2020 RichardGrasser Soil Test

Learn how improving your soil can lead to a better looking lawn
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Richardgrasser
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2020 RichardGrasser Soil Test

Post by Richardgrasser » June 29th, 2020, 10:51 pm

Hello,

please help with my backyard:

730sqft new construction.
Planted sod in May of 2019 90% fescue/10% KBG. Prep included approximately 3" of 70/30 mix along with a bit of pure humus. Subsoil appears to be clay.

I mow when necessary but approximately 1x per week when growing; all bagged. I was watering daily but now recently reduced the frequency and increased the duration for deep watering. Currently 2x per week approximately 3/4" per watering day. I'm looking to do this right. I'm a beginner to intense lawncare but I have no problem applying, mixing, and doing heavy work.

Originally in 2019 the lawn looked okay, was never great. I blamed it on the very hot streak directly after planting. Currently it has faded and is peppered with yellow.

so far this year:
5/17/20: 21-7-14 application
5/31/20: Milo
6/3/20: humic and kelp
6/21/20: 0.5% propiconazole fugicide

My plan was to apply another round of fungicide, milo and kelp/humic on 7/3/20


Image


Thanks all,

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andy10917
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Re: 2020 RichardGrasser Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » June 29th, 2020, 10:59 pm

If you want the Soil Test interpreted, please put a Link into the Soil Test Interpretation Queue.

Richardgrasser
Posts: 19
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Location: Roseville, CA
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Re: 2020 RichardGrasser Soil Test

Post by Richardgrasser » June 29th, 2020, 11:03 pm

Thank you; I just posted a link in the queue thread.

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andy10917
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Re: 2020 RichardGrasser Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » July 4th, 2020, 9:07 am

Richard:

Given that the size of the backyard isn't that large, you can be rather intense in your regimen without building up large costs or work efforts.

Structurally, the lawn soil is a Loam at the high end of 8 - 15 TEC range for loams. That is not a problem as the soil should hold nutrients well. The OM% though is weak at around 2.5% organic matter, and should be addressed with peat moss, compost or other high-OM sources -- regularly.

In the cations, I think I see your largest issue: Magnesium. It's significantly out of whack. Luckily, that can often be addressed. You have a bit of a shortage of Calcium, a plethora of Magnesium, and while the raw numbers for Potassium are actually OK, your higher TEC is calling for more Potassium too. The solution for this scenario is the use of Gypsum - which will increase the Calcium numbers and often displaces the Magnesium to flush out of the soil in some measure. This helps to make the soil more workable and since Magnesium is the strongest driver at pushing the pH higher, the pH can often drop somewhat as Magnesium is replaced with Calcium from Gypsum. It's definitely worth a try! See if you can locate "fast-acting" or "rapid" Gypsum, and apply it at the heavy bag-rate every 60 days of the growing season. If you can't, then applying "garden gypsum" at 25 -30 lbs/K is an alternative.

Since both the Potassium and Phosphorus could use supplementation, we'll start with a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10, 19-19-19 or similar. This will get both of them added, and deliver the Nitrogen in a single application. We'll tweak that to gentler substances next year, but let's make some progress with the remediation with simple solutions first. Choose a balanced fertilizer and post the NPK for application rates and frequency (likely monthly).

Iron is just a little short of where I'd like to see it, but at your current pH it's far from available to the grass. This *may* be the reason for yellowing (chlorosis). Consider the use of foliar applications of FAS to fight yellowing - it's a bit of (recurring) work, but it can make a big difference in scenarios like yours. Read up on it in the Articles area about spray Iron applications.

In the micro's, Boron and Zinc are short -- do you want to deal in micro's in 2020?

Questions?

Richardgrasser
Posts: 19
Joined: June 21st, 2020, 9:28 pm
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Re: 2020 RichardGrasser Soil Test

Post by Richardgrasser » July 4th, 2020, 12:21 pm

Andy,

I appreciate the thorough response. 15-15-15 is available locally and is what I plan to use.

The temperature here has approached the mid 90's, can I do any damage by top dressing in this heat or is it best to wait until the weather cools?

I am interested in the micro's if you have any suggestions.

Feels great having an actual plan to follow. I'm going to start gathering supplies now in preparation for all of the suggestions you have provided.

Thanks again,


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andy10917
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Re: 2020 RichardGrasser Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » July 4th, 2020, 3:11 pm

15-15-15 is available locally and is what I plan to use.
About 6.5 lbs/K is the right application rate. Half that for July. Apply monthly.
The temperature here has approached the mid 90's, can I do any damage by top dressing in this heat or is it best to wait until the weather cools?
What are you top-dressing with? Compost and/or peat moss are OK.
I am interested in the micro's if you have any suggestions.
Get Twenty Mule Team laundry soap from the grocery store, and Zinc Sulfate from EBAY/Amazon. Apply at 3 tablespoons/K each as outlined in the Micronutrient Application Guide, every 60 days.
Feels great having an actual plan to follow. I'm going to start gathering supplies now in preparation for all of the suggestions you have provided.
Best of luck! Feel free to ask about any questions that develop.

Richardgrasser
Posts: 19
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Re: 2020 RichardGrasser Soil Test

Post by Richardgrasser » July 6th, 2020, 10:40 pm

I plan on using a compost mix that my local soil supplier carries. It a blend of different compost types without soil mixed in.

Richardgrasser
Posts: 19
Joined: June 21st, 2020, 9:28 pm
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Re: 2020 RichardGrasser Soil Test

Post by Richardgrasser » August 29th, 2020, 10:47 am

Andy,

We have a new dog and the pee spots are growing a nice deep green grass with vigorous growth. It’s a glimpse of what the lawn should look like. She’s a female small breed puppy so a squatter. What’s your take on this? Our previous small dog pee caused the same though he only peed in one general area. I only see one small burn spot from the pee in the entire lawn.

Insufficient N availability due to high soil PH?

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andy10917
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Re: 2020 RichardGrasser Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » August 29th, 2020, 1:29 pm

Nitrogen is not really affected by pH.

What are you doing for Nitrogen (application rate of what and frequency)

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ken-n-nancy
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Re: 2020 RichardGrasser Soil Test

Post by ken-n-nancy » August 29th, 2020, 1:51 pm

Richardgrasser wrote:
August 29th, 2020, 10:47 am
We have a new dog and the pee spots are growing a nice deep green grass with vigorous growth. It’s a glimpse of what the lawn should look like. ... What’s your take on this?
Train the dog to have each time she goes be adjacent to where she went last time, proceeding across the lawn in a regular fashion. You won't even need to use fertilizer. ;)

Richardgrasser
Posts: 19
Joined: June 21st, 2020, 9:28 pm
Location: Roseville, CA
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Lawn Size: < 1000
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Re: 2020 RichardGrasser Soil Test

Post by Richardgrasser » August 29th, 2020, 2:02 pm

:rotfl: I may have to lead by example. The neighbors might not like it though.

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andy10917
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Re: 2020 RichardGrasser Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » August 29th, 2020, 7:29 pm

Richard: waiting for Nitrogen application info (see a few posts above)

Richardgrasser
Posts: 19
Joined: June 21st, 2020, 9:28 pm
Location: Roseville, CA
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Re: 2020 RichardGrasser Soil Test

Post by Richardgrasser » August 29th, 2020, 7:46 pm

Andy,

Thanks for following up. I had a reply all made up this morning but I must have buggerd it up. Here is the actual applied to date:

5/17/2020: 5 lbs. Bandini 21-7-14
5/31/2020: milo 9.3 lbs
7/4/20: 2.5lbs 15-15-15 half rate,
8/4/20: 15-15-15 full rate 4.7lbs
8/23/20: liquid ironite 7% N. Works out to .002N actual applied.

Thanks,

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andy10917
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Re: 2020 RichardGrasser Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » August 29th, 2020, 9:09 pm

When weather (heat) allows, hit it with 1 lb/K of Nitrogen monthly (2 lbs/K Urea or equivalent).

Ironite is a waste of money at your pH, BTW.

Richardgrasser
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Joined: June 21st, 2020, 9:28 pm
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Re: 2020 RichardGrasser Soil Test

Post by Richardgrasser » August 29th, 2020, 9:16 pm

Thanks Andy I’ll try some of the fast acting ammonium sulfate I have from the FAS applications I made. Likely tomorrow or next weekend.

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andy10917
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Re: 2020 RichardGrasser Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » August 29th, 2020, 9:33 pm

That's what the "or equivalent" is all about. Ammonium Sulfate goes down at just short of 5 lbs/K to be equivalent.

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