# Flynt2799 soil test results.



## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

Received these today. Any help/info would be greatly appreciated.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

I do not get very concerned about high N levels. Those actually change moment by moment. I also looked into how the sample for Soil Savvy is submitted. You are supposed to put the soil into their jar containing distilled water and an ion exchange capsule. Under aqueous conditions, all Nitrogen present transforms to either Nitrate or Ammonium. Including Nitrogen bound to organic sources or organic matter. If I got a result like this for one of my lawns, Fertilizer program would include a 1-1-1 ratio NPK fertilizer applied at 1/4-1/2 lb per month and some micronutrients. That would translate to Peters 20-20-20 applied at 1 lb every 14 days and FEature 6-0-0. Going on a fertilizer program designed for cool season grass growing on high Phosphorus soil in the Midwest will not work. Especially not for reel low Bermuda. Those fertilizers are all coated Urea with no micronutrents, no Phosphorus, and very low Potassium.


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## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

@Greendoc thanks for the advice. I have known that high nitrogen levels were ok with Bermuda, just didn't expect to see my P & K so low. Now I just need to figure out the best place to buy this stuff as I'm suspecting HD won't suffice.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

A simple way to do this is with AG grade 10-10-10 or 16-15-15. I do not like those because they contain Potassium Chloride. The Peters 20-20-20 contains no Chlorides. I would also look into reducing soil pH a little as well. Over 7 means grass that is less than green unless the Nitrogen is piled on. A high pH also inhibits utilization of all of the other nutrients.


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## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

Greendoc said:


> A simple way to do this is with AG grade 10-10-10 or 16-15-15. I do not like those because they contain Potassium Chloride. The Peters 20-20-20 contains no Chlorides. I would also look into reducing soil pH a little as well. Over 7 means grass that is less than green unless the Nitrogen is piled on. A high pH also inhibits utilization of all of the other nutrients.


I think I can track down some 10-10-10. Any recommendations on getting my PH lowered, I'm guessing I can purchase a bag of fast acting sulfur. The high PH might be what's causing some of the yellowing of my Bermuda.

Sorry for all the questions, just have no idea what I'm doing and want to get it right.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Sulfur is going to be the most helpful thing you apply. I remember dealing with a pH 7.5 lawn. Homeowner told me about how they would load up the lawn with a double rate of lawn fertilizer. Grass got sort of green for a week and then turned yellow again. I got the pH below 7 and that lawn became very responsive to anything applied to it. With Texas being as warm as it is, Bermuda should not be struggling. Theoretically, it should be growing like a weed fertilizer or no fertilizer. Now that I think of it, your high Nitrogen reading on the soil test is typical for a lawn not responsive to fertilizer due to a pH issue.


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## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

@Greendoc Makes perfect sense, seeing as how I've done what I've been told and thrown nitrogen at my lawn like crazy and not seen the results wanted.

I was able to track down a 13-13-13 all purpose fertilizer, as well as some fast acting sulfur. Guess that's my next step following these storms we have coming.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

By right, a little bit of N should be enough to make you hate mowing your lawn. If tons of N barely gets it to green up and grow like mad, there is a need to look deeper. I wish everyone would get a soil test done before putting together a fertilizer program and even more so if what they are currently doing is not giving them the response they are looking for.


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## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

Time to make some changes.


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## pintail45 (Apr 26, 2018)

Holy schnikes look at that calcium! Unfortunately this is a typical limestone-laden, high PH central Texas soil. I wouldn't expect sulfur to do much here (you're siting on miles and miles of limestone) and the it's going to be difficult to keep the potassium from leaching.

While this soil is challenging, it doesn't mean you can't have a pretty lawn. You basically have two options: 1) Foliar applications of liquid fert or 2) Granular organics that contain iron such as Milorganite.

I treat a similar high PH calcitic lawn in Galveston where the sod was basically laid over beach sand and have had good results with the above.


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## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

pintail45 said:


> Holy schnikes look at that calcium! Unfortunately this is a typical limestone-laden, high PH central Texas soil. I wouldn't expect sulfur to do much here (you're siting on miles and miles of limestone) and the it's going to be difficult to keep the potassium from leaching.
> 
> While this soil is challenging, it doesn't mean you can't have a pretty lawn. You basically have two options: 1) Foliar applications of liquid fert or 2) Granular organics that contain iron such as Milorganite.
> 
> I treat a similar high PH calcitic lawn in Galveston where the sod was basically laid over beach sand and have had good results with the above.


Ya wasn't expecting these numbers at all. But I will continue to use milorganite as usual along with the added 13-13-13. Figures I can give the sulfur a try and complete another soil test at the end of the season to see if it had any effect.


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## pintail45 (Apr 26, 2018)

Sounds like a plan. You ever tried any of the Medina products at Lowes? Hasta Gro Lawn is a decent liquid fert that won't break the bank.


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## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

pintail45 said:


> Sounds like a plan. You ever tried any of the Medina products at Lowes? Hasta Gro Lawn is a decent liquid fert that won't break the bank.


I'm normally a HD guy since it's right around the corner. HD has the Medina line but online only. Might have to order a bottle and give it a shot. You had success with it?


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## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

Flynt2799 said:


> pintail45 said:
> 
> 
> > Holy schnikes look at that calcium! Unfortunately this is a typical limestone-laden, high PH central Texas soil. I wouldn't expect sulfur to do much here (you're siting on miles and miles of limestone) and the it's going to be difficult to keep the potassium from leaching.
> ...


Not saying that the sulfur won't/can't help, but the amount necessary to lower the pH here is tremendous and can't be applied at one time. I'm guessing that if sulfur was the answer, the already high level in your soil would have shown different pH levels when you tested.


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## pintail45 (Apr 26, 2018)

Flynt2799 said:


> pintail45 said:
> 
> 
> > Sounds like a plan. You ever tried any of the Medina products at Lowes? Hasta Gro Lawn is a decent liquid fert that won't break the bank.
> ...


I've had good luck with it, one gallon covers 16,000 sq ft so it's pretty inexpensive for what it is, and readily available.

The Lowes by my house had a close out sale on their organics last year and I picked up some crazy deals on Medina products. Like $3 for a 40lb bag of Growin' Green. About 90% off.


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## gardencityboy (Mar 8, 2018)

Below is the result I got from my soil test in the Austin area










I am in the same boat.
I guess adding sulfur will not help since the quantity required is huge to make any difference.
I am planing to add Gypsum to the soil since my soil is hydrophobic after which I will switch to a 20-20-20 liquid fertilizer option.


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## Kicker (Apr 5, 2018)

joining the club. I'm doing the same as @gardencityboy and putting down gypsum as well as high-Yield Triple super phosphate and a 0-0-50 potash this weekend.

Unfortunate i could not get it down before these storms, but oh well.

my soil savvy results are below.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

An alternate method for dealing with high pH soil is to apply 1-2 lb Citric Acid per 1000 sq ft every month. Works faster than Sulfur and will attack the Limestone base rather aggressively. I would not apply any Gypsum to a soil that was already high in Calcium. It does nothing to address the actual problem which is the presence of Calcium Carbonate and Bicarbonates in the soil.


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## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

Kicker said:


> joining the club. I'm doing the same as @gardencityboy and putting down gypsum as well as high-Yield Triple super phosphate and a 0-0-50 potash this weekend.
> 
> Unfortunate i could not get it down before these storms, but oh well.
> 
> my soil savvy results are below.


I looked into the hi-yield products offered at Walmart as well. Still wondering if the 13-13-13 will do the trick or not. Have to compare notes in a few months and see how both options do since the lawns are in the same area. Are you using the gypsum in hopes to loosen the clay soil?
Wish I had been able to get some stuff down before the rain as well, but either way I'll take the rain!


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## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

Greendoc said:


> An alternate method for dealing with high pH soil is to apply 1-2 lb Citric Acid per 1000 sq ft every month. Works faster than Sulfur and will attack the Limestone base rather aggressively. I would not apply any Gypsum to a soil that was already high in Calcium. It does nothing to address the actual problem which is the presence of Calcium Carbonate and Bicarbonates in the soil.


Where do you get citric acid for lawns....I just picture myself squeezing a ton of oranges on my lawn :lol:


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## gardencityboy (Mar 8, 2018)

Flynt2799 said:


> Kicker said:
> 
> 
> > joining the club. I'm doing the same as @gardencityboy and putting down gypsum as well as high-Yield Triple super phosphate and a 0-0-50 potash this weekend.
> ...


I believe gypsum helps to loosen the clay soil. In my case the soil is highly hydrophobic, so I cant even water in anything I put on it. About 5 months back I did a core aeration thinking that it will loosen the soil but my soil is so solid that I still have the holes from the core aeration. I am hoping that gypsum should help loosen the soil and after that what ever I put in will actually go into the soil.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Look for online vendors that supply hobby soap makers. Or here. https://www.amazon.com/Milliard-Cit...304&sr=8-3&keywords=milliard+citric+acid&th=1 When you said a lot of oranges, I immediately had a vision of you making screwdrivers by the gallon. One for you, one for the lawn. High pH soil is enough to drive someone to drink.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

gardencityboy said:


> Flynt2799 said:
> 
> 
> > Kicker said:
> ...


The Citric Acid will do more to loosen the soil than anything else. I use 95% Sulfuric Acid in a lot of cases, but I spent much of my educational career in chemistry labs, so I understand what needs to be done to be safe.


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## viva_oldtrafford (Apr 4, 2018)

gardencityboy said:


> Flynt2799 said:
> 
> 
> > Kicker said:
> ...


Gypsum helps flocculate (aggregate) clay particles - there is usually a sodic issue (Na) involved in the dispersion of clay particles.


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## Ral1121 (Mar 19, 2018)

Another option I believe is lesco high manganese combo chelated micronutrients. I got some to try out. It is a liquid fert but I read somewhere that it will help lower pH. Can't remember where I found that information though. I am trying it out this season. It is also my chelated iron source for my liquid fert program.


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## Ral1121 (Mar 19, 2018)

Here is the label


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## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

Soooooo many options, decisions decisions....I think I'll have to stay with granular this season as I don't have a sprayer, that's on the wish list though.


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## pintail45 (Apr 26, 2018)

Hose-end sprayers are like $10 if you wanted to go that route. I alternate between liquid and granules depending on time and mood (liquid is generally more of a hassle and time consuming, at least when using homeowner type sprayers). But neither would be a real chore with only 2800 sq ft of turf.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

When applying acids, my preferred applicator is a hose end sprayer with no metal parts. Why am I going to run acid through a $1000 pump? For someone applying just to his own lawn, a hose end device is a reasonable option for fertilizers and soil amendments. You do want to apply in a rather high volume of water, as in 5-10 gallons per 1000 sq ft not 5-10 gallons of liquid per acre. Ortho makes an all plastic unit. I do a short and skinny Richard Dean Anderson for it. I take off the bottle and tube, replace with a longer piece of tubing with a 1 gallon bottle. When the mixing head is set to an 8 oz per gallon dilution ratio, 1 gallon of concentrated product turns into 16 gallons of spray. 2 lb of Citric Acid applied in 16 gallons of water will not burn. Neither will 2 lb of any soluble fertilizer. With good water pressure, a gallon of mix can be gone rather fast.


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## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

@Greendoc any particular 1 gallon jug that you use?

Also have a question about the 13-13-13 fert I picked up. A 40lb bag of 13-13-13 that covers 4,000 sqft, if I want to put down at a rate of 1lb that should come out to 7.69lb of fert per 1000. Just don't want to burn the yard up.


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