# FIRST LAWN SOIL TEST (MIDWEST LABS)



## KCturffanatic (Oct 21, 2020)

I just received my first ever soil test. I've lived in this house for around 4 years, and have decided to try and take my lawn to the next level. With Spring right around the corner, I've been gathering all the supplies and products to do that. So far this is what I'm planning, but hopefully with these soil test results, I can really zero in on a plan for the year. 
I've planned to put down two split apps of Milorganite in the Spring starting when the grass greens up, with around .5lbs per 1000 each app. Along with that, I planned to spray Feature at .2 oz per 1000 bi weekly along with K4L Humic/Fulvic/Kelp mix. With having the clay soil, I also wanted to focus a little on the compaction, so I got Yucca/SLSP, which I planned to apply via spray every 3 weeks or so. I also plan to use TMAXX PGR starting in April after my first mow, along with preventative fungicides (Prodiamine/Azoxy) starting in May.
The reason for the Nitrogen in the Spring, is I had to wait to overseed my Fescue in October since I had a in ground sprinkler system installed in late September. I figured the new grass that didn't have much time to develop will need a little boost in the Spring before Summer hits.
I've figured A LOT out on these forums by reading and studying, and that's how I've come up with a basic guideline I want to follow this year, but it seems like soil samples aren't real clear cut with what values I need to be at. Especially with the different testing styles. 
Any help would be appreciated. I look forward to posting more often when I get going! Here is a few pictures of my lawn in late fall of 2020, and here is my soil test results!







Thanks,

Dustin


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## Easyluck (Feb 5, 2019)

Your lawn looks great!

Check out ridge runners post in the sticky.

"
P Sufficiency Ranges
Bray 1 (Bray P1, Bray 1-P, Weak Bray) 
Sufficiency Range (ppm): 15-30
Bray 2 (Bray P2, Bray 2-P, Strong Bray) 
Sufficiency Range (ppm): 40-60
Olsen
Sufficiency Range (ppm): 12-28
"

My observations are:
organic matter is high
Potassium is slightly low
Calcium base saturation is slightly low
Sulfur is low
Iron is high

Milorganite is probably fine to apply but will add organic matter and iron which you don't really need.

Check out g-mans " Soil Remediation Guidelines" to figure out what products you could use.

If you really wanted to dial it in you could use TSP or MAP for phosphorous (TSP has 15% calcium, MAP has some nitrogen)

Then urea or ammonium nitrate for nitrogen.

Gypsum would be a good product for adding calcium and sulfur.

K levels should be fine throughout this growing season. In the fall you could add a little K.

Edit: Feature has 6% N, 1% Mg, 8% S, 10% Fe and 2.5% Mn. Nitrogen, sulfur and manganese would be good to apply. Magnesium is already high. Iron is high and due to soil pH available iron isn't much of a problem. Therefore you may not see much color response from the additional iron.

Excess of anything is not good for soil and you should strive for balance.


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## KCturffanatic (Oct 21, 2020)

Thanks for the info! I've read through those soil threads already, but will read over them again with this new information in mind and decide on which direction I should go. There is just so much when it comes to understanding soil breakdown and how it applies to application options. I'll probably go with "TSP" for Phosphorous. It seems the "MAP" is hard to find here in Kansas City area. If I'm trying to correct the soil, I would need to use a granular application correct? I would rather spray if that's still an option.
I was thinking of putting Gypsum down, so it's good to have confirmation on that. So it sounds like other than Phosphorous, I just need to keep a pretty balanced fertilizer regiment this year.

Dustin


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

I think this is pretty good soil.

For a small lawn, i think you can use what is sold as "starter" fertilizer. It normally has an equal ratio of nitrogen and phosphorus. You should do a maintenance application of something with potassium during the year. You can use a balanced fertilizer (eg. 10-10-10) for that application.


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## KCturffanatic (Oct 21, 2020)

Good to know. Sounds like my first year of not following someone else's 5 step program will be a little easier knowing I'm starting with decent soil. The county I live in is called "Clay County", so I was a little worried I was dealing with bad soil. I'm very happy with the PH for sure. Thanks for the direction. I'll try and keep up a lawn journal so you can watch me embarrass myself... &#128514;

Dustin


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## Ridgerunner (May 16, 2017)

My two cents. With the exception of phosphorous, you've got good nutrient levels providing a decent bank (buffer/reserves) to help insure against an application shortage. For fescue you want to provide the turf with 1 part P and 2-3 parts K for every 4 parts of N you apply. Up to you on how it's applied (spray or granular) as long as it's provided. 
Regarding the P "exception" mentioned above, your values are on the low or below recommended sufficiency levels for B1 and B2 (the photographs certainly don't show any sign of deficiency) and raising P bank levels is a consideration. For every 1#/M of P2O5 applied (about 2#/M of TSP), you could see an increase of 9 ppm, less plant usage, in soil levels. Changes in soil bank levels should be made using granular products. I'd suggest applying 3-4 lbs/M of TSP spread out over this next season. Other than the P suggestion, all you need is maintenance applications of fertilizer. Great looking lawn BTW.


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## KCturffanatic (Oct 21, 2020)

Thanks for that info and the compliment. I went back to Midwest Labs as well and had them add what they suggested for the year. They are suggesting 2.87 lbs/M of N, 1.61 lbs/M of P, and 1.15 lbs/M of K. They also suggested .16 lbs/M of S.
We have a supply shop here (Reinders) that offers a "starter fertilizer" with values 18-12-6 in a 50lb bag with 25% being PCSU nitrogen. I was thinking of splitting that up into 2 applications in the Spring to jump start my yard before summer time since I overseeded so late last fall. That would give me 1.2 lbs/M of N, .8 lbs/M of P, and .4 lbs/M of K. 
They also offer a 14-14-14 in a 50lb bag that would roughly give me 1LB of each per M. I was leaning on going with the "starter fertilizer" since it has the slow release nitrogen, which might help with Spring feeding. I'll try and find someone here in the KC area that offers the "TSP", but so far I've had no luck.


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## Ridgerunner (May 16, 2017)

I understand your thinking on a newly established turf. I side with a number of turf specialists who recommend Spring fertilization to help with growth and root establishment and say that that outweighs possible disease issues. I gave calculations for TSP only as you mentioned sourcing it. Any P source is fine and the 9 ppm/lb of P2O5 will be valid. You could use the T-14 at the rate of 0.5lbs of N/M and do two apps this Spring and a full app (7 lbs of product - 1 lb of N/M rate) in the Fall and that would take care of the P and K needs for the lab recommended N rates. The rest of the N could be made up with FEature apps. S levels could be improved. I didn't mention correcting them as you stated your intention to use FEature. Other sources of S are ammonium sulfate and potassium sulfate, but then you're back to the sourcing issue you're having with TSP. Good luck.


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## KCturffanatic (Oct 21, 2020)

Oh ok. I didn't even think of the "S" from the Feature spraying. That simplifies it. Thanks!


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## Ridgerunner (May 16, 2017)

NP. Spraying FEature wont do much of anything for your soil S levels, but the turf should get what it needs.


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