mschlee soil test

Learn how improving your soil can lead to a better looking lawn
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mschlee
Posts: 79
Joined: August 23rd, 2013, 10:30 pm
Location: long island
Grass Type: pr/kbg/red fescue
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

mschlee soil test

Post by mschlee » June 10th, 2019, 10:02 am

Hey all. Looking to get my soil back in action after a bit of time off. I'm looking to hit the 80/20 rule - don't need an A+ lawn, I could probably get an A- with a lot less struggle.

As you can tell from the test, the soil is very sandy so everything runs through it. I have emptied my 18k gallon pool into the backyard in about 10 hours without even a large puddle

Please lmk if any additional info is needed. And as always thanks in advance





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andy10917
Posts: 29739
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Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
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Re: mschlee soil test

Post by andy10917 » June 11th, 2019, 9:43 pm

Alright, you're correct -- it is behaving like Sand. The test results support you.

There is one big issue, though - the way to deal with sand is to apply 60% of the amounts, twice as often. But to do that would mean more applications than I think you're comfortable with, so I'm going to post the full amounts, and you can change when/if you'd like.

The TEC's of your tests are all 3+, which is extremely sandy. The OM in the 2's is poor, and whatever (free or paid) you can add will help the TEC and the soil's ability to hold the nutrients for you. Lots, if you can!

In the cations, they're low across the board. That means Calcitic Lime (SoluCal/Mag-I-Cal/Encap/Sta-Green), at 9 lbs/K, mixed with 2 lbs/K of Epsom Salts. Apply the mix at 11 lbs/K, every 90 days.

The cations drive the pH, and the end result is a pH in the mid-to-upper 5's. It will take a while to get them to rise and stay in the 6's.

The Potassium is low, and the Phosphorus is plentiful -- that means you need to find the elusive Sulfate of Potash ("SOP") and apply it at 2 lbs/K monthly.

The Iron is fine, and if you get the above moving in the right direction, you should see change this season. But tak6 eweeing any significant time as a breather is going to push you back to the starting line.

For Nitrogen, Milorganite will stay present in the soil longer, and is a good solution (if you can find it this year). Otherwise, apply a slow-release high-Nitrogen (first number) product every 6 weeks.

I'll skip on the micro's for now, as you want to keep this pretty straightforward...

PS: three soil test areas are unnecessary - your results are remarkably similar.

mschlee
Posts: 79
Joined: August 23rd, 2013, 10:30 pm
Location: long island
Grass Type: pr/kbg/red fescue
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

Re: mschlee soil test

Post by mschlee » June 12th, 2019, 7:16 am

Thanks so much Andy. I'm amazed how much time you dedicate to helping others. It is sincerely appreciated.

One question.
- The monthly sop treatments can continue through October? I'll do another test next spring to assess.

mschlee
Posts: 79
Joined: August 23rd, 2013, 10:30 pm
Location: long island
Grass Type: pr/kbg/red fescue
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

Re: mschlee soil test

Post by mschlee » June 12th, 2019, 10:32 pm

sorry, one more -if i split the nitrogen to 60% every 3 weeks, what would be a safe amount per k and should i use fast release since it will filter through the ground so quickly?

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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: mschlee soil test

Post by andy10917 » June 13th, 2019, 6:18 am

You need to provide the NPK you're using to get a safe application rate


mschlee
Posts: 79
Joined: August 23rd, 2013, 10:30 pm
Location: long island
Grass Type: pr/kbg/red fescue
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

Re: mschlee soil test

Post by mschlee » June 13th, 2019, 6:50 am

OK. I'll grab some this weekend and post back. Is my thought around using frequent fast release logical/appropriate?

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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: mschlee soil test

Post by andy10917 » June 13th, 2019, 9:46 pm

Nitrogen doesn't stick around for long periods in any soil - some nutrients attach to soil particles well and some don't. Nitrogen is in the second group.

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