AndyV 2020 Soil Test

[andy10917]

Sorta. Right forum (Soil/Compost), but since you're not asking about your test results directly, it's best to create a new thread with the broader topic as the Subject.

[falcon]

Andy, if I am doing some bare spot repair or overseeding (a topic I'll address in a separate post), should I continue with this regimen as described? I'm trying to figure out if I need to be concerned about timing of anything here...

[andy10917]

I personally don't like Lime or Lime/Epsom additions to the soil surface at seeding time - it may make the soil at the very surface alkaline for a bit of time right at the surface, and that's right where the seed is. That's my personal opinion - you have to make your own decision about continuing the regimen or taking a pause.

[falcon]

Thanks, Andy. The next application of Lime and Epsom isn't scheduled until mid-October. Sounds like that would be fine if seed down is this weekend or next.

[falcon]

Andy, I am officially in the pause and probably have one more cut to do and the winter urea app. Is it ok to drop the SOP with the last urea app?

[falcon]

Hey Andy, a couple other questions:

Is there an organic fertilizer product that is reasonably available without any P content? The stuff I've seen like feather meal doesn't have many fans it seems. I will be doing another soil test in the spring, but considering a hybrid organic/inorganic approach to next season so I am actually feeding the lawn and milo/BSF is out because of my P content.

Can I still add OM at this point, given that I am in the pause, and still need to do winter urea app? If so, would you add compost or peat moss? I have the Landzie peat moss spreader, so either will be fairly simple. Any timing I should be aware of?

Thanks!

[MorpheusPA]

I'm not Andy and I don't play him on TV. But..

There are a few lower-P fertilizers, although some aren't realistic to use over larger areas. So we'll skip discussing blood meal (12-1-0) because it'd probably be too expensive unless you know a guy who knows a guy. Pretty much any organic will include a fair amount of P because any organic contains DNA, which has a lot of P, and energy-transporting molecules, which build on P, and so on. P is essential for life, and living things concentrate it.

In MA, your best bet is soybean meal (7-1-2), although our southern readers may find it easier to source cottonseed meal (also 7-1-2) depending on their locale. The proportions there are high enough to make these, effectively, nitrogen-heavy fertilizers.

Some are not fans of feather meal (7-0-0 to 13-0-0) because it's incredibly slow. Hydrolyzed (steam-bathed) feather meal (7-0-0 to 13-0-0) is faster because it's already been broken down some and that's usually the way you'll find it. It's still incredibly slow.

Sometimes that's an advantage. A nice slow nitrogen tap, applied in--say--August at a very high level can feed your lawn all through fall. The rates can be irregular, but you know it's always there, working when it's damp. So if the price is right, this is one case where you could theoretically dump 4 pounds of nitrogen (40 pounds per thousand of feather meal) on August 15th and let it work for all of fall. You'd probably want to augment that in October or so. There would still be a little nitrogen left for release in spring, but not enough to be an issue in terms of setting off too much spring growth.

I probably wouldn't actually do that all at once due to the release curve, which isn't completely steady and has dips and peaks, but you theoretically could. It wouldn't burn the lawn. And usually, the price isn't right and the soybean is a better value anyway. So at the end of the road...price both and see what you think and what you want to do. Again, I probably wouldn't go 40 per K all at once, it doesn't make a great deal of sense. 20 per K in August and September might do.

You can certainly still add OM in MA in October but...well, IMHO it's getting a little too late and too close to ground freeze. It won't have time to fully work in, and you'd run the risk of losing it to erosion and runoff. I'd wait for the ground to unfreeze in spring if it were me.

[falcon]

Thanks. Morpheus. Any idea on whether I can drop SOP with Urea for the winter app, or is that a waste at this point?

[andy10917]

There have been a couple of university studies that indicate that late-season Potassium increases the likelihood of Snow Mold over the Winter. Therefore, I generally don't recommend SOP applications beyond mid/late September in MA. The likelihood is small, but it's just not worth it to throw the dice...

[falcon]

Thanks, Andy. You and the other members have taught me a lot. I was really happy with how things turned out after my first season. Looking forward to next year already.