Eric’s Soul Test

Learn how improving your soil can lead to a better looking lawn
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Eric20
Posts: 3
Joined: October 29th, 2020, 6:53 pm
Location: Central California
Grass Type: Tall Turf Type Fescue
Lawn Size: 5000-10000
Level: Some Experience

Eric’s Soul Test

Post by Eric20 » October 30th, 2020, 2:26 am

Hi there first post.
Front yard is around 1500 sq ft and back yard is around 4500 sq ft. Both are TTTF and I have irrigation system.

Started reading about lawn care last year and fired the lawn crew. The front was mostly crabgrass so I nuked the front and redid it with seed from Hogan and over seeded the front and back this year.

Mulch mow once a week but planning on trying twice a week this coming year as needed. Normally have fertilized in the past with Scott’s or Ammonia Sulfate but found a good ag chemical store that has a large fertilizer selection targeted for lawn care with great prices.

Thank you for any help you can provide.

Image

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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: Eric’s Soul Test

Post by andy10917 » October 30th, 2020, 6:46 am

That's the third "Soul Test" this year. We lack the skills to test your Soul. We're limited to studying dirt.

Make sure to put a Link to this thread into the Soil Test Interpretation Queue thread - I'll be doing the last batch tonight or tomorrow morning.

Eric20
Posts: 3
Joined: October 29th, 2020, 6:53 pm
Location: Central California
Grass Type: Tall Turf Type Fescue
Lawn Size: 5000-10000
Level: Some Experience

Re: Eric’s Soul Test

Post by Eric20 » October 30th, 2020, 11:10 am

With your reputation, I figured if anyone could it would be you Andy. Just joking, did not proof read the best and auto correct got it wrong.

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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: Eric’s Soul Test

Post by andy10917 » October 30th, 2020, 12:09 pm

My reputation has just a touch of irreverence. Hopefully, it doesn't wander into irrelevance.

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MorpheusPA
Posts: 18129
Joined: March 5th, 2009, 7:32 pm
Location: Zone 6 (Eastern PA)
Grass Type: Elite KBG
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Advanced

Re: Eric’s Soul Test

Post by MorpheusPA » October 30th, 2020, 4:05 pm

Chaotic Neutral.

There you go.


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: Eric’s Soul Test

Post by andy10917 » November 1st, 2020, 11:05 am

Last soil test of the season...

The test results are indicating a Loam soil for both lawns, with very poor OM% numbers (Front) to poor numbers (Back). The addition of compost/peat moss or other OM sources often and in quantity will be central to improving this soil and the lawn. This will require years of regular applications.

In the cations, both Calcium and Magnesium are a little high, and Potassium is low. When Potassium is low, we look to the anion Phosphorus to give us direction on how to proceed, Your Phosphorus is fine. Therefore, we treat the Potassium alone. Get Sulfate of Potash (0-0-50) and apply it at 2 lbs/K monthly.

The high Calcium and Magnesium drive the pH, and your pH is 7.8 - 8.1. That's pretty high, and affects the ability to get certain nutrients (especially Iron) available to the soil/lawn. If you are interested in best color, you'll have to read up on FAS foliar applications.

For Nitrogen, you can use a fertilizer with low Phosphorus (middle number of the NPK) monthly at bag rate.

Do you want to work on micronutrients now, or hold off until next year for that?

The soil in both lawns is quite similar - there is really no need to test them both separately in the future.

Eric20
Posts: 3
Joined: October 29th, 2020, 6:53 pm
Location: Central California
Grass Type: Tall Turf Type Fescue
Lawn Size: 5000-10000
Level: Some Experience

Re: Eric’s Soul Test

Post by Eric20 » November 2nd, 2020, 3:34 pm

Thanks for the interpretation Andy! Sounds like it’s time to get a peat moss/compost roller. I rented one and it sped things up greatly. Will find the SOP and start using that monthly. I’ll have to read up on FAS again. Good to know about the fertilizer, I guess I’ll stick with straight Urea then.

Probably hold off on the Micros until next year unless you think they need help now.

bpgreen
Posts: 3871
Joined: January 3rd, 2009, 2:28 am
Location: Utah (Wasatch Front)
Grass Type: Western, Streambank, Crested wheatgrass in front (with blue grama added in the heckstrips), sheep fescue in back; strawberry clovetr in both
Lawn Size: 3000-5000
Level: Experienced

Re: Eric’s Soul Test

Post by bpgreen » November 3rd, 2020, 1:03 am

I know it's a typo, but I get a kick out of the subject of this thread.

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