Central MN soil test

Learn how improving your soil can lead to a better looking lawn
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fall50
Posts: 161
Joined: May 31st, 2011, 9:54 pm
Location: MN
Grass Type: KBG
Lawn Size: Not Specified
Level: Not Specified

Central MN soil test

Post by fall50 » October 4th, 2017, 10:19 pm

Own a small cabin in central MN. Have an area that is approx 300 sqft that would like to grow some shrubs. The area also has several mature pine tree and the soil adjacent to this area has some semi resemblence of grass would also be a candidate for any soil amedmwnt recommendations.

Iam will incorporate any recommendations into both areas

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Marinegrunt
Posts: 483
Joined: October 25th, 2016, 10:37 am
Location: Central IL
Grass Type: TTTF + 10% KBG
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

Re: Central MN soil test

Post by Marinegrunt » October 5th, 2017, 4:10 pm

Be sure to get in line in the "soil test interpretation queue" thread. That's how they keep track on who's next in line. You'll see that thread a few down from this one.

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andy10917
Posts: 29739
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 10:48 pm
Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
Grass Type: Emblem KBG (Front); Blueberry KBG Monostand (Back)
Lawn Size: 1 acre-2 acre
Level: Advanced

Re: Central MN soil test

Post by andy10917 » October 8th, 2017, 1:02 pm

That's a somewhat sandy soil with sorta-crappy OM numbers. For 300 sq ft, I'd use peat moss supplementation for holes dug for shrubs and peat moss or compost on the lawn area, and keep it up.

The Calcium is perfect but the Magnesium is too high. You could leave it alone and use Milorganite for Iron/Nitrogen. Also work in some Sulfur into planting holes - it will most like do nothing for the higher-pH, but you're pretty short on Sulfur. Alternatively, you could supplement with Gypsum which will do two things: (1) raise the Sulfur through Sulfates, and (2) displace some Magnesium with Calcium (good for you).

The Phosphorus is fine, and the Potassium low. You can get few lbs of Sulfate of Potash (SOP, 0-0-50) and apply at 2 lbs/K monthly.

The raw Iron number is OK, but it's not available at that pH. Hence the Milorganite, which is also a good Nitrogen supplier.

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.

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