Ruxie's 2019 Soil Test

[Ruxie88]

Attached are my first soil test for this established lawn. This is my first full season of, relatively speaking, educated lawncare.

I would like to use as much organics as possible, but know sythetics may be required to get the soil in optimal condition.

Thank you in advance for all of your help.

[Ruxie88]

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=24665

The link was my 2019 Plan prior to the soil test. I think it would help my soil substituting peat moss for compost.

[Ruxie88]

Would adding sulfur, critic acid and peat moss help lower the pH?

[andy10917]

You are 0.01 point from a Loam soil. Your OM% isn't terrible, but adding more would lift the TEC - I'd like to see it at 5% for you, and that will take a couple of years even if you dive in with both feet. Do it!

You will not lower a pH of 7.8 with anything that comes in a bag, or anything that is applied to the surface of the soil. It takes thousands of lbs of materials, forever maintenace to keep it, and rototilling. The likelihood that you cause more issues than you fix is very high.

You are low in both Phosphorus and Potassium - and that is best (and cost-effectively) treated with a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10, 19-19-19, etc. Pick one and supply the NPK for rates and frequency.

Iron is also somewhat low, and that means either FAS treatments, chelated Iron ($$$$) or Milorganite/OceanGro. If you choose Milo/Oceangro, we'll work it in halfway between the balanced fertilizer,

Up for micro's work in 2019?

I'm surprised that there are pH 7.8 soils in Central NJ. Typically, those only happen on liming overshoots there.

[Ruxie88]

You are 0.01 point from a Loam soil. Your OM% isn't terrible, but adding more would lift the TEC - I'd like to see it at 5% for you, and that will take a couple of years even if you dive in with both feet. Do it!

You will not lower a pH of 7.8 with anything that comes in a bag, or anything that is applied to the surface of the soil. It takes thousands of lbs of materials, forever maintenace to keep it, and rototilling. The likelihood that you cause more issues than you fix is very high.

You are low in both Phosphorus and Potassium - and that is best (and cost-effectively) treated with a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10, 19-19-19, etc. Pick one and supply the NPK for rates and frequency.

Iron is also somewhat low, and that means either FAS treatments, chelated Iron ($$$$) or Milorganite/OceanGro. If you choose Milo/Oceangro, we'll work it in halfway between the balanced fertilizer,

Up for micro's work in 2019?

I'm surprised that there are pH 7.8 soils in Central NJ. Typically, those only happen on liming overshoots there.

Much appreciated Andy. Should the above assessment be applied for the backyard report?

I contacted the gardener that did my lawn last year, and unannounced to me, he did spread lime last October timeframe. This is another reason why I will not use him and will be taking care of the lawn myself. Based on this and the fact the lawn has not been properly taken care of for years, I want to focus on the fundamentals: proper mowing & water practices; fertilize with 20 lbs/mth of an organic mixture (Soybean meal, alfalfa meal, chicken manure, kelp meal etc); apply iron via FAS; and spread peat/compost a couple times this year. We will see how next year's test comes out.

Concerning micros, I will work on it if any of them are significantly deficient. Please let me know. Thank you!

[andy10917]

Should the above assessment be applied for the backyard report?

Yes. They are not different in any material way. Save your money and send in a mixed sample next year.

In the micro's, Zinc and Boron are in need of attention. Get Twenty Mule Team laundry soap from the grocery store, and Zinc Sulfate from Amazon or EBAY. 3 tablespoons of each every 60 days as outlined in the Micronutrient Application Guide.