soil test results

[MorpheusPA]

Sorry, we ended later than expected this evening--and this was our last Game Day until after the holidays, in all likelihood, so nobody wanted to stop in the middle of things. I'm going to need that dining room table.

While the pH is somewhat off, it's not a show-stopper with that much calcium in the soil, and with magnesium that high. The killer for the pH in this case is the aluminum, but fortunately your pH is hovering high enough that Al availability to plants is low (fortunate that as it's toxic). I wouldn't add calcium as you don't need it, but fortunately you can use OM to (slowly) adjust the pH.

I do not care for your sodium levels as I suspect you also have the chlorine to match them (at a guess, as sodium gets around and happily binds with almost anything...up to and including any free hydroxides out there). They're not severe, but I don't want to add any more. Consequently, if you see "muriate of potash" on the bag, or "potassium chloride," please don't use it. Small amounts (like one shot of 18-0-18) isn't going to collapse the whole mess, but I wouldn't rely on it overmuch (assuming it's KCl).

I'd rather see you use potassium sulfate. It's more expensive, but much less likely to cause issues. You also have a nice, high-CEC soil that'll accept plenty of resources at any reasonable rate, so next year I'd recommend using 2 pounds per thousand monthly any month that's not stinking hot (so probably not July or August). That'll put you on the right track, but it'll take a number of years to bring the potassium levels up.

Potassium sulfate, although a sulfate, won't throw your pH off much or quickly, either. Standard solutions have a pH of 6.0, or less acidic than rainfall in Ohio.

Regarding OM, you're already in the good to excellent range, but it never hurts to increase it. As it decays, it releases humic acid--which is a misnomer, really. Although slightly acidic, it's actually going to raise your pH on average, plus provide a strong buffer against reserve acidity or alkalinity.

Not so oddly, your soil does what a lot do--the pH tends to flex toward 7.0 in the areas where the OM is highest, and be most off where it's lowest.

[andy10917]

Sorry, we ended later than expected this evening--and this was our last Game Day until after the holidays, in all likelihood, so nobody wanted to stop in the middle of things. I'm going to need that dining room table.

That wasn't Game Day as in Penn State Game Day, was it? If so, sorry that the Buckeyes gave you a bit of hope and then crushed it into the hallowed-ground soil. Very sorry. Or not so. Muhahahahahahahahahahha!

[MorpheusPA]

That wasn't Game Day as in Penn State Game Day, was it? If so, sorry that the Buckeyes gave you a bit of hope and then crushed it into the hallowed-ground soil. Very sorry. Or not so. Muhahahahahahahahahahha!

Nope. Geek alert; we all enjoy Dungeons and Dragons, and we're testing the newest simplified rules.

OK, it's mostly an excuse to get together and shoot the breeze for the afternoon and evening. We still managed to figure out how to get the Baneite mercenaries and those possessed by the spirit of the Briar Wolf to oppose each other, and the ultimate way of defeating both at once. Which involves finding the iron spear originally used to suppress the Briar Wolf.

[j rockford]

any objections to using the potassium sulfate and urea this fall as opposed to the lesco product. weather is holding in here in cincinnati and looks good for the 10 day. i can go either direction. also i plan on dormant seeding the "front bad" section in feb anything with the potassium plan i should be concerned or aware of? I figue when ground is not frozen (any where from late feb to mid march is when the applications of the potassium should begin) and would not mind getting a drop r two down this year if possible

[MorpheusPA]

any objections to using the potassium sulfate and urea this fall as opposed to the lesco product. weather is holding in here in cincinnati and looks good for the 10 day. i can go either direction. also i plan on dormant seeding the "front bad" section in feb anything with the potassium plan i should be concerned or aware of? I figue when ground is not frozen (any where from late feb to mid march is when the applications of the potassium should begin) and would not mind getting a drop r two down this year if possible

No objection on the potassium sulfate/urea combo. Both can go together; there's no interaction (they're frequently mixed in bags of fertilizer). Potassium sulfate dissolves easily, penetrates soils easily, and potassium isn't considered a water pollutant anyway (the sulfur, technically yes, but wash out will be minimal to zero anyhow).

I wouldn't use it very close to ground freeze in any case as it may wash off and be a waste. Potassium sulfate's not the cheapest thing going and there's no sense adding anything that's just going to get lost. But if you have a while yet, no problem.

It won't interact with the dormant seeding--if anything, it'll help feed potassium to the new sprouts! There won't be enough sulfur left to interfere with germination of the seed, that usually happens around 200 PPM+.