# First Soil Test



## emile (Jun 19, 2018)

Planning my first ever overseed this fall. Any other advice based on this soil test? It looks like I can follow a typical milorganite schedule if I figure out the potassium.

Edit: Soil was analyzed by Michigan State extension.

Lawn is currently a nomix (with a lot of dead nimblewill)in mixed sun and shade. Planning on TTTF.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Welcome TLF.

I checked MSU site and it doesn't say they use M3 as their test methods, but it sure looks like it. Could you call/email them and confirm?

Let's start with the pH. 8 is high, but you could have a great lawn. Mine is also high and there is nothing we could effectively do about it. I use Ammonium Sulfate (AS) 21-0-0 as my source of nitrogen since helps slightly with the pH.

Due to the pH iron is not available to your plants thru the soil. Foliar applications (FAS) would be the option. Milo will work too for iron. I spray even the trees with FAS when they start to turn yellow.

Phosphorous, you have adequate levels. I try to target 50ppm on m3.

Potassium, it is adequate, but low. I try to target 175ppm on M3. For this the recommendation is Sulfate of potash SOP 0-0-50. It is hard to find. Ohio has advance turf solutions and they sell it. Apply potassium at a rate of 1lb/ksqft per rolling month and avoid late fall. Using SOP, it would be 2lb of SOP/ksqft.

Mg looks on the low side but adequate. Confirm the M3 test methods and we could revisit.

For information
You have a high CEC value. This means that your soil has a strong capability to hold on to nutrients (a good thing). It normally means high on clay.

Since your pH is high, dont apply lime to your soil, ever.

Lastly, the Milo schedule is just a marketing thing without a lot of reasoning (organic fertilizer in Thanksgiving?). Give the cool season guide a read and follow the nitrogen blitz (see signature). You can start the blitz right now.


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## emile (Jun 19, 2018)

Thanks for such a thorough answer, @g-man. I will check with MSU on the M3 question. I also have a few follow up questions:

When overseeding, I should spoon feed right? I'm not sure when to start doing that in terms of it being safe to walk and I used a starter Fert. Note: In the front, I put seed down 12 days ago. I plan on overseeding the back on 9/8.

Are you suggesting to use dissolved & sprayed AS (FAS) for the Blitz instead of spreading it in dry form?


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

1) I'm not an overseeder. I normally just apply nitrogen and let the kbg in my lawn spread. I think i would not apply fertilizer at seed down and wait around 30days to apply it. Seeds are a self contained package that has all the nutrients to grow at first (except water). If you apply it at seed down, you are encouraging the existing lawn to grow ahead of the seed and force you to mow earlier. Again, just my opinion.

2) No. For nitrogen I use granular AS (I just applied today with the Scott wizz). For iron, I use FAS. The AS in FAS is insignificant for plant grow. It is there to encourage the leaf to absorb the iron. Actually AS is beneficial in most foliar applications (ie. herbicides).


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## KevC (Dec 27, 2018)

Hey @g-man - just taking in as much as I can, so snooping some older posts and getting a feel for soil tests and more importantly what to do with the information once you get it from a lab. 
Do you have any links/literature you could share for the ideal range for micro/macro nutrients in soil (for turf grass). Just saw that you mentioned your preference in parts per million for phosphorus (and others), and wondered if that strays at all from say a soil savvy "ideal" range.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

There are a couple of sources for this info.

I would start with Ridgerunner's Soil Test Thread. This is a very detailed soil analysis thread that includes how the test method works. If you need more info, I'm sure Ridgerunner will help.

I personally have converted myself to use MLSN approach. The short version is that the lawn (turf) needs to be above a low threshold to be enough. The lawn will consume some of the nutrients depending on if you mulch mow or not.

Based on the M3 test method, the MLSN minimum values to have a * golf course turf * are:
K > 37ppm, P > 21 ppm, Ca > 331ppm, Mg > 47ppm, S > 6ppm
anything above these is good.

But I personally target these values (lowered based on new research):
K ~ 125ppm , P ~ 50ppm, Ca ~625ppm, Mg ~ 75ppm, S ~ 30ppm, Fe ~ 75ppm, Mn ~ 10ppm

I read the actual research on how MLSN was done, analyzed their graphs, and read more research from Doug Soldat, Bill Kreuser, Jason Haines, among others. For a lawn to be deficient, the values have to be much lower than MLSN. One of the research this year had P values as low as 5ppm and it was still good. Therefore the target values above are just that a target.

Nutrient research keeps evolving and new information keeps coming out. Late last year, Dr. Soldat shared info on how the type of sand in the soil could contribute to K into the plant. These type of research keeps breaking some of the dogma the industry had (eg fall nitrogen). I look forward to what we discover in 2019.

In regards to micronutrients, the research I read shows that it is inconclusive or irrelevant outside iron/Mn.


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## KevC (Dec 27, 2018)

Thanks @g-man 
After posing the question to you I stumbled across @Ridgerunner amazing soil test thread - super helpful to get a solid foundation of understanding around soil nutrients. 
Really like the idea of minimum/sustainable levels- and how keeping a bit extra in the "bank" acts as a nice buffer. Also ensures there isn't wasted expenses and leaching fertilizing that can't be utilized by the plant. 
Cheers!


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