mkefer Soil Test 2017

[mkefer]

I apologize in advance, this test was done at 6" before I knew to do 3-4". I'm in Northeast Indiana, lawn is about 7500 square feet of KBG/TTTF/Rye standard cool season mix.

My lawn has been in fairly poor shape until last fall when I aerated/overseeded/fertilized with starter & milorganite. It was pretty successful, and late fall was looking better than ever before - we have worms again for the first time in a couple years. This season so far I've applied starter fertilizer early and milorganite several weeks ago. I have way more grass than any previous year, but it's not super lush and green - lots of brown and yellow blades, and the blades seem thin, dry, and hard compared to some of the better lawns on my block. Way more weeds too, the dandelions were pretty prevalent this year.

I see some obvious problems: pH too high, Phosphorous, Potassium, Organic Matter and Iron low - but I don't know the best way to go about fixing them. I'm not really sure what exchangeable hydrogen is, but 0.00 seems bad. I'd normally describe my soil as rock hard or a swamp, but this year after applying Aerify Plus early in the season, I've found my soil drains far faster than ever before with the heavy rains we had in May. Digging out the soil samples was surprisingly difficult after so much rain though - not quite rock hard, but extremely dense.



Thanks for doing this guys!

[andy10917]

That is either a calcareous soil (more Calcium than exchange sites to hold it) or a very heavy soil with with a ton of Calcium and Magnesium. I'd have to see a comparable Ammonium Acetate test to know which it is. Let's put it this way - your pH isn't changing in your lifetime. The soil has poor OM levels.

The "-634" number on the Potassium is probably a mirage from a calcareous soil, but the Potassium levels could use a bump.

When Phosphorus and Potassium are both low, we use balanced fertilizers like 10-10-10 or 19-19-19. Pick one and post the NPK for app rates and frequency.

As you noticed, the Iron is low. Standard techniques will not work at your pH - at all. You'll have to do chelated Iron treatments or FAS foliar treatments for top color.

In the micro’s, it’s Boron and Zinc. Get Twenty Mule Team Laundry Soap (grocery) and Zinc Sulfate (Amazon/EBay), and apply each at three tablespoons/K every 60 days. Read the Micronutrient Application Guide for application specifics.

[mkefer]

I've sourced some 10-10-10, applications rates and frequencies would be appreciated. I'm guessing 3/4 - 1 pound N (and P and K since it's equal) per K? Curious if I should be worried about temperatures for this application (or the micros), it's been in the 90s every day here lately.

We have a limestone quarry not too far from here, so I'm guessing the soil is calcareous.

I purchased some Twenty Mule Team Borax at the store, and Zinc Sulfate on Amazon, should be arriving soon. I'll do my best to stick it to some Milorganite and throw 'er down.

Thanks for your help

[andy10917]

The 10-10-10 goes down at 10 lbs/K. If you don't have irrigation, back off for July and early August.

[mkefer]

No irrigation, how often should I apply assuming the weather's not too hot?

[andy10917]

I'd cut the rates to half-rate during that period - you don't want growth that can't be supported by water.

[mkefer]

How about frequency (how often to apply?) Every 60 days for the micros, curious how often for the fertilizer.

Thanks again

[andy10917]

The frequency is monthly, unless conditions are extreme.