JDMTN Soil Test

Learn how improving your soil can lead to a better looking lawn
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JDMTN
Posts: 7
Joined: March 11th, 2020, 7:50 am
Location: Jasper, TN
Grass Type: Tall Fescue
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

JDMTN Soil Test

Post by JDMTN » July 8th, 2020, 11:58 am

Would appreciate any input to my recent soil test. First a little history. I was a relatively active member 5 to 6 years ago under the name TNJDM after sodding my yard with Bermuda. I followed the recommendations closely and was really into my lawn. Unfortunately my job got extremely busy with travel and I had to turn my lawn care over to a third party.
I’m now retired and in a new build home which I moved into in mid-December and now have the time to work the soil/lawn. Being a new build, I started from scratch. So here goes:
Lawn is about 19.5K sq. ft.
Front/Right is about 10.5K sq. ft.
Left Side/Back is about 9K sq. ft.
Laid 150lbs of Prime Time Tall Fescue Seed (Firebird 2, Hemi, and Turbo RZ) March 29th.
Laid 68lbs of Starter Fertilizer 18-24-6 March 30th.
5 applications of Kelp Help and BL between April 22nd and June 22nd.
45lbs of Ironite May 3rd.
252lbs of Procare 4-3-0 (144lbs May 16th, 108lbs June 9th)
140lbs of Moorganite 5-1-1 (60lbs May 16th, 90lbs June 9th). Cow, Chicken Manure stuff from TSC.
Also sprayed a gallon of Trident Fish Fertilizer 2-3-1 during that period (2 apps).
Mow every few days, depending on the weather, at about 3.5”
My goal is to prepare, best I can, for reseeding in the fall and not concerned on how much it cost. Do have to kill off quite a bit of weeds between now and then.
Appreciate the input gents.


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JDMTN
Posts: 7
Joined: March 11th, 2020, 7:50 am
Location: Jasper, TN
Grass Type: Tall Fescue
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

Re: JDMTN Soil Test

Post by JDMTN » July 8th, 2020, 1:05 pm

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andy10917
Posts: 29739
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 10:48 pm
Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
Grass Type: Emblem KBG (Front); Blueberry KBG Monostand (Back)
Lawn Size: 1 acre-2 acre
Level: Advanced

Re: JDMTN Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » July 11th, 2020, 9:47 am

OK. I (jokingly) call this "Volcano Soil", as there are big differences between the chemistry of one test set result and another. I often wonder what is going on where the chemistries meet...

The Back is superficially looking good - it's got a TEC of a nice almost-11, and a pH of 6.8 (in the sweet-spot). Nice start, but the devil is definitely in the details. This is exactly why we use a good professional lab, and not a lowest-cost lab. The soil is dominated by Calcium, and deficient in Magnesium and Potassium. And the OM is mediocre.

The Front is very different. It appears to be a low-TEC (sandy) soil, with a low pH and across-the-board cation (Calcium/Magnesium/Potassium) shortages. The OM is also mediocre.

Phosphorus is deeply, deeply deficient in both test areas.

Iron is somewhat short in both, but the situation isn't as critical.

So, what to do?

Front
Apply good calcitic lime at heavy bag rate every 90 days, mixed with 2 lbs/K of Epsom Salts
Get a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10, 19-19-19 or similar and post the NPK for application rate and frequency
Concentrate om OM supplementation in multiple sources and ways
Let me know if you want to deal with micronutrients this year
Apply 2-3 lbs/K of Ferrous Sulfate (granular) every 60 days, but not within two weeks of a Lime app

Back
Add 2 lbs/K of Epsom Salts into Milorganite or other organic granular every 90 days
Get a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10, 19-19-19 or similar and post the NPK for application rate and frequency
Concentrate om OM supplementation in multiple sources and ways
Let me know if you want to deal with micronutrients this year
Apply 2-3 lbs/K of Ferrous Sulfate (granular) every 60 days, but not within two weeks of a Lime app

Repeat soil tests next year - don't continue apps into 2021 without rechecking tests.

JDMTN
Posts: 7
Joined: March 11th, 2020, 7:50 am
Location: Jasper, TN
Grass Type: Tall Fescue
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

Re: JDMTN Soil Test

Post by JDMTN » July 11th, 2020, 8:43 pm

Thanks much for the input sir. One question, when you note, "post the NPK for application rate and frequency", does that mean dependent on what NPK I get will decide how many lbs per 1K sq. ft.? so I got 13-13-13, so 7.7.lbs per 1K sq. ft. Just wanting to make sure I understood that.

I picked up all the noted items in your recommendations today, so I might as well get started on the micros. I did do the Boron thing in my old place a few years ago, so have some limited experience.

May have to get rehab after laying all of this, but want to get as much done before re-seeding in the fall.

Again, much thanks...…...

User avatar
andy10917
Posts: 29739
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 10:48 pm
Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
Grass Type: Emblem KBG (Front); Blueberry KBG Monostand (Back)
Lawn Size: 1 acre-2 acre
Level: Advanced

Re: JDMTN Soil Test

Post by andy10917 » July 12th, 2020, 6:18 am

One question, when you note, "post the NPK for application rate and frequency", does that mean dependent on what NPK I get will decide how many lbs per 1K sq. ft.? so I got 13-13-13, so 7.7.lbs per 1K sq. ft. Just wanting to make sure I understood that.
Exactly. It would be that rate, and the frequency would be monthly, except July 1st - August 15th.

In the micro's, it's Boron and Copper (on both lawns). Get Twenty Mule Team laundry soap (for Boron) from the grocery store, and Copper Sulfate from Amazon/EBay for Copper. You'll apply 3 tablespoons/K of each every 60 days as outlined in the Micronutrient Application Guide.


JDMTN
Posts: 7
Joined: March 11th, 2020, 7:50 am
Location: Jasper, TN
Grass Type: Tall Fescue
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

Re: JDMTN Soil Test

Post by JDMTN » July 14th, 2020, 1:47 pm

Much appreciated

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