Tarank's 2020 Soil Test

[Tarank]

Link to 2019 test:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=24737&hilit=tarank

Please see my results for 2020 below. Looks like some baby steps in the right direction! Lawn was greatly improved to my eyes from when we first moved into the house. As always appreciate the help

[andy10917]

Make sure to place a link to this thread into the Soil Test Interpretation Queue thread

[andy10917]

The jump in TEC from 3.21 to 4.32 is nice, but I have to question if that's reasonable to get in a year. Next year's results will tell me whether 2019 was too low or 2020 is too high. Regardless, you probably gained ground - be happy! That makes a big difference if you can continue to gain ground.

Use a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10 or 19-19-19. Pick one and post the NPK numbers for an application rate. this will deliver Phosphorus and Potassium to the soil while bringing Nitrogen in a single application. The applliction rate will go down monthly.

The Iron is only slightly low - let's leave that for later. Keep adding OM with your $$$.

In the micro's, only Boron is low. Up for it in 2020?

Tarank, you're making progress, but this will look like a see-saw ride to you - it will be up on the TEC and OM one year (with negative cation numbers), and the opposite the next year. But the soil and lawn will improve even as things see-saw -- trust me.

[Tarank]

Thanks for the quick response! Yes time will tell if last years results were off or this years. I also wonder what is the error in the measurements, if you sample your yard, and then go out and immediately do it again and send in both samples how similar would the results be? Not worth $25 for me to find out.

I'd like to use 10-10-10, I know I can find it easily and I also prefer applying a higher quantity of a lower percentage because I feel like there is a larger margin for error.

Since the pH is good, no need for lime this year? I was using mag-i-cal 3x last year at around 9 or 10 lbs/k but that was to raise pH. Any needed to maintain?

Regarding boron, sure I'll give it a go this year.

Last Q, I can get free compost from the local dump, but it's very sandy. Since I'm trying to fix sandy soil, would this be a waste of time? Better to spend 20$ / yard or whatever it goes for around here for better compost for top dressing? It's a ton of labor to spread yards of compost over soil as everyone here likely knows so I want to make sure it's worth the effort.

[Tarank]

Sorry, I know this is busy season plus a pandemic but in case this fell through the cracks, any recommendation as to rate of 10-10-10 and/or the need for any lime?

[andy10917]

You are smack in the middle of the "sweet spot" for pH. We don't recommend the addition of Lime for "maintenance". If the soil falls to the low-end of the desired range, it shouldn't happen quickly and we'll adjust long before it is a problem.

10-10-10 is applied at 10 lbs/K, monthly during the growing season.

How is it that the compost is sandy? Are they deliberately adding sand during the composting process?

For Boron, get a box of Twenty Mule Team laundry soap and apply at 3 tablespoons/K every 60 days, as outlined in the Micronutrient Application Guide.

[Tarank]

Great, thanks for all this info I'll get started. No idea how the compost is sandy, it was just our observation. It's possible we were mis-characterizing it as such but it certainly seemed that way.