2020 71GTO Soil Test

Learn how improving your soil can lead to a better looking lawn
Post Reply
71GTO
Posts: 178
Joined: July 10th, 2016, 3:42 pm
Location: Central NJ
Grass Type: Northern mix
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

2020 71GTO Soil Test

Post by 71GTO » March 3rd, 2020, 6:48 pm

This is my fourth year following the recommendations of this site. I have about 13k feet of a Northeast mix lawn. I have been making progress every year and looking forward to continuing.


Image

Image

71GTO
Posts: 178
Joined: July 10th, 2016, 3:42 pm
Location: Central NJ
Grass Type: Northern mix
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

Re: 2020 71GTO Soil Test

Post by 71GTO » March 3rd, 2020, 6:52 pm


User avatar
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: 2020 71GTO Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » March 4th, 2020, 8:48 pm

Do you have ANY idea how far you've come? If you can't grow grass on that soil, it's time to hang up the spreader and take up needlepoint!

I'm struggling to find things that you could improve upon.

The Front Yard is nearly perfect - the structure is good, the OM is great, the pH is in the Sweet Spot (and for the right reasons), and on and on...

Both Phosphorus and Potassium are at luxury levels.

Iron is very plentiful, and available at your pH level.

Ooh, ooh, ooh -- I found something!! In the micro's, the Boron is low. 3 tablespoons of Twenty Mule Team laundry soap every 60 days, as outlined in the Micronutrient Application Guide.

Nitrogen can come from Urea (cheap!) or Milorganite.

Stay away from trying to finesse the lawn/soil from here -- we don't want to push perfection into overdoing things. 1 lb/K of Nitrogen monthly except July and early August will do it - I'm guessing you know by now how to covert 1 lb/K of N into amounts of specific fertilizer.

In the Back Yard, it's very good, but stay on the Sulfate of Potash ("SOP", 0-0-50) for Potassium this year. 2 lbs/K monthly until September.

The Boron treatment for the Back is the same as the Front.

The Nitrogen is also the same plan.

You've done what not many people have achieved. Take a bow - you're in Tweaking Territory now!!

71GTO
Posts: 178
Joined: July 10th, 2016, 3:42 pm
Location: Central NJ
Grass Type: Northern mix
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

Re: 2020 71GTO Soil Test

Post by 71GTO » March 4th, 2020, 9:20 pm

Thanks Andy!!! All of your help is much appreciated and i'm lucky to have stumbled onto this site. I'm very excited for this season. Grass is definitely growing... All the areas I have seeded have grown in no problems, Areas I haven't gotten too are filling in on their own. I've beaten back a lot of weeds also. No problems, following that plan and converting the Nitrogen and doing the micros. Two quick questions. Can I get SOP at a Site One or maybe maybe a box store? I haven't seen it before. Second question, with the improved structor and OM should it hold the PH level? The only reason i'm asking is the one year I backed off the lime the PH dropped a lot when I tested it the next year.

User avatar
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: 2020 71GTO Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » March 4th, 2020, 9:40 pm

or maybe maybe a box store?
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Ummm, no. The best place is a farm supply place, or if you're lazy pay Internet prices (OK, but the shipping cost can kill you).


71GTO
Posts: 178
Joined: July 10th, 2016, 3:42 pm
Location: Central NJ
Grass Type: Northern mix
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

Re: 2020 71GTO Soil Test

Post by 71GTO » March 4th, 2020, 9:58 pm

Nice, lol, we might have a farm supply place or two left in jersey. Maybe tractor supply?

User avatar
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: 2020 71GTO Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » March 4th, 2020, 10:04 pm

No. Just No.

71GTO
Posts: 178
Joined: July 10th, 2016, 3:42 pm
Location: Central NJ
Grass Type: Northern mix
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

Re: 2020 71GTO Soil Test

Post by 71GTO » March 4th, 2020, 10:25 pm

Ok, I’m on my own, but I’ll find it!

User avatar
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: 2020 71GTO Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » March 4th, 2020, 10:29 pm

When you've gotten to the point you've gotten to, the kid gloves come off (that's a compliment). Pull up the big-boy pants and find the SOP.

71GTO
Posts: 178
Joined: July 10th, 2016, 3:42 pm
Location: Central NJ
Grass Type: Northern mix
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

Re: 2020 71GTO Soil Test

Post by 71GTO » March 4th, 2020, 10:45 pm

Lol, I’ll find it. I have a few places in mind already.
Thanks again!!

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests