Setzer's New Yard 2020 Test

Learn how improving your soil can lead to a better looking lawn
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Setzer1994
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Setzer's New Yard 2020 Test

Post by Setzer1994 » September 17th, 2020, 1:16 pm

Been a few years, but back at it baby!

As I've posted in the cool-season forum, new house and new yard. A few stats:
- Front yard is about 5000 sqft (only testing the front for now - other plans for the backyard at this time)
- On a hill / ledge (some rock out-croppings that I'll need to landscape around eventually)
- Previous owner clearly didn't upkeep much. I've had to already fix the sprinkler system and the whole place was weeds
- Soil seems relatively compacted, will be doing some liquid aeration shortly

As for expected results, need to have an A+ yard. It's the kind of neighborhood where I'll be judged at the block party! :D
Throw at me any and all recommendations (including micros).

Thanks!!


Image

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andy10917
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Re: Setzer's New Yard 2020 Test

Post by andy10917 » September 17th, 2020, 5:49 pm

Make sure to place a Linkto this thread into the Soil Test Interpretation Queue.\

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Setzer1994
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Re: Setzer's New Yard 2020 Test

Post by Setzer1994 » September 17th, 2020, 7:09 pm

done!

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andy10917
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Re: Setzer's New Yard 2020 Test

Post by andy10917 » September 18th, 2020, 6:56 pm

Alright, jokes over - fess up. There is no soil like that in CT, unless you are on the banks of the Housatonic or Connecticut Rivers.

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ken-n-nancy
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Re: Setzer's New Yard 2020 Test

Post by ken-n-nancy » September 18th, 2020, 8:09 pm

Yeah, that soil is definitely not the native soil on a hill / ledge -- somebody put good soil there...


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Setzer1994
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Re: Setzer's New Yard 2020 Test

Post by Setzer1994 » September 19th, 2020, 8:43 am

I'm about 3 miles from the Housatonic, so that's not it.

The house was built in '02, so not sure there was any fresh soil brought in since then.

The back yard runs up against open-space, town-owned woods, so the yard isn't all ledge, but I'm worried I'll hit rock when I dig for a pool next year.

Work with it or re-test?

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andy10917
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Re: Setzer's New Yard 2020 Test

Post by andy10917 » September 19th, 2020, 9:42 am

Work with it or re-test?
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!?!

That is some of the best soil I have seen as an "Original starting point" in years. I'll write it up later, but don't expect that I'll be writing up a tome - when nature delivers a gift, I don't mess with success.

In the meantime, please post your full address and Google Maps directions, so that members with typical CT soil can steal your's. Ignore any digging sounds that you hear in the middle of the night. :shock:

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Setzer1994
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Re: Setzer's New Yard 2020 Test

Post by Setzer1994 » September 19th, 2020, 10:06 am

I'm just so surprised the soil is that great that maybe they mixed up my soil and some sample from Indiana and I should check it again :)

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andy10917
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Re: Setzer's New Yard 2020 Test

Post by andy10917 » September 20th, 2020, 9:30 am

Sorry that I didn't get around to writing this up yesterday -- sometimes the phone rings and you get asked to play golf on a beautiful Saturday afternoon...

There isn't very much that needs remediation in that soil - and we'll know with the next test (in the Spring if the budget permits) if it can repeat the results again. Suffice it to say that the current results are very good for CT soils.

A TEC of 8.50 places your soil into the Loam type, which is very good. The 8,21% OM number is off-the-charts good for CT. The soil should be workable and hold nutrients well.

In the cations, Calcium is a bit high, Magnesium is right where we want it and Potassium is plentiful. I generally shoot for a Potassium base saturation number of 4%, and yet your test is delivering 5.77% without remediation. That's a gift.

The cations make up the factors that drive the pH and your's is delivering a pH of 6.9. That's a teensy bit above the sweet spot, but nothing to be concerned with. Do not apply Lime to this lawn unless the test results wander away from the 6.9 pH number over time.

The Phosphorus numbers are excellent. The Iron number is slightly low but that's easy to address. Get Ferrous Sulfate (also called Iron Sulfate) and apply it at 2-3 lbs/K a couple times a year, at least 60 days apart. Getting the Iron right yields the best color in the lawn.

In the micro's, all is fine except for Boron. This is no surprise as Boron just loves to leach out of the soil. Get a box of Twenty Mule Team laundry soap and apply it at 3 tablespoons/K every 60 days, as outlined in the Micronutrient Application Guide.

That only leaves Nitrogen sources open for discussion. If I had that soil, I'd be partial to alternating Milorganite and Urea on a monthly basis, and Ammonium Sulfate could be used instead of Urea. There are also lots of organic sources that would work with this soil. Let me know what you want to use, for application rates.

The only bad news with this results set from the soil test is that if the lawn doesn't flourish, you can't blame the soil - you have to investigate the nut behind the spreader.,,,

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Setzer1994
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Re: Setzer's New Yard 2020 Test

Post by Setzer1994 » September 20th, 2020, 3:35 pm

Hey Andy-

I played 18 this morning, so completely understand. If you're ever in the area, I'd be happy to host as payment for all the great advice!

-Definitely will re-test in the Spring, just to make sure. Seems too good to be true, ya know?
-Sounds like I'll roll with the M&M (micros and Milo) for the foreseeable future, which is fine by me.
-As for Urea, the local spots seem to only have the tiny bags (garden-3lb'ers). I'll have to poke around to see if I can get it somewhere else, but otherwise I'm open to other suggestions.
-I'll also be doing some liquid aeration next week.

The grand hope is that the test was legit and a year from now (after some Pre-M for most of the year) the over-seeding yields some great results. Should that be the case, I'll need to install some proximity alarms to prevent against our other CT friends from stealing my dirt.

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andy10917
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Re: Setzer's New Yard 2020 Test

Post by andy10917 » September 20th, 2020, 4:17 pm

Thanks for the golf offer, but since I moved from Stamford 35 years ago, I''m rarely there - but who knows.

Have you checked Valley Green in Norwalk for Urea? Other have had luck there.

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Setzer1994
Posts: 271
Joined: August 5th, 2012, 6:22 pm
Location: Shelton, CT
Grass Type: Northern Mix / Fine Fescue
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

Re: Setzer's New Yard 2020 Test

Post by Setzer1994 » September 20th, 2020, 5:05 pm

Well if you're ever back in Stamford I owe you a pizza from Colony and a round of golf.

I try not to go south on 95 if I can help it, but maybe I'll sneak out at lunch one day this week and check out Valley Green.

Thanks as always.

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