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sunbum_gw

Need help understanding a soil test report

sunbum
11 years ago

PH came back @ 5.7
Phosphorus came back @ 20 lbs/acre
Potassium came back @ 215 lbs/acre
Calcium came back @ 1136 lbs/acre
Magnesium came back @ 223 lbs/acre
Zinc came back @ 4 lbs/acre

The report said that the only one of these that was out of range (low) was Phosphorus and recommended the below;

"For establishment, incorporate 15 pounds of 10-10-10 per 1000 square feet into the top 4 to 6 inches of soil prior to seeding, sprigging, or sodding. Then apply 3 pounds of 34-0-0 or 2 pounds of 46-0-0 per 1000 square feet monthly during the growing season through August. To improve winter hardiness, apply 6 pounds of 10-10-10 per 1000 square feet in September. Follow this fertilizer program for the first year only, then use the maintenance fertilizer program for the next 2 to 3 years. Retest 2 to 3 years after establishment."

My questions;

I thought the first number in fertilizer was Nitrogen. Why does it suggest adding a high nitrogen fertilizer (34-0-0 or 46-0-0) when the phosphorus is low?

Why is there no nitrogen number reported in the test?

What does low phosphorus do to a lawn?

Any other suggestions based on this report?

Thanks for the help. I'm calling the extension service tomorrow for clarification, but thought I'd check here for advice also.

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