Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Learn how improving your soil can lead to a better looking lawn
starpartyguy
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Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by starpartyguy » September 19th, 2019, 5:34 pm

Image

Here is the soil test prior to reseeding. My lawn front and back has ~3000 sq feet of bare ground. Planning on using tttf to get green on the ground before winter hits.

Thanks.

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andy10917
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Re: Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by andy10917 » September 19th, 2019, 7:06 pm

Make sure to post a Link to this in the Soil Test Interpretation Queue thread

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HoosierLawnGnome
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Re: Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by HoosierLawnGnome » September 19th, 2019, 9:40 pm

Hey there, star party guy!

The soil has work to do but it has great potential.

You should be able to get going this fall on some things.

The TEC indicates a soil that is sandier at TEC 6.42. It may leach some nutrients and not hold moisture as well, so tweak the watering as needed.

The good news is your OM level is helping you. It is ok at 4.5 and will combat nutrient loss and sandiness. This fall, not a single leaf leaves the yard (see what I did there??) :):):) mulch it all unless you have fungal outbreak. If your neighbors will let you have theirs go for them. Not critical but it will help and it takes a lot of stuff to bump up levels.

The major cations are in pretty good shape. A little low on Ca, which is probably driving the lower pH that is slightly acidic but nothing to worry about.

The Magnesium and K levels are good, but may need some maintenance as things move around given the plan i have in mind.

Phosphorus needs some help. Mediocre.

Iron needs some help. Also mediocre.

Here's what I'm thinking.

I'm assuming you haven't dropped seed yet.

I want you to get a starter fertilizer, urea, iron sulfate, and a good calcitic lime like magical or encap. You may find iron sulfate at a farm feed store, which is also likely to have urea. Milorganite is optional.

Most important is to drop seed as soon as possible so it can root in as much as possible before winter hits.

For the seeded area, get your seed down first. Once the seedlings are getting out of sprout n pout this fall, apply 9 lbs per K of calcitic lime as long as the ground isn't frozen up. Winterize it with 2 lbs per K urea when the top growth stops but the roots are still growing. Also put put 2 lbs per K iron sulfate. The turf probably wont be mature enough to be fertilized with synthetic N before then. If you want to put out bag rate of something like milorganite or an equivalent at seed down that's a good thing too.

On the unseeded area, put out bag rate of starter fertilizer now. Apply iron sulfate at 2 lbs per K as well. Water it in well and wait to apply the iron sulfate if it's going to be 80 degrees or more. In two weeks apply the calcitic lime at 9 lbs per K. Apply urea at 1 lb per K until first frost weekly, one week after the starter fertilizer.

Always water in fertilizer well after application.

For the entire yard 2020 spring, apply 9 lbs per K of the calcitic lime at greenup when the ground is workable and again late August.

When the turf greens up on it's own, apply starter at bag rate April May, late August, September, and early October. Let us know next year if you want help with a Nitrogen program or feel comfortable by then. I would recommend regular, light doses of urea in the spring on the newly seeded area April and May like 1 lb per K every other week when not applying starter.

The Iron sulfate can go down 2 lbs per K every 90 days, say May, late August.

Keep the lime and starter a few weeks apart.

And keep mulching.

The best time to test is the spring, so if you retest this spring we will reevaluate, otherwise skip next year's test as we wont make too many moves this fall with the time we have.

starpartyguy
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Re: Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by starpartyguy » September 19th, 2019, 11:03 pm

I have the urea, 50 lbs of 46-0-0. Having problems finding iron sulfate but I’ll look. I have 2 cu yards of leaf compost on the driveway under a tarp. Also pulled out a cubic yard or more of thatch from 10k of lawn a few weeks ago.

You don’t have to worry about having leaves on my lawn. My neighbors trees all seem to dump on my property.

I think I had insect damage. Some dead grass pulled up like carpet. Saw that before at last house before I moved here 2 years ago. Rest was due to weeds, clover, wild violets, and nutsedge. Not much weeds left. Deal with it in Spring.

2 weeks ago I put down humic acid at 3 oz/k.

Will any starter fret do? HD has Lesco 18-24-12.

And you want me to put that down same time as seeding?

Planning on putting down seed on Saturday. Was planning on lightly covering with compost. Did that before with previous planting and worked well.

Thanks for all the help.

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Re: Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by edslawn » September 21st, 2019, 6:33 pm

starpartyguy wrote:
September 19th, 2019, 11:03 pm
Having problems finding iron sulfate but I’ll look.
Seven Springs Farm Organic Farming & Gardening Supplies LLC
http://www.7springsfarm.com/


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andy10917
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Re: Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by andy10917 » September 21st, 2019, 9:07 pm

Look for "Moss Killer", and check the bag for ingredients. Most of the time it's Ferrous Sulfate (also known as Iron Sulfate).

starpartyguy
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Re: Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by starpartyguy » September 21st, 2019, 10:29 pm

They have it as a feed supplement. Actually called iron sulfate. $34/50 lb.

starpartyguy
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Re: Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by starpartyguy » September 21st, 2019, 11:27 pm

Update: I bagged 16 bags of thatch for hauling to the lawn waste field *Monday probably).
Put down Bio-Advanced grub control over entire lawn. Set up 2 pairs of sprinklers. Pattern could be better. Bought two 4 zone timers. Going to do 2 waterings a day to start, 30 minutes each. Will do front on the hour and back on the half hour starting at 1 a.m. and 6 p.m. Don't want to think about water bill.

Will set up back tomorrow and water in manually everywhere for an hour to wash in the grub control.

Then I'll work on putting down fertilizer and seed, topping with compost.

Should have it all set up by tomorrow evening if I'm lucky.

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HoosierLawnGnome
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Re: Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by HoosierLawnGnome » September 22nd, 2019, 5:31 pm

starpartyguy wrote:
September 21st, 2019, 10:29 pm
They have it as a feed supplement. Actually called iron sulfate. $34/50 lb.
That's what I buy. Good stuff.

starpartyguy
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Re: Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by starpartyguy » September 22nd, 2019, 7:53 pm

Got it all down. Exhausted! Distributed 2 cubic yards of compost over lawn too. 5 hours of shoveling. Got some irrigation set up. Not perfect but it will do for the moment

Shower time and football

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HoosierLawnGnome
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Re: Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by HoosierLawnGnome » September 22nd, 2019, 8:41 pm

The 18 24 12 is fine. Goes down at 4 lbs per K. Theres a decent amount of K in there so keep it 2 weeks from the lime for sure.

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HoosierLawnGnome
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Re: Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by HoosierLawnGnome » September 23rd, 2019, 8:15 am

SPG since you have urea and iron sulfate, you now have the ingredients to make spray iron applications. Theres a good article on it above. It's a great way to get a nice green on your turf that grows out. Dont apply it on seedlings until sprout n pout is done, but on the mature lawn it will make it pop.

Nice thing for short term bump if you have the time.

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Re: Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by TimmyG » September 23rd, 2019, 8:42 am

HoosierLawnGnome wrote:
September 23rd, 2019, 8:15 am
SPG since you have urea and iron sulfate, you now have the ingredients to make spray iron applications.
Except that, hopefully, SPG obtained granular iron sulfate, not powder. Urea may dissolve exceptionally well in water, but granular iron sulfate?

starpartyguy
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Re: Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by starpartyguy » September 23rd, 2019, 2:00 pm

I'm going camping later in the week and won't be back till Sunday. I have a pair of 4 port water timers set up, one in front and one in back. 10 sprinklers covering most of the lawn. Best I can do without irrigation.

My water pressure is 65 psi. But output is 7.5 gpm. I have a 1/2 inch pipe going out to the spigot. But the main is 3/4 inch. It was stepped down. I have someone coming to put in 3/4 pex and install a 3/4 inch spigot outside. We are going to leave the current spigot there and put in a new one for irrigation only. We are going to run 3/4 pex out front as well to a new spigot for the front lawn. Eventually they will be used for underground sprinklers, hopefully next year. For now, the countless hoses will have to do.

As to the iron, I don't have that yet. Can't order anything until after vacation.

starpartyguy
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Re: Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by starpartyguy » September 30th, 2019, 11:54 am

Ordered the iron from 7 springs farms. With shipping, $60 for 50lbs.

Camping was awesome. Beautiful dark sky on Thursday night. Shot the Ring Nebula for 4 hours. Came out great.

Hardly any rain last week. Getting a front push through today. Been watering 30 minutes 2x per day. No growth yet but it’s only 6 days.

starpartyguy
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Re: Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by starpartyguy » September 30th, 2019, 8:19 pm

Looks like we have sprouting. New growth in larger areas in front and rear. Also looking like some old fescue has revived. Lots of areas still bare yet. Need rain!

starpartyguy
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Re: Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by starpartyguy » October 1st, 2019, 6:38 pm

Image

Image

Started seeing some sprouts today and yesterday. Sprouted faster than that Scotts stuff.

starpartyguy
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Re: Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by starpartyguy » October 5th, 2019, 8:46 am

Iron sulfate should be here this week.

Grass has 2 weeks of growth. About 2-3 inches high. Some slower sprouting seeds just germinated.

I was told to apply iron at 2 lbs/k and pelletized lime at 9 lbs/k.

When should I do that? Was thinking iron next weekend and lime the weekend after.

Will that be ok?

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andy10917
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Re: Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by andy10917 » October 5th, 2019, 9:18 am

You misread the advice by HLG - he said
and a good calcitic lime like magical or encap
That is not a recommendation for pelletized lime. Many pelletized limes are dolomitic, and you have plenty of Magnesium - more Magnesium may make your soil "tight" and difficult to work. A good CALCITIC lime from one of these vendors is what is needed: Encap/Mag-I-Cal/SoluCal/Sta-Green. These products use a technology that makes them integrate in 5-8 weeks, instead of 12-14 months. Applying standard pelletized lime will build up if applied as often as the good products - and the plan assumes that the product integrates quickly. Apply CALCITIC lime at 9 lbs/K is OK, but pelletized goes down at 40-50 lbs/K.

Also, Iron and Lime should not be applied at the same time - Calcium makes Iron unavailable to plants when applied at the same time.

starpartyguy
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Re: Soil test Starpartyguy September 2019

Post by starpartyguy » October 5th, 2019, 11:03 am

Image


Image


Here are the pictures from the bag. The info says calcitic limestone. It also says only 1% magnesium.

Will that be ok?

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