Gregt848’s 2021 soil test

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gregt848
Posts: 43
Joined: April 22nd, 2012, 7:59 am
Location: South Shore, Ma
Grass Type: KBG Mix
Lawn Size: 1000-3000
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Gregt848’s 2021 soil test

Post by gregt848 » April 13th, 2021, 8:59 pm

Good evening gentlemen! Thanks for all the hardwork you do to help us with our lawns!! Can’t thank you enough!

A little background, this is the first soil test in the new house had gotten a few in the previous one. Before we moved the lawn was looking outstanding!

A new house brought many new projects and the family kept growing and growing.

The area I’m looking to address is roughly 1500 square feet. The front is around 1200 and the side close to 300.

With a bunch of little ones we try to stay organic as we can. With that being said, I understand that some synthetic is often needed to get a jump and to bring the numbers into spec which I am ok with.

For the past few years I’ve been focusing on organic and have randomly dumped grains like cracked corn and alfalfa with no rhyme or reason. I mulch as many leaves as possible in the fall even blowing the neighbors leaves into my area. I also have never bagged the grass clippings.

I would say the lawn is a mix. I have spot seeded and reseeded areas that needed to fixed or after renovations.

I am located south of Boston along the coast.

I have not put anything on the lawn get this year. As mentioned above, last year was just CC and alfalfa.

Looking forward to addressing some of the issues this year and getting a plan in place! Thanks in advance for all the advice and expertise you share!

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andy10917
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Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
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Re: Gregt848’s 2021 soil test

Post by andy10917 » April 15th, 2021, 9:06 pm

CC and Alfalfa are going to get the job done, if you have 6-7 decades to work. This is typical South Shore MA soil, although how go lucky in an important area. The TEC is 4.27 (very sandy), but the OM is in the good-but-not-great category. That means that some attention would help, but the OM% is not a life sentence. Do what you can!

Your cation numbers are worse than the test results indicate - because of the low TEC, the "134" numbers (@ 4" depth) are the absolute minimums.

Get a balanced fetriltizer like 10-10-10, 19-19-19 and post the NPK for rate and frequency.

Apply calcitic lime (Encap/Mir-a-Cal/SoluCal) at 9 lbs/K every 90 days, but not near any Urea apps.

Iron is a little short, but not enough to address at this time.

In the micro's, Boron and Zinc are low. Get Twenty Mule Team laundry soap from the grocery and Zinc Sulfate from Amazon or EBay. Apply both at 3 tablespoons/K each every 60 days as outlined in the Micronutrient Application Guide.

Greg, this one can be turned in about two years, and while it will never be soil to be someone's dream, it will easily hold up to hold a lawn to really proud of!!!

gregt848
Posts: 43
Joined: April 22nd, 2012, 7:59 am
Location: South Shore, Ma
Grass Type: KBG Mix
Lawn Size: 1000-3000
Level: Experienced

Re: Gregt848’s 2021 soil test

Post by gregt848 » April 17th, 2021, 8:04 pm

Thanks Andy!
Glad to know that there is some hope. Thank you for your time. I picked up some 10-10-10 today. How many lbs per k should I spread?
The Lowe’s was out of the lime you recommended but I’m planning to hit another store tomorrow. Should the 10-10-10 and the lime be spread apart?
Thanks!!!!

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andy10917
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Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
Grass Type: Emblem KBG (Front); Blueberry KBG Monostand (Back)
Lawn Size: 1 acre-2 acre
Level: Advanced

Re: Gregt848’s 2021 soil test

Post by andy10917 » April 17th, 2021, 10:02 pm

10 lbs/K of 10-10-10, monthly is the budget allows through September. It's best not to put the 10-10-10 down at the same time as the Lime. Two weeks apart is the recommendation.

gregt848
Posts: 43
Joined: April 22nd, 2012, 7:59 am
Location: South Shore, Ma
Grass Type: KBG Mix
Lawn Size: 1000-3000
Level: Experienced

Re: Gregt848’s 2021 soil test

Post by gregt848 » April 17th, 2021, 10:09 pm

Even in July and august? Thanks Andy!


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andy10917
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Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
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Re: Gregt848’s 2021 soil test

Post by andy10917 » April 17th, 2021, 10:22 pm

It's a close call, but I'm being a bit aggressive because the Potassium is well below the absolute minimum. If that makes you nervous, skip July and August. It's a balancing act with trade-offs. It will take longer the more months you skip.

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MorpheusPA
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Re: Gregt848’s 2021 soil test

Post by MorpheusPA » April 18th, 2021, 7:27 am

Greg, you could, if you want, use potassium sulfate or potassium chloride instead in July and August at about 2 pounds per thousand square feet instead. That'd get the potassium moving in the right direction without any nitrogen to force growth on the lawn.

Most landscape shops can order this for you, or it's available online. Potassium sulfate is preferable as it's much gentler, but if all you can get is the chloride, that's fine. I'd recommend irrigating in the chloride or applying it right before an expected rainfall.

Phosphorus is close enough to target that skipping it for those two months isn't a huge problem.

gregt848
Posts: 43
Joined: April 22nd, 2012, 7:59 am
Location: South Shore, Ma
Grass Type: KBG Mix
Lawn Size: 1000-3000
Level: Experienced

Re: Gregt848’s 2021 soil test

Post by gregt848 » April 28th, 2021, 8:00 pm

Thanks Morph and Andy! I’ll readdress July and August when it gets closer.

I picked up some JG mag-I-cal lime. It’s been 2 weeks since I laid the 10-10-10 so likely will do it over the next day or two.

My question. I seeded a small area around a patio and just beginning to get some germination. The Mag-I-cal states it’s safe for new seedling but always thought I read here it’s best to avoid newly seeded areas. Should I skip this part of the lawn or am I safe to apply to the newly renovated area.

Thanks!!!

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MorpheusPA
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Re: Gregt848’s 2021 soil test

Post by MorpheusPA » April 29th, 2021, 12:16 pm

You'd be OK if you already had, but since you're asking before doing it...skip that area for now. Do it in a month or so when the grass has grown in a bit and has deeper roots.

Your pH isn't that far off, the new grass won't care about a tiny deficit of calcium, and let's not shock it when it's a baby.

gregt848
Posts: 43
Joined: April 22nd, 2012, 7:59 am
Location: South Shore, Ma
Grass Type: KBG Mix
Lawn Size: 1000-3000
Level: Experienced

Re: Gregt848’s 2021 soil test

Post by gregt848 » July 10th, 2021, 5:32 pm

Hey guys- Question regarding the lime applications. I was hoping to get three applications down this year. I put the 1st one down May 1st which would bring me to august and November. Is November too late to do an app? Wondering if I could cheat them a little or if I should only do 2 if November is too late. Thanks!!!!

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MorpheusPA
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Re: Gregt848’s 2021 soil test

Post by MorpheusPA » July 10th, 2021, 10:20 pm

I'm not going to give you a hard "No." If ground freeze isn't until late December or January, it's probably going to be at least somewhat OK.

Calcium isn't going to be an issue if it runs off or erodes off, it's just a waste of time and money. It's not an ecological problem or water pollutant of any significance--there are teratons in the water already. So I'm not concerned with that.

If you...cough...slipped and compressed the timing just a tad to July 20th and then again to October 10th, well, who's going to notice? Yes, you might notice some yellowing of your lawn. It'll be transient and reverse out shortly--although the winter yellowing might not clear until spring. It would also only cut ten days off the 90, or not really a significant number.

9 pounds every 90 days is already a really aggressive number. 9 every 80 is just a little bit more.

I might, at a pH of 6.1, simply skip the third application, test next year, and re-adjust at that point. You're not so far in the hole that the shortage is awful--but I see why Andy's doing what he's doing. Your EC is very low, Ca levels are also rather low. So he's sending your pH higher because you don't really have space to spare.

So there are your options. What would I, personally, do? Probably compress the applications to 80 days and if the grass yellows a bit, no big deal. If that happens in fall, I might spray some iron to counter that. In summer, I ignore it.

gregt848
Posts: 43
Joined: April 22nd, 2012, 7:59 am
Location: South Shore, Ma
Grass Type: KBG Mix
Lawn Size: 1000-3000
Level: Experienced

Re: Gregt848’s 2021 soil test

Post by gregt848 » July 11th, 2021, 6:19 pm

Outstanding answer Morph! Think I might go that route. I have already noticed a huge difference just in the one lime app and the 10-10-10 monthly! Thanks guys!

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