# Soil Test, help is greatly appreciated



## Gfrsh325 (May 14, 2020)

Had a soil test done on my front yard and backyard. I read what they recommend but I'm kinda new and need it explained slightly better or what products everyone recommends for this. Once the weather breaks, I will be putting down my pre-emergent. What should I throw down with it to correct anything out of line?


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## Ridgerunner (May 16, 2017)

Just when say P levels above 200 ppm are unusual, you post yours. Levels of P >200 in a residential lawn is unusual. Absent a sampling or testing error, you should avoid applying any P, for years. P in itself shouldn't be harmful to turf, but it can make other nutrients less available/deficient. You should apply 0.5 lbs/M of potassium for every pound of N/M that you apply. You can try to source ammonium sulfate or urea for N and potassium sulfate for K. Otherwise see if you can find a 2:0:1 ratio fertilizer.


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## Gfrsh325 (May 14, 2020)

pH looks ok in both? I thought the 6.1 was slightly low


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## Gfrsh325 (May 14, 2020)

Ridgerunner said:


> Just when say P levels above 200 ppm are unusual, you post yours. Levels of P >200 in a residential lawn is unusual. Absent a sampling or testing error, you should avoid applying any P, for years. P in itself shouldn't be harmful to turf, but it can make other nutrients less available/deficient. You should apply 0.5 lbs/M of potassium for every pound of N/M that you apply. You can try to source ammonium sulfate or urea for N and potassium sulfate for K. Otherwise see if you can find a 2:0:1 ratio fertilizer.


This is the closest I can find around me. Would this be fine?


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## Ridgerunner (May 16, 2017)

6.1 is slightly lower than ideal; however it's not considered low enough to be much of a detriment to nutrient availability and may have an upside. There was a university study (N.C. State?) that found that soils with pH in the low 6s had reduced incidence of disease. The 24-0-11 is a great maintenance fertilizer option for your situation. You might want to consider using a 15-0-15 for one or two of your seasonal fertilizer applications to bump K reserves up a little.


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## Gfrsh325 (May 14, 2020)

When would you recommend to do my first round of fertilizer? Grass is still dormant now. Once it wakes up, I'm gonna dethatch (badly needed) and throw Pre-em down. I'm guessing that will be first or second week of April judging by temps here now and 2 weeks out.


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## Ridgerunner (May 16, 2017)

Personally, I'd fertilize a week for I did anything aggressive to the turf. You could post these questions on the cool season forum and get some input from the people there. Some might be from your State/climate. are you sure you even need to thatch? Ask what the cool season has to say about it.


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