Knutty's Soil Sample - 2017

[knutty]

Hello folks - First time posting here. Mine is a new construction in NC. Grass is Bermuda and I don't have an irrigation system in place - just been using a bunch of impact sprinklers to keep the lawn irrigated. The yard is around 7000 sq ft spread over the back, 2 sides and front. The house is on top of a hill and the backyard and frontyard have a slope. The dormant sod was laid in late December. The builder told us to not apply any herbicide/fertilizer till the grass was emergent - which didn't happen till almost mid April and even then there were patches that had low quantities of emergent strands. By that time I had a weed problem and I did an application of Celsius which bought the weeds under control. After the weeds were under control, I sampled the soil (across all 3 sides - 6 inches deep) and sent it for analysis. I've applied a round of Lesco (28-0-3) fertilizer about 4 weeks ago (after the soil samples were taken) that seemed to have helped the front and the back, but the side is where the growth is still not consistent and I have quite a few patches with low quantities of active grass. Overall some patches of sod are growing well and others are not. Of the patches that are still more brown then green, I've tried to look for grubs, but didn't find any - they are well rooted. Of the patches that are dead, I've seen a few tiny black beatles - not sure if that is a sign of grubs. I haven't seen any under the dead sod. The builder says that those may just be patches that did not take root at all. Would appreciate any advice on what I should do.

[knutty]

Adding some images of the yard..(sorry for the multiple posts, the software is only letting me link to 2 images at a time per post)

FRONT

[knutty]

BACK

[knutty]

SIDE

[knutty]

DEAD SPOTS

[andy10917]

Knutty: your effort in posting the pictures in the Soils Forum is wasted. This specific forum is for soil stuff - post any questions about your Bermuda in the Warm Season Forum.

[knutty]

Okay. I'll post the lawn care questions to the right forum. I would still like some recommendations on improving the quality of the soil based on the soil test posted in the main post of this thread. Thanks for your help!

[andy10917]

Yup. I should get to it this weekend.

[andy10917]

That's kind of a weak soil across the board. It's a sandy soil with little organic matter. Any actions to increase the OM will reward you by keeping the nutrients from going to China. Any OM helps a soil like this.

In the cations, all are weak. Apply a good calcitic lime (Encap/Mag-I-Cal/Solu-Cal) at 9 lbs/K every 90 days, mixed with 2 lbs/K of Epsom Salts.

Potassium and Phosphorus are both weak, which simplifies things. Choose a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10 or 19-19-19 and post the NPK for app rates and frequency.

The Iron is also low. You can use a reasonably heavy Milorganite regimen, or apply 3 lbs/K of Ferrous Sulfate every 60 days (not near Lime apps).

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

[knutty]

Based on your recommendations, I've put together the program below. Do you think something like this will work. Am I okay mixing the things like below? Do I follow the same program in Winter or change it? Thanks for your help!

July 1 Calcitic Lime, Epsom Salts, 10-10-10 Fertilizer, Organic Compost
July 15 Milogranite, Twenty Mule Team, Copper Sulfate
Aug 1 10-10-10 Fertilizer, Organic Compost
Aug 15
Sept 1 10-10-10 Fertilizer, Organic Compost
Sept 15 Milogranite, Twenty Mule Team, Copper Sulfate
Oct 1 Calcitic Lime, Epsom Salts, 10-10-10 Fertilizer, Organic Compost
Oct 15
Nov 1 10-10-10 Fertilizer, Organic Compost
Nov 15 Milogranite, Twenty Mule Team, Copper Sulfate
Dec 1 10-10-10 Fertilizer, Organic Compost
Dec 15
Jan 1 Calcitic Lime, Epsom Salts, 10-10-10 Fertilizer, Organic Compost
Jan 15 Milogranite, Twenty Mule Team, Copper Sulfate

[andy10917]

Here's what I would do with the Plan:

- I would print it on the best 34-lb paper stock that you can find
- I would admire it for a while
- I would take it outside
- I would place it deep inside the compost pile
- I would water it often so it follows an accelerated decay cycle
- I would walk around the yard and decide what it is that the lawn seems to need
- I would do what makes sense for the recent and current conditions
- I would water the compost pile again

Stop thinking that you can know in April what conditions and challenges you will face in November!! You learn the rough timings and do what makes sense. Nobody ever made the best lawn by printing schedules months in advance.

[knutty]

Well, this is my first time doing this - sorry for the n00b approach, but I thought since this is a new lawn any alteration to the composition would take time and work and maybe a fixed plan was the way to approach it in the next 6-odd months. I guess I understand you point.

One underlying question I was hoping to get an answer was more around if mixing Lime, Epsom, Fert, Compost around the same time is fine and if a 2 week gap between Lime and Milo is fine. Also, how frequently do you recommend soil tests to adjust the plan - twice a year or more frequently.

[andy10917]

Too big a list to discuss interactions. Lime and Epsom Salts go together. Urea-based fertilizers and Lime do not (min. two week separation). Compost doesn't matter.

Soil tests are once a year if you're in remediation (you are). Every 2-3 years after remediation.