Adam M 2023 Soil Test

[Adam_M]

I'm back for another year - thanks in advance!

So - the story for 2022 was the lawn was OK, except for color in the younger grass, sort of until a portion of it died in the late summer, so I re-seeded, again, in the fall. It is probably easiest to tell the story with a link to a thread or 2.

The grass from the first reno (2016, I think...) that's survived looks amazing. It is the dark green grass in the first and 3rd photo in this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=27143

The grass that I keep re-planting seems to fail every couple years and never REALLY perform. I've tried playing with the cultivars a little bouncing around high performing NTEP cultivars, (midnight, Everest, Prosperity, Bewitched), although never a monostand, and for this year I've got Mazama and Starr (as an experiment, couldn't find tests) waiting in the wings if/when things go south this summer, and to patch a spot (seed is down now, yes I know, spring seeding...) where I had some drain work done. This spot is never a problem.

I'm hopeful this year's crop will be different - the roots seemed deeper when I pulled plugs, although the plants themselves are relatively tiny and ever so slightly thin in coverage, so maybe it is more mature? Only time will tell I suppose.

So - this year, color is similar to the picture in the thread lined above, and as described elsewhere (link below) deer ...castings seem to have spurred growth, so I fed it with Milo + boron at 4 tablespoons/k a couple days ago.
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=27355

I think we're well beyond the point where we can blame the soil for issues - so I've got to think it is gardening practices? Maybe I just need to drag the sprinklers out for the summer and keep this stuff watered?

In any case, here's the Logan report. While I did pour the OM on (peat moss 2x, 100lb/k of cracked corn in 2 apps, leaves) there's no way that jump is completely real. The horizon is quickly getting deeper, and I'm essentially certain I grabbed a bit of that inadvertently when I got the bottom of some of the plugs after seeing those numbers.


Here's 2022, which leads down the chain to previous tests...
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=27039

[andy10917]

Yeah, I have some doubts too about the OM%...

I'm going to be conservative due to the questionable numbers.

The TEC is pointing to a heavier soil, which is OK as long as it drains OK. It will hold nutrients well if true, but you're not holding nutrients. While the Calcium and Magnesium are holding (and driving the pH up), the Phosphorus and Potassium are not holding and need supplementation. Locate a source of a balanced fertilizer (like 10-10-10 or 19-19-19) and apply every month. Post the NPK numbers for application rates. You get the Nitrogen along for the ride (single application).

The OM is good but the test results are questionable.

The raw Iron number is good, but the Iron isn't all that bioavailable at your current pH.

In the micro's, keep it up with the amount you were applying.

Sorry that I don't dare go any more aggressive. This plan (and more watering) should help.

[Adam_M]

Sounds good.

19-19-19 at 5lb/k every month except July and August?

How much time do I need to wait between the full dose of Milo and the 19-19-19, given it only went down a week ish ago? I've gone as close as 2 weeks before but I'm going back to basics too make sure I'm not making mistakes.

I'll get the boron down in a Milo carrier every 60 days spaced around the 19-19-19.

Any benefit to more active OM work other than the leaves since the real number is probably in the 3's?

[andy10917]

19-19-19 at 5lb/k every month except July and August?

Yup!

[quote}How much time do I need to wait between the full dose of Milo and the 19-19-19[/quote]

3 weeks sounds OK

Any benefit to more active OM work other than the leaves since the real number is probably in the 3's?

Hell yeah!! But remember only to put it down on days that end with a Y