AGN015 2020 Soil Test
Posted: April 1st, 2020, 10:07 am
Good morning everyone,
I just got my 2020 soil test results back. This is now my 5th year of soil tests and I'm pretty happy with how the numbers are looking. I'm not sure why the pH increased so much as I've never put down any lime, ever. Does an increase in potassium drive an increase in pH? I was able to get 6 SOP apps down from April through September. I mulch mow always, including all of the leaves I can get my hands on. Maybe in another 5 years, I'll move up to an acceptable OM number.
Last year I kept up with serenade apps starting mid-May through October 21. I was battling powdery mildew in the spring which then turned into another disease I couldn't ID? I had a small section of grass in full sun get hit pretty hard with disease/drought stress and die off mid-summer. Those spots recovered well during the fall nitrogen regimen and you'd never know they died off looking at them now.
However, during the fall regimen I did notice a disease that resembles started as rust, then maybe turned into leaf spot or melting out. In late fall, the lawn thinned out because of this. Die out was most noticeable in the shady areas. The shady areas still show signs of this yellowing, but it seems to be growing out. I have refrained from using any chemical fungicide in hopes that the good guys will win the war. I've only introduced serenade and I'm wondering if this is the year I should add companion to the mix. I'm planning to continue mulch mowing, but may bag once or twice if I notice disease again.
I do have some areas of undesirable turfgrass. I'm not sure if this is the year I try to glyphosate them. The fall preM definitely knocked out a good portion (maybe even 100%) of poa annua as I haven't seen any yet this year.
Other than the disease pressure, the grass is generally weed free and the sunnier areas are coming out of winter in great shape. I have been pretty happy with the color, but after seeing the pH I wonder if it could be a darker green...
Micros are definitely on the table again this year.
Thanks to all help on this forum for getting me to where I am!
2019 test results thread: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=24783
2020 test results:
I just got my 2020 soil test results back. This is now my 5th year of soil tests and I'm pretty happy with how the numbers are looking. I'm not sure why the pH increased so much as I've never put down any lime, ever. Does an increase in potassium drive an increase in pH? I was able to get 6 SOP apps down from April through September. I mulch mow always, including all of the leaves I can get my hands on. Maybe in another 5 years, I'll move up to an acceptable OM number.
Last year I kept up with serenade apps starting mid-May through October 21. I was battling powdery mildew in the spring which then turned into another disease I couldn't ID? I had a small section of grass in full sun get hit pretty hard with disease/drought stress and die off mid-summer. Those spots recovered well during the fall nitrogen regimen and you'd never know they died off looking at them now.
However, during the fall regimen I did notice a disease that resembles started as rust, then maybe turned into leaf spot or melting out. In late fall, the lawn thinned out because of this. Die out was most noticeable in the shady areas. The shady areas still show signs of this yellowing, but it seems to be growing out. I have refrained from using any chemical fungicide in hopes that the good guys will win the war. I've only introduced serenade and I'm wondering if this is the year I should add companion to the mix. I'm planning to continue mulch mowing, but may bag once or twice if I notice disease again.
I do have some areas of undesirable turfgrass. I'm not sure if this is the year I try to glyphosate them. The fall preM definitely knocked out a good portion (maybe even 100%) of poa annua as I haven't seen any yet this year.
Other than the disease pressure, the grass is generally weed free and the sunnier areas are coming out of winter in great shape. I have been pretty happy with the color, but after seeing the pH I wonder if it could be a darker green...
Micros are definitely on the table again this year.
Thanks to all help on this forum for getting me to where I am!
2019 test results thread: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=24783
2020 test results: