Fastboat's 2021 soil tests

[fastboat]

HI guys,
It's been a few years, thought I would do a set of tests again this year. Any and all thoughts are greatly appreciated!
Thanks again!
Dave

[MorpheusPA]

That's a seriously split-minded soil...fortunately, I can give it a split read.

You know what you're doing, so I'll hit the high points and recommendations, with explanations as to why I'm doing what I'm doing.

Phosphorus 417 (Front), 143 (Back): Front's over the top, the back is a bit short. So starter fertilizer in the back for the year.

Calcium 72% (Front), 59% (Back): Fine in the front, but a little trim in the back. We use a fast calcitic lime for this, like Pennington Fast Lime, Mag-I-Cal, or any of the humate bound limes. Recommendation below.

Magnesium: While the front looks a tad short on paper, it's fine and I'm ignoring it.

Sodium: A tad high on both, but I'm used to seeing that this year and I'm ignoring it. After the winter we had, I'm chalking it up to communities salting roads constantly all winter long and the stuff going everywhere.

Trace Elements: Everything's perfect except for boron, which is noticeably low. For that, we use 20 Mule Team Borax, and the Micronutrient Application Guide in the FAQs. Which I think you've done before. In this case, 3 Tbsp as recommended below...

Recommendations:

April 15 or so: Apply 5 pounds of humate bound lime per thousand square feet in the back only.

May 1: Apply 3 Tbsp 20 Mule Team Borax in Milorganite as per the Micronutrient Application Guide.

Memorial Day: Starter Fertilizer at bag rate (back only).

September 1: Apply 3 Tbsp 20 Mule Team Borax in Milorganite as per the Micronutrient Application Guide.

Labor Day: Starter Fertilizer at bag rate (back only).

October 1: Starter Fertilizer at bag rate (back only).

October 15: Apply 3 Tbsp 20 Mule Team Borax in Milorganite as per the Micronutrient Application Guide.

[fastboat]

Thanks Morph!
I compared to the 2018 tests and most things improved. The sodium threw me off too. I do have a softener and the hose on the back runs through it but the one in the front doesn’t, and I’ve been using that the last couple years. I doubt that’s significant enough anyway. Unfortunately I made a hasty decision based on the old information and the desire to get a start on things this year. I’ve always been in need of calcitic in the past and I think I only did one app last year. So right after I took the samples a few weeks ago I dropped about 9lbs/k of MagiCal on both front and back. I really need to develop some patience with this stuff! I’ve never done the Borax but will definitely this year. Not sure if it factors in but the back yard was a leach field until 17 years ago when I put in a sand mound. I too have been surprised at the differences since for 17 years inputs have been similar, with the exception of specific recommendations from here. Thanks very much again for the time and recommendations!!

[MorpheusPA]

I dropped about 9lbs/k of MagiCal on both front and back. I really need to develop some patience with this stuff! I’ve never done the Borax but will definitely this year. Not sure if it factors in but the back yard was a leach field until 17 years ago when I put in a sand mound. I too have been surprised at the differences since for 17 years inputs have been similar, with the exception of specific recommendations from here. Thanks very much again for the time and recommendations!!

Eh, it'll kick the pH high in the front, but it'll fade back down over a few years. The back will go a bit higher than it should, perhaps, but again, it'll fade back down.

Sodium has been high on most tests this year across the Northeast and Midwest, so I've been chalking it up to the winter weather. That might not be quite correct, but it's my working theory so far. I saw the salt truck go past about twenty times this season. On the up side, sodium lye prices are way, way down...

[fastboat]

Thanks again I’ll keep an eye on everything.