ReD-BaRoN Spring 2022 Soil Test

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ReD-BaRoN
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Joined: September 17th, 2012, 9:54 pm
Location: Worcester County, MA
Grass Type: Northern Mix
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
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ReD-BaRoN Spring 2022 Soil Test

Post by ReD-BaRoN » June 3rd, 2022, 10:47 am

Hey everyone,
Long time no see!

Posting some recent soil tests for guidance. Two different sections, one of which (back) died off late last season and I'm not sure why, so I got that tested separately. I have not put down lime for at least 2 seasons based on previous tests/guidance. Haven't done anything out of the ordinary other than big box store fertilizers once or twice a year.

So far this year put down Lesco 19-0-7 Dimension-based Crab-grass Pre-m.

Total yard is ~30k, I plan on treating it all the same unless there is a huge discrepancy between the two sections. The back is ~2k, front (really rest of yard) is ~28k.

Thanks for any guidance you can give!

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MorpheusPA
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Re: ReD-BaRoN Spring 2022 Soil Test

Post by MorpheusPA » June 16th, 2022, 10:38 am

The back's actually in somewhat better shape than the front, oddly. The front needs phosphorus, magnesium potassium, zinc, and boron--copper is marginal.

The back needs magnesium, potassium, and boron (in almost identical proportion to the front). All else is fine.

Sodium is sky-high on both, which for a sandy soil is sort of normal in that we see this all the time. Sodium is natural to rainfall, in tiny amounts, and binds to soils, leaching out in more rainfall. If there's nothing else to bind to the EC points, and there aren't a lot of EC points (as in sandy soils), the sodium percentage looks high even though sodium amounts aren't very high at all, grand total.

Still, we want to get rid of it. Sodium is useless.

In front...I'd normally recommend gypsum, but I can kick sodium with calcium in another way, bond with chlorine, and get rid of it. It's a bit of a magic trick, but it works if I do it right in the right locations. MA is the right location. We're going to go with lime, the same fast lime you used 2 seasons ago, I'm betting--Mag-I-Cal or the like. Something humate-bound.

In back...I'm not, due to the much higher calcium levels. Normally, I'd make different recommendations, but due to the proportionate sizes, I'm going with a balanced fertilizer to keep costs down. For one season and two uses, the excess phosphorus isn't going to be a problem.

This gets complicated. I don't usually put together shopping lists, but I did for you.

Your Shopping List, 1 full year:
Fast Lime: 120 pounds (4 pounds per thousand)
Balanced Fertilizer (20-20-20, 19-19-19, 10-10-10), 3 feedings' worth
Zinc sulfate (eBay) 270 tablespoons...about 6 pounds?
Copper sulfate (eBay or pool store) (optional) 120 tablespoons...about 3 pounds
20 Mule Team Borax (your grocery store, quite cheap) 450 tablespoons...about 2-3 boxes, grand total, I'm guessing?
Milorganite (variable amount; I'd go light to apply the materials)
Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) 60 pounds...technically optional as this will be kind of pricey.

Recommendations:

June to very early July: Apply 2 tablespoons copper sulfate, 3 tablespoons zinc sulfate, and 5 tablespoons 20 Mule Team borax to the FRONT in Milorganite as a carrier using the Micronutrient Application Guide. Apply 5 tablespoons 20 Mule Team borax to the BACK in Milorganite as a carrier using the Micronutrient Application Guide. If you got Epsom salt, apply at 2 pounds per thousand square feet. Irrigate all this in with at least a quarter to half an inch, or apply before a rainfall of any significant amount.

Mid-August or so: Apply 1 tablespoon copper sulfate, 3 tablespoons zinc sulfate, and 5 tablespoons 20 Mule Team borax to the FRONT in Milorganite as a carrier using the Micronutrient Application Guide. Apply 5 tablespoons 20 Mule Team borax to the BACK in Milorganite as a carrier using the Micronutrient Application Guide.

September 1: Feed with balanced fertilizer at the bag rate. Lime with 4 pounds of fast lime per thousand square feet in the FRONT only (the two should be applied together and just before a rainfall or irrigation).

October 1: Apply 1 tablespoon copper sulfate, 3 tablespoons zinc sulfate, and 5 tablespoons 20 Mule Team borax to the FRONT in Milorganite as a carrier using the Micronutrient Application Guide. Apply 5 tablespoons 20 Mule Team borax to the BACK in Milorganite as a carrier using the Micronutrient Application Guide.

Also October 1 (or so): Feed with balanced fertilizer at the bag rate.

User avatar
ReD-BaRoN
Posts: 475
Joined: September 17th, 2012, 9:54 pm
Location: Worcester County, MA
Grass Type: Northern Mix
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Experienced

Re: ReD-BaRoN Spring 2022 Soil Test

Post by ReD-BaRoN » June 17th, 2022, 9:59 am

Thanks!

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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: ReD-BaRoN Spring 2022 Soil Test

Post by MorpheusPA » June 17th, 2022, 11:31 am

No problem! For the micros, I note I didn't type out "tablespoons per THOUSAND SQUARE FEET." Because I get into ruts.

Hence the large number of total tablespoons.

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