aroundtheyard.com Forums

Hello All,
A few months ago I had the worst grass in the neighborhood and decided it was time to do something about it. So I searched online and found this wonderful sight. I have been fixing my yard now with the useful information I am learning from you guys. I’m totally addicted now! I’m reading this site day and night. I went from not really caring about the yard to now I’m out there all the time doing this and that. Applying BLSC, Kelp Help, pulling weeds, mowing twice a week, etc. My wife and kids are jealous of all the time I spend on the grass. They say “Where’s dad, Oh he must be hanging out with Grassy.” Not a very cool name, I know… But Grassy is what they came up with.
I first started with 2,4,D killing tons of dandelions. I have applied 15lbs/K of Soybean Meal and Alfalfa twice and Urea 1lb/K twice. I’m ready to take my yard to the next level, so I got a soil test done by Logan’s Labs. It’s Common Bermuda. I got 2 soil tests because the backyard is struggling worse than the front. The Bermuda in the back doesnt grow much. It’s about 1/3 crabgrass in the back and that grows great. The front is looking fairly decent now and that is what has started my addiction. The organics, watering 1” a week and mowing twice a week has really improved the front. I see pictures of some of your yards and they are pretty fascinating. I didn’t know yards could look like that! I am going to try to reach that level one day. I’m all in now! So I’m a novice but I’m okay with learning advanced techniques.
I look forward to learning more and hopefully one day contributing to others. I’m excited to see what you guys could tell me about the tests, if you have time to look them over. Thank you so much!
6000sqft Front
5000sqft Back

Make sure to put a link into the Soil Test Interpretation Queue thread, pointing to this posting/thread.

Thanks Andy, I just put a link there. Hopefully it will load soon.

Tom, that's a calcareous soil - which leads to distorted results in soil tests.

You have a choice - you can call Logan Labs and have them re-run your test as an Ammonium Acetate 8.2 test (yes, a second testing cost applies), or I can guess at where the distortions are. Your call. See the "Posting a Soil Test for Interpretation" thread in the Soils Forum to see that the DFW area is identified as an area that has many/most soil tests being calcareous (excessive Calcium) areas.

Let me know whether to proceed with the current results or wait for a retest (they should have enough soil to rerun if that's your choice).

Did they not run it as Ammonium Acetate? I asked them to.

Oh, damn! They did. Yikes, I'd hate to see the numbers WITHOUT the AA !!!!

OK, you're good-to-go and second on line.

Front


Front/Side


Back

If you wanted to choose a soil that is fit for the lawn care addict that wants a challenge, you've found it. Welcome to the addiction/disease...

That soil is littered with challenges, starting with a large excess of Calcium, and all the way down to large shortages of other nutrients. I'm impressed that the pictures show a lawn as healthy as it seems.

So now we start to build a better base for the lawns to grow in.

We're going to target a rather simple regimen for the balance of 2020, and concentrate on making the most impact as possible quickly. Then we'll start turning the other dials.

As I've stating previously, that's a very calcareous soil showing high TEC's even on an AA test. While the Back Yard is a bit more pronounced than the Front, there is no need for multiple tests - the regimen will be very similar. There is also no need for all of the extra testing - use the Standard Test in the future. You WILL need to test again next Spring.

Structurally, the soil is a heavy soil with a mediocre organic matter number in each yard. Adding peat moss or compost would improve the OM numbers.

In the cations, the soil is teeming with Calcium and there is absolutely nothing you will ever be able to do to lower it. The surprise is that the Magnesium is most often elevated too, but your's is not. It's actually deficient, even with the raw numbers. That's what tricked me into thinking that it wasn't an AA test that was performed. Potassium is also very deficient - you have a 0.56% Base Saturation, when we want to see it around 4.0%.

Your have other major deficiencies in Phosphorus, Iron and almost all of the micronutrients. Iron will never be available at your pH levels, so you'll have to consider foliar applications of FAS (Ferrous Ammonium Sulfate) for improving color. See the Articles area of the site for more information on that.

We start you off by making monthly applications of a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10, 19-19-19 or equivalent. These are often sold as "garden fertilizer" or "all-purpose fertilizer". Pick one and post the NPK number for application rates. Keep doing it until the grass goes dormant.

See if you can find Sul-Po-Mag, and apply it at bag rate monthly halfway between the balanced fertilizer applications.

Let's start there, with that regimen. Retest in the Spring and then we'll add more ingredients, depending on how the 2020 ingredients have taken to the soil.

Thank you so much Andy!!!. I have been reading countless posts by you. I really appreciate your knowledge and willingness to give it to others. It takes a special giving person to give out information like you do.

I will work on locating these things. As I have no idea where to even look yet, but I'll figure it out. I see on some other posts that with high calcium you have recommended humic acid. Should I do that too if funds allow? The previous items you mentioned may add up price wise quickly though.
The search begins...Thank you again my friend!

The local feed store has 13-13-13 for $18.50 per 50lb bag.

That will work - apply it at 7 lbs/K monthly.

I see on some other posts that with high calcium you have recommended humic acid.

Since I don't have calcareous soil, my knowledge is limited, related to Humic Acid. Yes, there is a very small group testing it in that situation, but the program is not open to new members at this time. I expect preliminary results/recommendations to be available mid-2021.

I haven't located the Sul-Po-Mag locally yet. I may have to order it online. What should the application rate be, so I will know how much I need to be ordering?

While I use the name Sul-Po-Mag in my interpretations, it is like "Kleenex" - a brand name that represents a class of products. You have two choices:

(1) Google and call around to find it - don't limit yourself to big-box stores and then give up. You have the addiction and want to play in the more-advanced playground, and that means you have to find the places where the farmers, golf courses and lawn-care pro's shop. You will be buying from places that supply their products in brown-paper bags, not at HD or Lowes. That's part of the game. Sul-Po-Mag is "Sulfate of Potash Magnesia", and it is also know as "K-Mag" and many other names - and application rates may vary by specific product.

(2) Give up and I'll give you the closest alternative product. It won't be quite as good for your scenario, but I'm certain you'll be able to find it locally.

You make the choices - I just support your decisions with product recommendations that match your game.

Can you give me an idea of what my target numbers should be for future tests? For potassium and magnesium, etc. I would like to know what the goal is so I can gauge the progress.
Also since the calcium is so high in my soil should I not use Soybean Meal anymore since it has calcium in it?
Thank you

There are no target numbers. All of the raw numbers are calculated to be in reference to the TEC, the pH, base saturations and synergistic/antagonistic reaction/ratios with each other. They can also change if we are trying to displace one nutrient with another.