What does it indicate about soil when it cracks and looks like puzzle pieces?

Learn how improving your soil can lead to a better looking lawn
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john5246
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What does it indicate about soil when it cracks and looks like puzzle pieces?

Post by john5246 » September 21st, 2018, 1:08 pm

I've done a reno and been watering many times a day. Now I'm going to water every other day. I've noticed that our ground sometimes "cracks", it looks like the ground is made up of puzzle pieces now with quarter inch to half in gap between the pieces.

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andy10917
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Re: What does it indicate about soil when it cracks and looks like puzzle pieces?

Post by andy10917 » September 21st, 2018, 3:58 pm

I can answer the question better if you ran a Logan Labs soil test and you post a link to it, but it can be a substantial clay content, a lack of soil aggregation due to a poor Calcium/Magnesium ratio. Those are the more-likely reasons, but there are others.

john5246
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Re: What does it indicate about soil when it cracks and looks like puzzle pieces?

Post by john5246 » September 21st, 2018, 4:28 pm

Yes I will get a proper soil test done soon and post it. Thanks

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andy10917
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Re: What does it indicate about soil when it cracks and looks like puzzle pieces?

Post by andy10917 » September 22nd, 2018, 8:28 am

"Aggregation" is the process by which soils form small little pieces that stick loosely together, and that lets Oxygen and water to move freely. When larger areas stick together and break as plates, it's a good idea to find out why. Often when the organic matter is very low and there is nothing for the microherd to eat, they die off and the soil misbehaves - even without specific structural or chemical issues. The use of BLSC can help temporarily, but it's good to get to the root of the matter (pun intended).

john5246
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Re: What does it indicate about soil when it cracks and looks like puzzle pieces?

Post by john5246 » September 24th, 2018, 4:25 am

I just have a hard time believing it's short on organic matter (yes i know soil test will let me know), the area above the grass has a two huge trees with so many leaves falling.


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andy10917
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Re: What does it indicate about soil when it cracks and looks like puzzle pieces?

Post by andy10917 » September 24th, 2018, 10:02 am

What do you do with the leaves that fall on the lawn?

TimmyG
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Re: What does it indicate about soil when it cracks and looks like puzzle pieces?

Post by TimmyG » September 24th, 2018, 12:05 pm

andy10917 wrote:
September 24th, 2018, 10:02 am
What do you do with the leaves that fall on the lawn?
...and how many years (or decades) have you (or previous owners) been doing such?

john5246
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Re: What does it indicate about soil when it cracks and looks like puzzle pieces?

Post by john5246 » September 26th, 2018, 6:46 pm

TimmyG wrote:
September 24th, 2018, 12:05 pm
andy10917 wrote:
September 24th, 2018, 10:02 am
What do you do with the leaves that fall on the lawn?
...and how many years (or decades) have you (or previous owners) been doing such?
most of the leaves get mulched, at some point in fall there's so many leaves that fall so fast they must piled up and disposed of, else you'll be mowing everyday. This has been going on for over 20yrs. Most leaves and other small twigs get mulched up by mower. Only in the fall do some leaves get gathered and thrown away.

john5246
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Re: What does it indicate about soil when it cracks and looks like puzzle pieces?

Post by john5246 » September 26th, 2018, 6:49 pm

Forgot to add that I don't own a bagging mower and never have, so all clippings go back into the soil. That's also been going on for 20yrs

craigdt
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Re: What does it indicate about soil when it cracks and looks like puzzle pieces?

Post by craigdt » October 10th, 2018, 10:34 pm

I have a similar issue, and in my case, its very clay soil and very low organic matter content.

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