npilagin's Soil Test 2017

[npilagin]

Apologize for my first post being one that is asking for help instead of offering something...but ive been reading this forum for a while now, and decided to get my first soil test.

Background:Centipede lawn, with some Fescue. Recently bought the house. Previous owner didnt do much in the way of lawn care. I had 3 large trees removed from the yard, and there are bare spots there that i need to fill in, and the grass everywhere else isn't growing as well as it should be. I also think that leftover underground roots are causing more weeds to spring up (this is just an observation based on weed spots being really bad around the spots where i pull up tree roots ) It's about 50% sun, 50% shade. No irrigation, but i have no issues watering it...not to mention adding whatever else is recommended.

The goal is a healthy centipede lawn.




Thanks in advance for any help. It is much appreciated. I am happy to provide more info if needed...Just let me know !

[andy10917]

Make sure to put a link to this thread into the Soil Test Interpretation Queue, so you have a place in the waiting line

[npilagin]

yes sir. Thanks

[npilagin]

It just occurred to me to add that my yard is just a tick under 5k sq ft, and i have ben shampooing the lawn every 2 weeks at about a 3oz/k rate.

[andy10917]

I have to preface this one: do you know much about Centipede? It is not a grass that wants a pampered soil - as a matter of fact, if you improve the soil substantially, it may be out-competed by other grasses.

The joke is that the way to fertilize Centipede is to hold up a bag of fertilizer and swear that you'll use it next year.

So, your soil is a low-TEC (very sandy), low-OM, low-pH challenge. That makes it perfect for Centipede.

I'd recommend selecting a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10 and putting it down at half rate, 3X a year. Pick one and post the NPK numbers and we'll give you app rates and frequency.

That's all you need to do.

PS: most likely, disturbing the soil when the tree/roots were removed was/is the source of weed seeds. That's why we recommend not disturbing the soil.

[npilagin]

I understand, and won't do much. I will post the fert when i find it.

As for the PS, the weeds were growing directly above the roots before i removed them.

A couple quick questions if i may:

- I noticed another test for a centipede lawn from 2016 that had a higher boron content (.48) than mine(.29), and you still recommended it. Should I not add it ? Just curious if it is something about my location, or if something else makes up for it ?

- Milorganite, should i not use it ? It seems like everyone recommends it for everything (not for centipede?)

- Is the OM% not an issue because of the centipede ? Should i worry about it at all ?

Thank you so much for the assistance. It is greatly appreciated.

[andy10917]

You can substitute Milorganite for the balanced fertilizer if you'd like. I'll immediately tell you to locate Sulfate of Potash also. You will spend the rest of your natural life looking for it in your area.

You don't have the ratios I'd like to see yet to be applying micronutrients. Probably next year.

[npilagin]

OK, i found the 10-10-10 at a couple different places, and i can get a Sulfate of Potash 0-0-50 online if i need it.

Apologize for asking too many questions, but..."ratios" of which ???

[npilagin]

And more questions if i may:

I have to seed about 1k sq/ft (areas where the trees & roots were). I am tilling, and leveling now, and i sprayed atrazine (image) yesterday. From my research, this is a good time to seed centipede (please tell me if i'm wrong).

This is the seed i was thinking for reference: http://www.seedland.com/mm5/merchant.mv ... e=TIFBLAIR

Is there a waiting period between when i spray atrazine, apply the 10-10-10, and I seed ?

Also, this seed accelerator is available at Lowe's for the first time now (0.7-1-0.4), and i was thinking i could apply it with the seed, to help it with moisture during the beginning. http://www.greenviewfertilizer.com/stor ... 96085.aspx

Thanks again for all the help. I promise i will absorb the info, and bother you less in the future !!!

[andy10917]

This is the Soils Forum - questions about herbicides and seeding go into the Warm-Season Forum.

PS: I don't discuss the ratios that I use - there were too many incidences of people trying to oversimplify them.

[npilagin]

Got it...will post those questions in the proper forum.

As for the 10-10-10, you said half bag rate 3x per year. Is there a recommended time(s) of year (month?) in which to do it ? Or, i guess more importantly, is there a month NOT to do it ? I ask because i want to start asap, so i will likely start the 10-10-10 regimen in the next 2 weeks if you say it's ok.

Would a July, November, March schedule work, or should i schedule them around certain weather etc... ?

Thanks again.