# New home and new user- First Soil Test RxSoil



## mamoore9 (9 mo ago)

New to the forum. I recently got my first soil test results back form RxSoil. Hopefully that wasn't my first mistake going with them. I'm in Nebraska, Zone 5b. The home we recently moved into is roughly 17k sqft with irrigation. I'm finalizing my area map to map out the sqft of the lawn accurately. It was built about 2 years ago. I'm not completely sure of the grass type, but I'm guessing its a fescue.

I've tried to digest a lot of the knowledge here but some of the info from my soil test seems contradictory and I'm hoping someone can shed some light on the results and advise on a path moving forward from it. Samples were gathered using a T handle plug collector from Amazon. The data to follow is the measurement, amount of measurement, and its optimal range. I'd post the picture but I cant really from work. Thanks in advance.

-----Amount ----- Optimal Range
Soil PH ----- 7.9 ----- 6.2-6.8 
Organic Matter ----- 3.5% ----- 5%-6.9%
Capacity to Ret (CEC) ----- 20.4 ----- 11-16
Phosphorus (P) ----- 29 ----- 42-68 ppm
Potassium (K) ----- 226 ----- 89-107 ppm
Calcium (Ca) ----- 69.8% ----- 70%-85% pbs
Magnesium (Mg) ----- 26.4% ----- 15.1%-25% pbs 
Sulfur (S) ----- 16 ----- 29-36 ppm
Zinc (Zn) ----- 2.3 ----- 3.5-8.1 ppm
Manganese (Mn) ----- 152 ----- 21-51 ppm
Iron (Fe) ----- 104 ----- 11-51 ppm 
Copper (Cu) ----- 2.5 ----- 1.6-3.1 ppm
Boron (B) ----- .4 ----- 1.3-2.6ppm

Recommended 3 lbs Nitorgen, 1 lb Phosphorus, 0.33 lb Potassium annually


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

Here is a lawn calendar for Nebraska which gives dates for fertilizing:
https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/panhandle/turfgrass_calendar/

All soil test recommendations for nitrogen are based on what kind of grass it is, not soil levels. KBG needs a bit more nitrogen annually than fescue.

Here are soil remediation guidelines on here, including info on high pH soil:
https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=15165

The NPK numbers on fertilizer are percentages of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) in the product. The recommendations given are for 1000 sq ft. over the course of a year.

Soil Rx is using their own way of testing and has its own ranges, which may or may not correlate with plant performance. Next year I'd recommend using an established lab using time tested methods and years of research to calibrate results.


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## mamoore9 (9 mo ago)

Thanks for the response.

I found a lot of resources through UNL extension site.

Any particular testing resource to follow? Waypoint seems pretty popular.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

Check out the info here:
https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=3124

UNL apparently doesn't do their own testing. They have some recommendations here:
https://lancaster.unl.edu/hort/articles/2011/SoilTest.shtml


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

Choose a test for alkaline soil, using Olsen extractant for phosphorus and ammonium acetate extractant for cations (calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium), preferably an elevated pH ammonium acetate extractant. You don't need nitrogen testing as nitrogen jumps all around but it's often included anyway. It's not all that crucial to get another test now, You could just follow the recommendations you have for this year (they seem reasonable) and get another test somewhere else next year. You could look into using elemental sulfur to lower pH and spring is a good time to do that if you're going to try. I don't trust SoilRx's result to be accurate but your pH is likely to be high.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

UNL uses waypoint for their Univ research.

I was told (I'm not sure how accurate this is) that SoilRx is tested by waypoint too as an M3. They are just showing the data in a different view at a different price.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

If SoilRx is using Waypojnt to do the lab work, that is good news. You could call SoilRx as a customer and ask. I just looked and the instructions are to send in a soil sample in a bag. There is no capsule to send with it, so they are using normal extractants to get their data. The pH should be accurate. I will quibble with their instructions: soil samples should be all at the same depth, there should be numerous samples throughout the area, they should be mixed well in a plastic bucket, and then some of the mixture put in the bag to send. Their instructions are inadequate.

Ridgerunner says Mehlich (which G-man guesses was used as an extractant) overestimates phosphorus in high pH soil. Olsen would be a better extractant for phosphorus. Did they recommend a particular NPK for fertilizer?


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## mamoore9 (9 mo ago)

Early Spring 16-0-2
Early Fall 27-0-2
Late Fall 32-0-4


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

6.25 lb of 16-0-2 gives you 1 lb of N, 0 of P, 0.125 lb of K.
3.7 lb of 27-0-2 gives you 1 lb of N, 0 of P, 0.074 lb of K.
3.1 lb of 32-0-4 gives you 1 lb of N, 0 of P, 0.124 lb of K.
So the total for the year is 3 lb of N, 0 of P, 0.323 lb of K.
So they're saying you need 1 lb of P per 1000 sq ft and not recommending any fertilizer with phosphorus. Hmmmm. Guess the fertilizers they're paid to promote don't have phosphorus. For one application you could use a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10 and get a lb each of N, P, and K. Then for the other applications all you need is nitrogen.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

I can confirm, it is waypoint Memphis location. https://youtu.be/1SYku44Gv_s look at minute 2:04 it shows the address. I am assuming they are doing the M3 test since it is cheaper.

OP, for next year, you should use an extraction for high pH. For waypoint, it is the SW1 for $26.50. the M3 is $16.50. You have to pay for your shipping (small box flat rate is $10). Midwest lab is another good option.


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