Need some help with Logan Labs soil test results
amnorcal
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
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morpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
6 years agoamnorcal
6 years agoRelated Discussions
Logan Labs test results - could use some assistance reading results
Comments (24)SOP's fine to go down on damp grass, and you can do it now if you want. Really, you're barely off-cycle for an app I scheduled for October 15th. Always read my dates as "somewhere kind of around this date if that's convenient for you." We can always revise the schedule if things really get off-track. Bermuda doesn't require heavy synthetic winterization and the process can actually cause damage the following spring and summer. Greening's unlikely at this point if growth has slowed significantly. However, I don't recommend keeping soybean meal (or any grain) around over the winter as the stuff is a beacon to mice and other less-pleasant rodents. Lighter organic winterization practices won't harm Bermuda, so I'd put it down. If you have shrubs, gardens, or trees, this stuff would also be very good for them at this point in the season as well. I dropped my last organics on October first (in Pennsylvania), being very certain to strike the Thuja, lilacs, trees, and other shrubs with the stuff pretty heavily....See MoreNeed help with Logan Lab test results
Comments (2)The Total Exchange Capacity (M. E.) is another way of expressing the Cation Exchange Capacity or the ability of a soil to transfer nutrients, moisture, etc. Perhaps this link will help explain that for you. http://soilminerals.com/Cation_Exchange_Simplified.htm Soil organic matter is a bit low. While 5 percent is not bad many of us organic growers prefer something in the 6 to 8 percent range. Calcium is a bit low and Magnesium is a bit high and that means the Calcium to Magnesium ratio is out of kilter. Phosphorus is about where it should be (25 to 85 ppm, divide pounds per acre by 2 to get ppm) while Potassium is a bit low. If Logan Labs does not provide recommendations to correct any deficiencies perhaps your county horticulturist at the Purdue Cooperative Extension Office may. It is too bad that Purdue no longer does soil testing. I have heard that the University of Kentucky would soil test for people in Indiana. kimmq is kimmsr...See MoreLogan Lab soil test - need help with results
Comments (7)The soil pH for citrus trees (Oranges) is in the 6.0 to 7.0 range, slightly acidic to neutral and at a soil pH of 6.9 yours is there, but the amount of organic matter in the soil is a bit low at 4.4 percent. Phosphorus (P) is quite high while Potassium (K) is about right as is Calcium and Magnesium. How well does the soil this tree is planted in drain? What does this soil smell like? What kind of life (earthworms, etc.) is in that soil? How well does the soil retain moisture? Perhaps these simple soil tests may help, 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. My experience is that Logan Labs does not offer much help beyond the basic soil test but you might take it to your local office of the University of California Cooperative Extension Service where they may be of more help. kimmq is kimmsr...See MoreLogan Labs Soil Test Results & Recommendations Help
Comments (1)I really don't like their recommendations for a number of reasons. One, sulfur doesn't work. Surface applied, you'll lose three quarters to outgassing to the atmosphere as sulfur dioxide (smog), so thanks for the air pollution. :-) They also recommend some rather difficult or expensive sources (11-52-0, for example). I have monoammonium phosphate on hand. You almost certainly don't. And so on. The zinc and copper aren't necessary, both levels are perfectly reasonable in your soil. In the below, I've assumed you have a northern lawn. If that's incorrect, this will still work, but southern lawns would benefit from a slightly different schedule. ME 22.9: This is a little overinflated by your excess calcium, which results in an ME that's somewhat high. I'm using a standard of 15 for soil applications as it's safe to do so. pH 7.6: Kind of high, but get used to it. There's not terribly much you can do about it (as mentioned, surface applied sulfur does not work very well). Fortunately, lawns are extremely tolerant of a pH in this range, although color will suffer a bit. OM 5.5%: In the Good range, so no specific work needs to be done here. Sulfur 13: Well within normal range. Phosphorus 147: While a bit low, it's nothing extreme and unlikely to be causing much in the way of visible problems. Still, with your pH, I'd really prefer this to be in the 260 range (higher pH levels inhibit phosphorus release). We use good old-fashioned starter fertilizer to do this--just get the cheapest as they all work the same. Recommendations below. Calcium 80.8%: High, but not a problem, and almost impossible to dispel. Certainly avoid any calcium sources. Magnesium 12.9%: On paper, a tad low. In reality, it's just fine--your very high Ca levels are masking some of the Mg in your soil. Your plants have no trouble getting all the magnesium they need, and then some. Don't add more. Potassium 1.8%: This is short on paper, and looks shorter in the soil than it really is. It should be enhanced, but not quite to the levels their recommendations listed. We use potassium sulfate (sulfate of potash) for this, which some garden stores and landscape places carry--or they'll order it for you. Recommendations below. Minor Elements: Fine, but I do mention iron and boron below. Iron 110: Just fine and not a problem, but it won't produce the best color at a pH of 7.6. Whenever you like, you can apply Milorganite at the bag rate to very slowly raise this. Boron 0.55: A tad low. This won't be an issue, but I would like to correct it. We use Milorganite as a carrier and 20 Mule Team Borax as the boron source. You can purchase 20 Mules at the grocery store in the laundry section. In a wheelbarrow or the like, dump the Milo. Spraying very, very lightly with water (I use a spray bottle like the kind people use to damp their clothes when they iron) will help the boron stick. Add the recommended amount of 20 Mule Team Borax and stir, spraying occasionally to get the stuff to stick to the Milo. Then apply over the recommended area. So if going for bag rate Milorganite (1 bag per 2,500 square feet), you'd add 7.5 tablespoons of 20 Mule Team Borax. Recommendations: May 10: Apply 3 pounds of potassium sulfate per thousand square feet. Memorial Day: Feed the lawn with starter fertilizer at the bag rate. June 15: Apply 3 tablespoons per thousand square feet (not a misprint!) of 20 Mule Team Borax. Labor Day: Feed the lawn with starter fertilizer at the bag rate. October 1: Feed the lawn with starter fertilizer at the bag rate. October 15: Apply 2 pounds of potassium sulfate per thousand square feet....See Moremorpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
6 years agomorpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
6 years agomorpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
6 years agoamnorcal
6 years agomorpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
6 years agoamnorcal
6 years agomorpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
6 years agoamnorcal
6 years ago
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