Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
Too clever by half |
I just received the results of a soil test for my lawn. I'm at a loss as to how exactly to move forward. I have about 14K sq. ft. of tall fescue, and I need to know how to address and correct the deficiencies. Lots of info out there, but almost no practical suggestions for what exactly to apply and how much. Thanks. Soil Ph is slightly acidic at 6.3 Phosphorus is very high at 139 PPM Potassium is low at 62 PPM Calcium is in the optimum rage at 783 PPM Magnesium is somewhat low at 76 PPM Organic Matter is somewhat low at 2.6% ENR 94 Calculated Cation Exchange Capacity 5.3meq/100g Calculated Cation Saturation: %K 3.0 %Ca 73.9 %Mg 11.9 %H 11.3 Hmeq 0.6 K:Mg Ratio 0.33 Ca:Mg Ratio 6.21 I bought 100 lbs of Potash 0-0-60 "We have a system that increasingly taxes work, and increasingly subsidizes non-work" - Milton Friedman | ||
|
| Saluki |
pH is just fine, apply your potash and if able to find it spread straight nitrogen as well. The two are quite a bit different weights so be prepared for them to throw differently in a spinner spreader. If you are so inclined, you might consider one of the trugreen type weed and feed companies for your N and 2,4/D. It wouldn’t hurt to split your K applications. In a garden you might want to build, lawn ought to get by with what you plan. If you want a corn field you’ll need to think about a ton plowed in before you replant. ----------The weather is here I wish you were beautiful---------- | |||
|
| As Extraordinary as Everyone Else  |
I know it's not very close but there is a great store in Roanoke that will help you determine exactly what you need to do... http://myturfandgarden.com/ Maybe you could call them or find a similar store in Richmond. Also, Va Tech has a great Agricultural Extension Service that will also help. ------------------ Eddie Our Founding Fathers were men who understood that the right thing is not necessarily the written thing. -kkina | |||
|
| Member |
Piggy-backing what others have said, soil nutrient results are a dynamic measurement. You can take your results to your local extension office for additional help, or you can simply move forward on your own. You know your pH is fine and your P levels are high. P is immobile in the soil, so avoid fertilizers with phosphorus, or the "middle number". I would buy a bag of 15-0-15 or 28-0-10 with micros and apply it to the lawn. The x-x-x number is the N-P-K analysis. As long as midle number is zero and the bag lists some micronutrients, you'll be fine. | |||
|
| Eating elephants one bite at a time  |
How does the grass look? It it looks good, stay the course. If it has issues, address those.  You can spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars, butsometimes it is more important to grow what grows well in the soil and conditions present. | |||
|
| Too clever by half |
In terms of how it looks, most would say it looks very good, however, it is not as dark green and thick as some of my neighbors who have professionally treated lawns. To my eye, it is a lighter green with almost a slight yellow cast. It looks better now and in the fall than it does in the middle of summer in comparison as well. The grass blades get thin, the color becomes splotchy, and I struggle every year with weeds and invasive grasses despite good irrigation and weed killers (my next door neighbor's yard is almost 100% weeds). Rather than address the symptoms, I really want to improve the health of the turf. I already applied a 19-0-6 with post and pre emerge, and the lawn has responded pretty well, just concerned about the K and Mg levels long term, and curious about what else the report may say that's not as obvious. "We have a system that increasingly taxes work, and increasingly subsidizes non-work" - Milton Friedman | |||
|
Drill Here, Drill Now |
Did your 19-0-6 have any iron in it? Iron greens up lawns and professional and better DIY fertilizer will have iron. Could be a reason your neighbors are greener. Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer. | |||
|
| Member |
I would not use 0-0-60 for Potash. I suspect what you have is Muriate of Potash. What you want is Sulphate of Potash, which is commonly 0-0-50. The reason is Muriate of Potash has a very high salt content, which makes it more likely to burn the turf. Sulphate of Potash has a much lower salt content. I also tend to agree with one of the other posters. Use the test results as a tool - but treat the lawn, not the test results - in other words, let the appearance of the lawn drive what you apply, supplemented by the test results. Iron is useful, especially in the summer, to allow greening of the lawn without excessive growth from Nitrogen. Also - depending on your climate, be careful how thick you allow your grass to get - If you live in a hot and humid climate where you have temps above 70 degrees and near 100% humidity overnight, you will become very susceptible to fungus, which can destroy the lawn. When the lawn is really thick, it tends to stay very moist near the ground. Throw in high temps and you have an ideal environment for fungus growth. | |||
|
| Too clever by half |
No iron in the 19-0-6 that I saw. My observations are not just this year, but long term, and I've tried iron before with no apparent improvement. "We have a system that increasingly taxes work, and increasingly subsidizes non-work" - Milton Friedman | |||
|
| Too clever by half |
You are correct, it is Muriate of Potash. I appreciate your comments about fungus, and we get plenty of heat and humidity, but again I look to the neighbors and they don't seem to have any issues. "We have a system that increasingly taxes work, and increasingly subsidizes non-work" - Milton Friedman | |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
© SIGforum 2024