Help with soil analysis results?!?!
dregae (IN, zone 6b)
8 years ago
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strawchicago z5
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agodregae (IN, zone 6b)
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Soil Test/Analysis Results - Need advice please!
Comments (10)It's a good report. You should understand that it's probably standard for your neighborhood, and not standard for my neighborhood, but all of my neighborhood shares the same general soil characteristics, as does yours, but they are different. 1. You built in a hayfield. That means the bacteria, the mychorrizal fungus, the tiny critters, that live on the most common plant in the area, while taking over, have not yet successfully transitioned from 'field' to 'lawn', but they're working on it. I'm tempted, at first, to just leave it, but you might get ahold of a company like Bio-Vam, and order up a dose of mychorrizal fungus,and spray it on your lawn. It really did help me out, a few years back. Reach me here, if you decide to do this, I can give you a few tips. 2. The lawn does not have enough organic matter, which surprises me, given that you have 2 acres. I'm assuming you leave the lawn clippings on the lawn. Are you mowing high? You should. Mowing at 3.5 to 4 inches will really help that lawn keep organic matter. I had a pal talk to me, two acres, and it turned out he was mowing at one inch, literally, and it looked like a pool table, with an unshaven stubble: he will never have a lawn. Mow high. 3. Ignore the potash. It's not really a deficiency, and will change, over the next five years. Keep the report, as we're going to compare 'next year's' report to this one. 4. Don't add fert that has any, or not much, phosphorus. For TODAY, not three weeks from now, if you can add a half-dose of urea, I would. Keep this in mind: if you are un-disciplined, or not mechanical, or somehow overwhelmed by this job, just pass on the job: no offense taken. If a normal application of fertilizer would be a 6 on your tow-behind spreader, I'd like you to get some urea, and spread it around, almost immediately, using a setting of 3. You can't do a full dose, you have to do a half dose. A full dose, with summer almost upon us, would burn the lawn, and we don't want that. But a half dose would be perfect. Urea is something like 30-0-0, or 45-0-0, and it's all nitrogen, no phosphorus, no potash. But it has to be a light dose. Lime: Is best put down over several small applications, spread out by at least three weeks, rather than one big boomba application. You always, always, want pelletized. It flows, just like fertilizer, through your tow behind rotary spreader. For two acres, go over to H/D or Lowes, and get six bags, three for each acre. Throw it on the lawn. Eight to twelve bags per acre would be mathmatically correct, and you are not remotely interested. Solve that small problem one small step at a time. By the way, we're going to do another application, either in late fall, or early spring. Let me say this: you are at that wonderful stage, at the beginning, where almost everything you do will be correct, will show an immediate improvement, and even better, will improve MORE after that. Take this stuff in slow, rather than big, stages or applications. Give the lawn time to be a lawn. Mow tall, rather than short. You probably want a tow-behind boom sprayer (I LOVE mine) for a few hundred, to put down weed killer or liquid fert. Shop around, and reach me here if you're not finding what you need. Do not add phosphorus, or add darn little. Ignore the potash, it's fine. Let us know, here, what you're doing. You're gonna love this job....See MoreHelp me with my soil analysis please
Comments (14)Sure, you could say it looks pretty good. the major and macro nutrients look like they're in good supply. They aren't high enough to cause any real problems at the moment, but no reason to add more of what you don't need. The test didn't check for micronutrients so..(shrug). But the compost should provide some micros. You're pH looks good so the micros that you do have should be pretty available. Boron and salinity weren't checked so......(shrug again). According to the estimated cation saturation data, sodium is a non-issue in regards to its effect on soil structure and drainage. (Since K, Ca and Mg make up 100% of the exchangeable cations, your ESP is 0. That's good). I think if you mix in some green waste compost and add some nitrogen at or right before the time of planting, things should work out pretty well....See MoreSoil Analysis Help
Comments (3)Billy, Your question and wording leave me a little unclear of what you want to know and the replys seem to reflect that uncertainty. If you are questioning the expenditure for fertilizer for a 700 sq. ft garden it just doesn't seem logical. More likely you are questioning how to obtain a fertilizer blend to adapt to the recommendation. To that end you need to be more specific in your test results but, in reality, you only need to be in the ballpark with the application. Keep in mind that your Nitrogen recommendation is almost always based on crop needs rather than test results; Phosphorus recommendation is usually expressed as P2O5(phosphate) as you indicated but Potassium recommendation is almost always expressed as K2O rather than just K and that distinction can affect what you apply. What you likely should be shopping for is a 3:1.5:4 ratio blend. In real life if you can find a 10:5:10 or even a 10:10:10 fertilizer and apply at the rate recommended for N you will be in the ballpark....See MoreSoil analysis help
Comments (8)kimmq When was that soil test done? Nitrogen levels in soil can vary depending on season and are very dependent on soil temperature, soil moisture, soil type, and amount of organic matter in the soil. All of those influence the activity of the soil bacterial and fungi that produce the Nitrogen that plants can uptake. How much organic matter is in the soil? Ho well does the soil drain? How well does the soil retain moisture? What does that soil smell like? How much life do you see in the soil, earthworms, etc? You want about 5 to 8 percent organic matter in soil for best results. Those Daikon radishes are good for helping to break up compacted soil, so if you have a compacted clay soil they probably will help and they will grow because planting time is from mid August to late September. They need about one month of fairly warm soil temperatures to grow well, but of course the longer they have4 the better they will do. Perhaps these simple soil tests ma be of some use. 1) Soil test for organic material. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1-quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. For example, a good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1-foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains’ too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell, to a point. Too much organic matter can be bad as well. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy....See Morestrawchicago z5
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agostrawchicago z5
8 years agostrawchicago z5
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agodregae (IN, zone 6b)
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoUser
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agostrawchicago z5
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agodregae (IN, zone 6b)
8 years agoUser
8 years agoUser
8 years agodregae (IN, zone 6b)
8 years agostrawchicago z5
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agostrawchicago z5
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agostrawchicago z5
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agostrawchicago z5
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
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