nanometer's 2020 Soil Test

[nanometer]

Two weeks ago I posted viewtopic.php?f=4&t=25686 for seeking some suggestion. Now my soil test result is back, could you please help me to interpret? Thank you!

Some backgrounds:

Front Yard: around 1000 sqft, on a slope, north of my house, there is a tree in the yard. Top soil has only about 3 inches, below that there are a lot of small rocks. Now there are tons of weeds on in front yard. I want to reseed my front yard recently because there are some spots. I have 10 lbs Perennial Ryegrass seed from seedsuperstore (SS9000)

Back Yard: around 1000 sqft, flat, south of my house, but it's in the shady. Top soil has little deeper than front yard, around 4 inches. Due to poor maintenance last year, all grasses grew more than 8 inches. After mow and dethatching, now there is almost no grass in back yard. If need, I can wait until fall to reseed my back yard.





Thank you very much!

[andy10917]

I'll do MORE than read and interpret your soil test for you if you'd like. Every now and again, I bump into a situation that I take as a challenge - and I take it on as a personal project. Your's intrigues me, and I'd like to see what we could do together with your lawn/soil, but it will involve you having direct responsibility for the lawn and soil as a project, and not having a lawn service do the same old hackneyed stuff like aerating and rototilling. I see a lot that could be done to improve things in your soil tests.

Also, do you want a tolerable/acceptable neighborhood lawn, or do you want to really step it up? Do you have a budget amount in mind?

[nanometer]

Thank you Andy very much! I very want to step my lawn up. Because this is the first year I start to improve my lawn, I have no idea about the budget. Maybe about $1k this year?

[andy10917]

Oh, you shouldn't come anywhere near that number on a lawn the size of yours! That makes two assumptions - you have a mulching lawnmower, and you have a broadcast spreader. Correct?

[nanometer]

Yes, I have both

[andy10917]

OK - let's see what the soil test says. There is a nix of good news and bad news.

We'll start with the Front Yard - you have a soil that is structurally sound. It's a Loam that is a little on the "heavy" side with a TEC of 13+. It has excellent organic matter at 8%+. That's all solid.

There aren't many problems, but the ones you have are rather pronounced. The bad news is that the fixes aren't easy to locate. In the cations, all of them are lacking. The Calcium and Magnesium can be fixed by using good calctic lime (Encap/Mag-I-Cal/SoluCal). Mix 9 lbs/K of the Calcitic Lime with 2 lbs/K of Epsom Salts (which can be found at CVS, RiteAid, etc). Apply the mix at 11 lbs/K, every 90 days.

For the Potassium shortage, you need to find Sulfate of Potash (0-0-50, "SOP"). Not easy to find, and don't even bother trying to find it at big-box stores. You'll be applying the SOP at 2 lbs/K monthly during the growing season.

The cations drive the pH, and the shortages are making a pH of 5.7 -- low but not critical.

Phosphorus is OK.

Iron is good, and available at your pH.

In the micronutrients, only Boron is short - do you want to deal with that in the first year?

Because the yard is sloped, I'd recommend that you look at the BestLawn Soil Conditioner ("BLSC") and Kelp Help, and apply one or both one a monthly schedule. Also, read up about Deep and Infrequent watering, instead of what you've been doing.

In the Back Yard, the soil is very different -- structurally it is a slightly sandy soil (it doesn't make to the level of a Loam). The organic matter, however, is also good.

The issues in the cations are far more pronounced, and the resulting pH is far lower and a real issue. The solutions for the Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium are the same as the Front, but you'll probably be continuing them longer.

Phosphorus is good.

Iron is good.

In the micronutrients, the same Boron shortage is present.

The BLSC and KH solutions should also be used in the Back Yard.

We'll chat at some point about potentially adding Humates to the soils at some point, but I don't want to overwhelm you now.

Make sure to make the height of cut for the lawn 3"-4" during the warmer months, and don't let the lawn grow so tall that you're removing more than 1/3 of the grass blade during each mowing.

Stay in touch and don't be afraid to ask questions!!

[nanometer]

Thank you Andy! Other then cations, do I need to apply fertilizer? Because now I have too many spots in front yard, some of them are full of weeds, some are bare, I may need to fix them little sooner otherwise my neighbors may complain me. Should I reseed? If yes, can I reseed, apply cations fix and apply "Weed Control Triangle" in same time?

Boron: looks current solution is not complex, if you think it's a good idea to apply this year, I can do it!

[andy10917]

Nano:

I'm sorry - Nitrogen fertilizers are typically left up to the member, but I should have made it clear, since you are listed as a Novice.

BTW, the SOP is part of "fertilization". I'm assuming that you're asking about the Nitrogen component. Some members like organic/natural sources, and others prefer synthetics. Some don't care to distinguish.

Seattle is in an interesting location to discuss Nitrogen fertilizers - nearby Tacoma offers a group of fertilizing products under the name TAGRO. They're interesting if you like organics, but you have to understand that it takes many times the volume to supply the same amount of Nitrogen as a synthetic one. The comparison is not apples-to-apple, but it's real.

Let me know what type of Nitrogen source you prefer, or if you don't care...

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

[andy10917]

BTW, the name "NANOMETER" is not a term that many people use - I'm curious as to your background to choose that name...

[nanometer]

Andy, I saw some people said organic may be better so I bought 2 bags of Milorganite previously. Actually both organic or synthetic are good to me.

About my internet id, I used this id since I was an elementary school student.. it's about 15 years ago.. to be honest, I don't remember why I chose this id, maybe I thought it's cool?

[andy10917]

Milorganite is my favorite product, but it's gotten more expensive and harder to locate in the past 3 years. TAGRO doesn't have the nutrient amounts of Milorganite, but may be cheap in the local area. Look into it if you'd like.

The cheapest solution is pure Urea (46-0-0). In many areas it is very cheap, but you may have to find a place where farmers/golf courses get it. Once you found it, an 80-lb bag could cost you $20 or so and last a whole season for your lawn. Really.

Urea goes down at 2 lbs/K, monthly in the growing season.

[nanometer]

I just ordered Solu-Cal, Epsom Salts and SOP online. I also need a sprayer for 20 Mule Team laundry soap, right?

BTW, do you have any recommended article about seeding?

[andy10917]

Do yourself a favor and save the expense of returning items and wasting your time. Run those purchases by me before submitting orders. If you ordered SOP that is powder, one of two things will happen: (1) it will blow away in the wind, or (2) you will wind up returning it. You now have a mentor, and I can help you avoid mistakes.

You don't need a sprayer for Boron, and it indicates to me that you did not read the Micronutrient Application Guide.

Nano, you're going to discover that I'm pretty damned blunt. I mean no harm - but I will call it out when you try to skip steps. You can always say you don't need my guidance - I have plenty to do, and won't take it badly.

Seeding is something we'll consider when you have turned the corner and are ready to do seeding. You're not there yet (maybe August).

[nanometer]

Sorry Andy, I didn't realized there are differences between types/brands. I was not trying to skip some steps, just because I cannot find all the things I need in local HD/Lowe's, and I don't know other stores I can buy locally, I need to order online and wait many days for shipping so I searched all the names you listed and ordered. Seems I was wrong on that. Could you help me to check are these products correct? I will cancel them if they are not correct.

Calcitic Lime: Solu-Cal Enhanced Calcitic Lime, 50 Lb. Covers up to 10,000 Sq. Ft.
Epsom Salts: Amazon Brand - Solimo Epsom Salt Soak, Magnesium Sulfate USP, 8 Pound
Sulfate of Potash: 5 Pounds - Potassium Sulfate - Sulfate of Potash

I didn't purchase other products yet. I just read Micronutrient Application Guide and BLSC and Kelp Help, so I don't need a sprayer for Boron, but still need one for BLSC and Kelp Help, right?

Is this one 20 Mule Team All Natural Borax Detergent Booster & Multi-Purpose Household Cleaner, 65 Ounce the "Twenty Mule Team laundry soap"? Next few days I go grocery store I can buy one.

BLSC: I see numbers of products in the The Organic Store link, is any of them are OK? Or I should choose special one?
Kelp Help: there are a lot of sodium laureth sulfate products, is any of them are OK? I can't open the link of T&J Enterprises for yucca extract, it shows Error 494. Is there any other place I can get?

[andy10917]

No problem. We'll do fine.

Look where you would never look, and see what you've never seen. I'll bet there are stores that are nearby that will cut prices a lot, but I'll let some stuff slip since the sq footage is pretty low - I'd die on 47,000 sq ft at those costs.

You want to find a granular SOP - maybe try Kelp4Less.

I just read Micronutrient Application Guide and BLSC and Kelp Help, so I don't need a sprayer for Boron, but still need one for BLSC and Kelp Help, right?

Correct.

Is this one 20 Mule Team All Natural Borax Detergent Booster & Multi-Purpose Household Cleaner, 65 Ounce the "Twenty Mule Team laundry soap"? Next few days I go grocery store I can buy one.

Yes.

[Riverpilot]

May I suggest checking out Ewing Irrigation and Landscape supply, or SiteOne? Both have stores in your area which may have the products you're looking for.

[nanometer]

May I suggest checking out Ewing Irrigation and Landscape supply, or SiteOne? Both have stores in your area which may have the products you're looking for.

Thank you! I will check them

[nanometer]

I applied the solution in last some months. First of two months the lawn is pretty green but recently a lot of grasses dead. Any suggestion?

Watering: twice per week, every time 1 hours using this one: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Melnor-3-40 ... /100659509

Mow: 3.5 inches once or twice a week.

[andy10917]

What did the tuna cans tell you about the water delivery time/rate for that sprinkler?

[nanometer]

it's approximately 0.5 inches by my eye, maybe not precise. let me use a ruler to measure in next time.