Umbo's 2019 Soil Test
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- Posts: 99
- Joined: June 23rd, 2017, 6:35 am
- Location: Rhode Island
- Grass Type: Northern Mix
- Lawn Size: 10000-20000
- Level: Some Experience
Umbo's 2019 Soil Test
First soil test. The house was new construction. All native top soil removed; fill brought in, then covered with top soil, ranging 2-4 inches in different areas. The back was recently graded and 2 inches of top soil was brought in. Front yard is 7000 sqft and backyard is 11k sqft. Other than being my favorite hobby, my goal is to have a beautiful lawn and a strong and healthy soil, so I am willing to put time and work into it. The front is a northern mix and I have recently introduced a large amount of lesco double eagle PRG. The back is mostly bare due to a late fall reno, will be overseeding this spring with Hogan PhD PRG blend.
Ive been battling red thread for the 2nd year in a row and Ive been slowly getting rid of all of the clover. I do have moss in some areas.
I would appreciate a nitrogen recommendation as well. Last year in the front yard I used milo and the lawn really struggled until I put down some synthetic. I dropped urea as my winterizer in early December.
Any and all advice to develop a plan will be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Ive been battling red thread for the 2nd year in a row and Ive been slowly getting rid of all of the clover. I do have moss in some areas.
I would appreciate a nitrogen recommendation as well. Last year in the front yard I used milo and the lawn really struggled until I put down some synthetic. I dropped urea as my winterizer in early December.
Any and all advice to develop a plan will be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
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- Posts: 99
- Joined: June 23rd, 2017, 6:35 am
- Location: Rhode Island
- Grass Type: Northern Mix
- Lawn Size: 10000-20000
- Level: Some Experience
Re: Umbo's 2019 Soil Test
Forgot a small detail... I've been working on the front yard for 3 years.
- andy10917
- Posts: 29741
- 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: Umbo's 2019 Soil Test
Wow!! An easy-peasy one finally...
Your soil is not terrible, and the things that are short match up to make this straightforward.
You have a moderately sandy soil at a TEC of 6+. The 3+ OM number is mediocre, and matched with the TEC, it really should be uppermost in your thinking - otherwise you're pouring fertilizer right through a sieve for leaching. Lots of OM material, and often.
In the cations, Potassium is the only one that requires attention. More on that in a moment. The cations are making the pH of 7.0. That's right on the knife's edge - any higher and the Iron will become unavailable to the lawn. Don't play with Lime.
Since both Potassium and Phosphorus are short, we can use a balanced fertilizer and get Nitrogen to go along for the ride. Pick something like 10-10-10 or 19-19-19 and post the NPK for application rates. You'll be applying it monthly during the growing season.
The Iron is doing well, but like I said, you're on the knife's edge.
In the micro's, Boron is short - let me know if micro's are on the table for 2019.
Your soil is not terrible, and the things that are short match up to make this straightforward.
You have a moderately sandy soil at a TEC of 6+. The 3+ OM number is mediocre, and matched with the TEC, it really should be uppermost in your thinking - otherwise you're pouring fertilizer right through a sieve for leaching. Lots of OM material, and often.
In the cations, Potassium is the only one that requires attention. More on that in a moment. The cations are making the pH of 7.0. That's right on the knife's edge - any higher and the Iron will become unavailable to the lawn. Don't play with Lime.
Since both Potassium and Phosphorus are short, we can use a balanced fertilizer and get Nitrogen to go along for the ride. Pick something like 10-10-10 or 19-19-19 and post the NPK for application rates. You'll be applying it monthly during the growing season.
The Iron is doing well, but like I said, you're on the knife's edge.
In the micro's, Boron is short - let me know if micro's are on the table for 2019.
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- Posts: 99
- Joined: June 23rd, 2017, 6:35 am
- Location: Rhode Island
- Grass Type: Northern Mix
- Lawn Size: 10000-20000
- Level: Some Experience
Re: Umbo's 2019 Soil Test
Andy thank you so much for your help!
Luckily my house is surrounded by forest so I will continue mulching as many leafs as the soil can handle. Peat moss will also be a close friend of mine to help out. I have 3 bags of 10-10-10 and definitely up to doing micros.
Luckily my house is surrounded by forest so I will continue mulching as many leafs as the soil can handle. Peat moss will also be a close friend of mine to help out. I have 3 bags of 10-10-10 and definitely up to doing micros.
- andy10917
- Posts: 29741
- 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: Umbo's 2019 Soil Test
Get Twenty Mule Team laundry soap from the grocery store. Apply at 3 tablespoons/K every 60 days of the growing season, as outlined in the Micronutrient Application Guide.
On your other topic, you'll be very surprised at how many chopped leaves will disappear in a week. Really!
On your other topic, you'll be very surprised at how many chopped leaves will disappear in a week. Really!
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- Posts: 99
- Joined: June 23rd, 2017, 6:35 am
- Location: Rhode Island
- Grass Type: Northern Mix
- Lawn Size: 10000-20000
- Level: Some Experience
Re: Umbo's 2019 Soil Test
Thanks Again Andy!
What would my rates for 10-10-10 be? Any additional nitrogen after my 10-10-10?
What would my rates for 10-10-10 be? Any additional nitrogen after my 10-10-10?
- andy10917
- Posts: 29741
- 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: Umbo's 2019 Soil Test
Rates for 10-10-10 are 10 lbs/K, monthly. That will deliver the 1 lb/K of Nitrogen.
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- Posts: 99
- Joined: June 23rd, 2017, 6:35 am
- Location: Rhode Island
- Grass Type: Northern Mix
- Lawn Size: 10000-20000
- Level: Some Experience
Re: Umbo's 2019 Soil Test
Andy,
I have been following the plan you have laid out for me, thank you again for that. So far I applied my 10-10-10 fertilizer on May 1st (@ .75lb N/k rate) along with my micro application of Boron. Initial green up was good from the fall urea treatments but then the lawn and color started to look OK. And it still looks OK after I applied my 1st 10-10-10 app.
I was doing a lot of yard work around the garden beds so on May 10th I threw down in front of the beds, where I was walking a lot, some Screamin Green that I had left over. Roughly at the .5 lbs N /k rate. Within 3 days the area in front of the garden beds greened up beautifully. So I tried to understand what was in the Screamin Green that pushed the beautiful color but also overall healthier look.
I assumed the green up was the fast acting urea or the iron. So I did a little test on May 14th… probably not the smartest thing to do… but a couple feet away from where I threw screamin green I mapped out two 4’ x 4’ squares. I dropped urea @ .5 lbs N/k rate on one and dropped moss out (bag rate) for iron on the other. No noticeable change as of 5/19 to either.
I figure this difference in color and overall healthier appearance is based on some limiting component and maybe this is bigger than one fertilizer vs the other. I know I have only made one fertilizer drop per my plan but this has been bugging me and I was wondering if you had any insight. I don’t expect any magical change from one application this question is just for my understanding.
Labels for reference:
10-10-10:
3.91 % ammoniacal nitrogen, 6.09 urea nitrogen, phosphate 10% and soluble potash 10%. (Urea, ammonium phosphate, muriate of potash)
Screamin Green:
Total N: 16%(3 % ammoniacal nitrogen, 10.6% urea N, 2.4 water insoluble N), Phosphate 2%, Potash 3%, calcium 1%, sulfur 4 % and iron 1%. (Ammonium sulfate, sulfur coated urea, urea and sulfate of potash)
I have been following the plan you have laid out for me, thank you again for that. So far I applied my 10-10-10 fertilizer on May 1st (@ .75lb N/k rate) along with my micro application of Boron. Initial green up was good from the fall urea treatments but then the lawn and color started to look OK. And it still looks OK after I applied my 1st 10-10-10 app.
I was doing a lot of yard work around the garden beds so on May 10th I threw down in front of the beds, where I was walking a lot, some Screamin Green that I had left over. Roughly at the .5 lbs N /k rate. Within 3 days the area in front of the garden beds greened up beautifully. So I tried to understand what was in the Screamin Green that pushed the beautiful color but also overall healthier look.
I assumed the green up was the fast acting urea or the iron. So I did a little test on May 14th… probably not the smartest thing to do… but a couple feet away from where I threw screamin green I mapped out two 4’ x 4’ squares. I dropped urea @ .5 lbs N/k rate on one and dropped moss out (bag rate) for iron on the other. No noticeable change as of 5/19 to either.
I figure this difference in color and overall healthier appearance is based on some limiting component and maybe this is bigger than one fertilizer vs the other. I know I have only made one fertilizer drop per my plan but this has been bugging me and I was wondering if you had any insight. I don’t expect any magical change from one application this question is just for my understanding.
Labels for reference:
10-10-10:
3.91 % ammoniacal nitrogen, 6.09 urea nitrogen, phosphate 10% and soluble potash 10%. (Urea, ammonium phosphate, muriate of potash)
Screamin Green:
Total N: 16%(3 % ammoniacal nitrogen, 10.6% urea N, 2.4 water insoluble N), Phosphate 2%, Potash 3%, calcium 1%, sulfur 4 % and iron 1%. (Ammonium sulfate, sulfur coated urea, urea and sulfate of potash)
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