# Soil Analysis Came Back - need feedback on test



## eldrith (10 mo ago)

*What I have been able to gather from this report is that: *
1. Soil is highly acidic
2. Magnesium is low likely due to acidity of the soil
3. Low nitrogen likely due to the acidity of the soil
4. *CEC* is 15, which indicates that the soil is more clay-like and less subject to cation leaching. 
a. Since CEC points to a more clay-like soil it likely has high reserve of cations, including H+, which means that it will be more difficult (i.e., more lime) to raise the pH. 
5. *Percent Cation Saturation indicates:* 
a. K (7.7%) + Mg (6.6%) + Ca (38.3) = 52%, WHICH means that the remaining 48% is likely composed of H+, which is consistent with a very acidic soil?

*Next steps forward: *
1. Aerate/dethatch (never done) closer to the end of this month and then use dolomitic lime 
2. Increase Nitrogen fertilization to 2-3 lbs/1000 square feet this year to raise nitrogen levels
- since CEC is 15,

*Questions for the forum: *
1. Thoughts on analysis? Correct, incorrect? 
2. Thoughts on next steps forward? Suggestions? 
3. Having trouble identifying dolotimic lime products? Any good suggestions from home depot/lowes stores, or if you live in Portland, Oregon do you know any local nurseries that may sell?

P.S. I understand that I made the mistake of identifying fruit tree instead of lawn turf as the main crop.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

Maybe you can call the lab and say you misidentified the crop and they might rerun the report with recommendations for turfgrass? I expect the main thing you will need is lime and nitrogen. The nitrogen recommendation is based on what kind of grass it is, not the CEC. What kind of lime can you find around you? Here are soil remediation guidelines on here:
https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=15165
Your pH is low enough that there could be toxicity. A fast acting lime will push it up faster but you're much more limited in how much you can use at a time. You might consider a fast acting lime right now, which might get it out of the 4s, and then in the fall using regular dolomitic or calcitic lime at 50 lb per 1000 sq ft. You can do another 50 lb per 1000 sq ft each next spring and next fall. You need a lot of lime. You are low in both calcium and magnesium so either calcitic or dolomitic lime is fine.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

This publication from Oregon State on fertilization should be useful:
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/pub/ec-1278


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

It needs lime with a pH of 4.8, but 230lb/ksqft seems like a lot. I would make sure the tree selection is not targeting something very high.


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## Ridgerunner (May 16, 2017)

What I have been able to gather from this report is that:
1. Soil is highly acidic
_Yes_
2. Magnesium is low likely due to acidity of the soil
_Yes_
3. Low nitrogen likely due to the acidity of the soil
_No, although soil pH can affect some N producing processes and anion CEC capacity, there is not a direct correlation between pH and N levels that can be drawn._
4. CEC is 15, which indicates that the soil is more clay-like and less subject to cation leaching.
a. Since CEC points to a more clay-like soil it likely has high reserve of cations, including H+, which means that it will be more difficult (i.e., more lime) to raise the pH.
_Not necessarily. CEC is just the number of exchangeable cation sites a soil possesses. Although clay is a source of exchangeable cation sites, so is organic matter (even more so on a weight for weight basis). In addition, some clay soils (e.g. piedmont soils)can have a CEC below 5. Clay is a textural characteristic (particle size) and not necessarily defined by CEC._
5. Percent Cation Saturation indicates:
a. K (7.7%) + Mg (6.6%) + Ca (38.3) = 52%, WHICH means that the remaining 48% is likely composed of H+, which is consistent with a very acidic soil?
_Yes. That's the concept._


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

@g-man This isn't necessarily how the Oregon lab determines lime recommendations but the Virginia Tech lime table (p. 100j gives recommendation of 200 lb/1000 sq ft for a buffer pH of 5.8 and target pH of 6.5. So 230 lb is in the ballpark. Look at how much lime is required for low buffer pHs. I find it interesting, thought you might like to see it,

@eldrith Some soils are just naturally acidic, some are naturally alkaline. Rainfall, decay of organic matter, fertilizer use can contribute to acidity.


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## Lawn Whisperer (Feb 15, 2021)

1. The lab is recommending 230lbs of lime / 1000 sq. ft. based on a lime score of 70. Oregon measures lime effectiveness by score, most other states are more familiar with calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE). According to OSU's  Eastern Oregon Liming Guide, if the OP were to use dolomitic lime with a lime score of 100, for example, the OP will only need to apply 161lbs of dolomitic lime / 1000 sq. ft.


Note: I have more comments but I wanted to get this out for everyone to consider.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

Good point, @Lawn Whisperer. I went to Home Depot website picking a Portland store. It has a Pennington fast acting lime and the lime score is 81.53. So 230 x 70 divided by 81.53= 197. You can use up to 24 lb per 1000 sq ft. $20.80 for 30 lb. There is a Lilly White product with a 90 lime score(kind of fuzzy but it looked like 90) so that works out to 178 lb. needed altogether (230 x 70 divided by 90). It's described as fast acting but I can't find the back of the bag to see how much you can use at a time. 20 lb is $9.87. There is also a Lilly White dolomitic lime, lime score 90. It is regular dolomitic lime. You could use up to 50 lb per 1000 sq ft. Price is $5.28 for 40 lb. That is definitely the most economical. You could go with that and plan to use 178 lb over two years. It's slower acting but some will start reacting in a few weeks, some in months, some in a year or so. A jumpstart, though, with a fast acting lime is worth considering. I did not look at Lowes.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

That 70% explains the rough math i did in my head. The numbers align better now.

This pH is so low that I would even suggest you can do 50lb now + one bag rate of fast acting. Then just keep doing the 50lb every 6 months.


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## eldrith (10 mo ago)

Thanks a lot everyone for your input and recommendations.

I've been reading a lot from the OSU extension service (as a reliable source of information) and came across this article: https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9057 - is top dressing a reasonable approach even though lime likely won't penetrate beyond 2 inches? Is that deep enough to help the lawn grow and flourish? Do you recommend aerating as an alternative to tilling (seems extreme) to help drive lime further into the ground?


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

Don't till, Aeration will help it get deeper into the soil.


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