have any other ideas. What types of variables/things would effect PH? Maybe that will turn on the light bulb for me.

Having just bought the house in the fall I don't have a ton of history/knowledge yet. Would specific kind of trees maybe explain the PH disconnect?

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andy10917
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Re: Fall50 2017 Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » May 20th, 2017, 2:18 pm

Basically, trees only affect pH in old-wives tales.


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andy10917
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Re: Fall50 2017 Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » May 21st, 2017, 8:04 am

Someone did a lot of (probably dolomitic) lime work in the Back, but not the Front.

You'll need calcitic lime (Solu-Cal/Encap/Mag-I-Cal) at the Heavy Rate on the bag mixed with 2 lbs/K of Epsom Salts and applied every 90 days, in the Front. NO LIME IN THE BACK.

Get and post a balanced fertilizer NPK so that I can offer a rate and frequency of apps. That will fix Phosphorus and Potassium shortages while delivering Nitrogen.

Iron is a bit on the low side. Sneaking a few Milorganite apps in may help with color.

In the micro’s, it’s only Boron. Get Twenty Mule Team Laundry Soap from the grocery and apply it at three tablespoons/K every 60 days. Read the Micronutrient Application Guide for application specifics.

fall50
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Re: Fall50 2017 Soil Test

Post by fall50 » May 21st, 2017, 5:37 pm

Thank you Andy would this lime found at Menards suffice. I searched the forums and Barley seems to suggest this was Calatic. Obviously if I had a picture of the back of the bag that would be helpful, but the link below is best I got :)

http://www.mkminerals.com/pelletized-hi ... limestone/

And will this work for the Espom Salts
http://www.target.com/p/epsom-salt-fres ... lsrc=aw.ds


As for fertilzer
https://hw.menardc.com/main/items/media ... 0-1614.pdf

or

https://hw.menardc.com/main/items/media ... 0-1290.pdf

One other note is AFTER I took the soil sample I applied 3 lbs/k of 21-22-4. That was apprx 4 weeks ago

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andy10917
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Re: Fall50 2017 Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » May 21st, 2017, 5:44 pm

I can't offer opinions on regional brands that I have never seen, read the instructions for, or seen the ingredients for. We try to provide the names of some tested products - beyond that, you're on your own

fall50
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Re: Fall50 2017 Soil Test

Post by fall50 » May 21st, 2017, 6:38 pm

Fair enough

I did include NPK links above however here is the breakdown per your request. Let me know how I should proceed. * note 21-22-4 was applied 4 weeks ago at 3 lbs/k

15-23-10
Or
12-12-12

I found the breakdown of the lime from the bag at my inlaws. Does this provide enough info whether it's Calatic? If not I will call the company in the morning
Image

Thanks Andy!

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Re: Fall50 2017 Soil Test

Post by kbgfarmer » May 21st, 2017, 7:23 pm

fall50 wrote:
May 21st, 2017, 6:38 pm
Fair enough

I did include NPK links above however here is the breakdown per your request. Let me know how I should proceed. * note 21-22-4 was applied 4 weeks ago at 3 lbs/k

15-23-10
Or
12-12-12

I found the breakdown of the lime from the bag at my inlaws. Does this provide enough info whether it's Calatic? If not I will call the company in the morning
Image

Thanks Andy!
It's calcitic lime also known as agricultural lime. key is the high calcium carbonate. In Dolomitic lime you will also see a high percentage of 40% or more of magnesium carbonate in the makeup.

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andy10917
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Re: Fall50 2017 Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » May 21st, 2017, 9:02 pm

Calcitic Lime and Agricultural Lime are NOT synonyms. Ag Lime is a coarse crushed lime often sold by the ton. Calcitic Lime describes the fact that the lime is almost all Calcium Carbonate and not much Magnesium Carbonate. The limes that we recommend are enhanced limes using humates and lignin binders - they act much faster and allow us to do more apps in a season. The tested ones are Mag-I-Cal, Encap and Solu-Cal -- anything else is at the testing and risk of the OP. If we recommend something that is integrated into the soil in 8 weeks and the OP replaces it with a product that takes 12-14 months, it is going to pile up and possibly cause problems.

fall50
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Re: Fall50 2017 Soil Test

Post by fall50 » June 7th, 2017, 12:47 pm

Andy

I am checking back in. I have located the ENCAP Lime. Based on your comments above you had asked I post the NPK breakdown so that you can advise on a frequency of apps relative to my soil sample. I can get the following from Mennards. I may be able to get some 0-0-50 SOP as my father may have some left over.

Menards
15-23-10
12-12-12

https://hw.menardc.com/main/items/media ... 0-1614.pdf
or
https://hw.menardc.com/main/items/media ... 0-1290.pdf

***AFTER I took the soil sample I applied 3 lbs/k of 21-22-4. That was apprx 7 weeks ago

Please let me know next steps. Thanks Andy

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andy10917
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Re: Fall50 2017 Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » June 7th, 2017, 10:24 pm

12-12-12 can be applied at 8 lbs/K monthly, although I usually say Skip July. Stop when you switch to the Fall Fertilization Regimen (September in MN?).

fall50
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Re: Fall50 2017 Soil Test

Post by fall50 » August 12th, 2017, 12:23 pm

andy10917 wrote:
May 21st, 2017, 8:04 am
Someone did a lot of (probably dolomitic) lime work in the Back, but not the Front.

You'll need calcitic lime (Solu-Cal/Encap/Mag-I-Cal) at the Heavy Rate on the bag mixed with 2 lbs/K of Epsom Salts and applied every 90 days, in the Front. NO LIME IN THE BACK.
Andy

One thing I forgot to do that I just realized is that I never added the Epsom Salts when I dropped the lime. At the present time I plan on seeding in the next 15-18 days. Could i still drop the Espoms salts now? (it will be apprx 4lbs for 2K ). I was going to pick up the following from Target https://www.target.com/p/epsom-salts-4- ... A-11454531

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andy10917
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Re: Fall50 2017 Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » August 12th, 2017, 12:30 pm

While I know of nothing specific that says that you shouldn't put down Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulfate) now, I am not a fan of applying anything with chemical activity at the surface near the seed-down time. The big question is "if you didn't see the importance of putting it down earlier, why is it important to rush it now?".

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