# Soil Test - Ph so low ... no wonder nothing can grow. how to fix ?



## samzone7a (Jul 14, 2020)

Got my first soil test.... Ph is OFF the charts (as in no bar in the chart for it :lol

Do i need 50-60lbs / 1000 sqft before i overseed this fall ? other than that it seems soil is OK as long as i refill on fert with nutrients ?


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

You need to post the bottom part with the lime recommendations.


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## samzone7a (Jul 14, 2020)

Hi @g-man , here is the recommendation:



Fescue/Cool Season Lawn
Limestone application is targeted to bring soil pH to 6.5.
· MAINTENANCE: Apply 0.75 to 1 lb N/1000 sq ft in March, May, September, and November. Adjust N rate and timing
to accomodate climatic conditions and management practices. If lower maintenance is desired, the May application can
be eliminated.
· Apply half of recommended phosphate in spring and again in fall.
· Apply recommended potash in fall. If the soil is sandy, apply 1 lb of potash/1000 sq ft in fall and apply the remaining
potash in several smaller applications throughout the growing season.
· If the recommended amount of limestone is not incorporated into the soil prior to establishment, surface apply up to 50
lbs/1000 sq ft every 4 to 6 months until the recommended amount is applied.

Based on the soil guide, for a 12k lawn, was thinking of applying quick acting lime to bring it to 6.5, but it seems there are sooo many brand gimmick names like 'quick lime', 'fast acting', 'lighting lime' etc are they all the same or should i look for a specific formulation ?


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

If you are overseeding, it would be better to wait until late fall (November) for the lime. Your pH is low but you're not in toxic territory. You need 81 lb per 1000 sq ft. If you use a fast acting lime, you will be limited to what the bag recommends (somewhere around 10 lb/1000 sq ft). and will be applying lime a couple times a year for the next few years (when you will have finally applied a total of 81 lb/1000 sq ft). With a regular lime, you can apply 50 lb per 1000 sq ft this fall and then do the remaining 31 next spring. Try to find calcitic lime (fast acting lime will be calcitic, but regular lime can be calcitic too). Dolomitic lime (contains calcium and magnesium) will be fine if calcitic isn't available.

Your CEC is low and your soil does not hold into nutrients very well. So consider using slow release products or spoon feeding (using half as much twice as often). Have you found a product for potassium? Look for SOP, 0-0-50. Do 1 lb/1000 sq ft this fall (1/2 lb now, 1/2 lb in September) and spread out the other 3 next year (maybe do 1/2 lb every month for six months starting in spring).


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

A clarification: I am talking about 1 lb and 3 lb of potassium, not SOP. To get 1 lb of potassium from SOP, you would use 2 lb of SOP. It's also possible you might find a fertilizer with nitrogen and potassium but little or no phosphorus. SOP or MOP would allow you to put down potassium without also doing nitrogen, which would be useful when you don't want to push growth.


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## OnTheLawn (Jul 23, 2020)

You can use a fast acting lime now to bump the pH quickly, just know that it takes the same amount of lime - whether fast acting or regular limestone - to raise the pH into range for the long term. I have a pH in the same range and my plan is a fast acting dolimitic lime (I also have low magnesium, so calicitic line will be better for you). Once winter passes I'll take another soil test and come up with a long term game plan with the heavier rates of standard limestone.

It's up you what route you want to take, but with over seeding and your potential seed down date, I may opt to overseed and then begin lime apps in late fall like @Virginiagal recommended. This way you can get a jump start on your lime apps now and be set for next fall. If I wasn't doing a full renovation, that's what I would be doing.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

The reason for waiting on the lime is that your pH isn't that terrible. A range of 5.5-7.0 is acceptable. Between 6.0-7.0 is better, 6.5 could be said to be the sweet spot. A fast acting lime right before seeding can shoot up the pH on the soil surface to alkaline levels which is where the brand new roots will be trying to grow. It's not going to kill them but they will be happier in the 5.4 pH you have now. That said, I have added lime at seeding and the grass grew.


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## OnTheLawn (Jul 23, 2020)

Virginiagal said:


> The reason for waiting on the lime is that your pH isn't that terrible. A range of 5.5-7.0 is acceptable. Between 6.0-7.0 is better, 6.5 could be said to be the sweet spot. A fast acting lime right before seeding can shoot up the pH on the soil surface to alkaline levels which is where the brand new roots will be trying to grow. It's not going to kill them but they will be happier in the 5.4 pH you have now. That said, I have added lime at seeding and the grass grew.


Precisely this. I'm applying my fast acting lime roughly 5 weeks before my seed down date. I also applied at 1 lb less than the recommended bag rate. This was simply to spike the pH momentarily and get it to a more suitable range prior to my seed down date. It should settle once I get to seed down. I will be monitoring with a pH meter until then and I have buffer built in if I need to push my seed down date back. I also chose this method because of my magnesium deficiency. For your purposes, patience is king here.


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## samzone7a (Jul 14, 2020)

@Virginiagal and @OnTheLawn great info and i agree for the most part.

I am thinking 1 app of the quick lime. usually each bag ups the Ph by 0.5 so it will be close to 6 and if there is a Ph spike, it still wont make it beyond the 6.5 range. based on the temps right now, seed down for me might be last week of Aug so its like 4 weeks in advance.

Great info with SOP also. I think this weekend, i might travel to SiteOne/Ewing and between the two I am sure i can find it. i think i've seen other posts where they do carry it.

+1 for slow release. is there a list of some sorts that has ferts with slow release would like to see if they have anything that is 80% or more slow release.

again thanks for the great info


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

I'm not aware of lists. The label on the bag should indicate the WIN (water insoluble nitrogen) percentage. Also, organic fertilizers (like Milorganite) are slow release as it takes awhile for the microbes to do their thing. But be aware that in cold weather the microbes will slow down and may fail to deliver. So inorganic fertilizer is better then.


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## HoosierLawnGnome (Sep 28, 2017)

The problem with an acidic soil like that is it can introduce other problems. If you have a lot of aluminum for instance, it becomes very toxic to your turf if its very acidic. We dont know because your test doesnt measure aluminum.

Youve already lamented that nothing grows in your soil too, so rely on that foremost.

I would drop a fast acting lime at 9 lbs per K (encap, mag i cal) mixed with 1 lb per K epsom salts now. Wait until its worked into the soil, no longer visible, then overseed.

I dont see much point in overseeding into a soil that you already know wont grow turf well, when you know Ca and pH are problems that work against it.

Eta: apply the lime epsom salt mixture in 60 days again this fall. Retest in the spring, create new plan. Keep the lime 2 weeks from other fertilizers, especially anything with K.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

Hi, @HoosierLawnGnome . Why the epsom slat? Magnesium isn't low.


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## HoosierLawnGnome (Sep 28, 2017)

Virginiagal said:


> Hi, @HoosierLawnGnome . Why the epsom slat? Magnesium isn't low.


Just a dash of Mg to fight any potential alumninum toxicity while raising pH and not hurting anything.

Usually soil needs to be a bit more acidic before aluminium toxicity kicks in, but based on the description that things wont grow, its a risk. With AI you get stunted growth with poor root systems, things just dont grow. Sounds kinda like this, but without a test cant know for sure.

Phosphorus will help fight it too.

I won't lose any sleep if it doesnt go down


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## samzone7a (Jul 14, 2020)

@Virginiagal @HoosierLawnGnome 
So I think the easiest plan im thinking is:
1 app of quick lime now at bag rate to bring it to 6is Ph. 
Then in spring one app of dolomite @ 20#/M
1lb of SOP now and and then divide the rest into 2 apps for beginning and end of spring.

Quick question.... is SOP like $50ish a bag ? Looking to make a trip to Ewing/siteone but want to be mentally prepared for the bill.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

You need 81 lb/1000 sq ft of lime. If you do the fast acting lime now, split the remainder needed into two applications of dolomitic lime in late fall and spring. You need 4 lb/1000 sq ft of potassium so that is 4 applications at 1 lb/1000 sq ft. (or 8 at 1/2 lb/1000 sq ft, to spoon feed it). Call Site One to get a price and check on availability.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

If you have trouble finding 0-0-50 or 0-0-60, you might consider K-Mag or Sup-Po-Mag as a potassium source. Or you may find a fertilizer with nitrogen and a fair amount of potassium.


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## rjw0283 (May 11, 2020)

https://www.7springsfarm.com/potassium-sulfate-granular-sop-0-0-50-sulfur-17-50-lb-bag/

I ordered this, I paid around 20 bucks for shipping, so about 63 bucks. I could have gotten it for 43 bucks, but it was a 90 minute drive each way. So I paid for convenience


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