# A dude and his lawn - Looking for help understanding test results



## jjainseattle (Jun 8, 2020)

Long time lurker first rarely a poster...

Looking for some help understanding the results of soil testing and what I should be doing here as we head toward winter to prepare for spring.

I've got a decent lawn - Lots of problems but overall pretty happy with it,..

I have a few thin spots and the soil is pretty darn compacted.

Thought i would start with a soil analysis and then begin the process of getting the soil into shape in advance of a spring freshening up Photos of the front and back lawns are here:



























My soil analysis hs here:

Front lawn - 

Back Lawn - 

Thanks in advance for the valuable input that I am certain you all will provide!


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

Put down 50 lb per 1000 sq ft of dolomitic lime in late fall before the ground freezes. If you use a fast acting lime, follow the bag directions on how much to apply at a time. Ordinary lime can be applied at 50 lb per 1000 sq ft. and that's all you need. One application and you are done for a few years.

You need potassium. Can you find 0-0-50 (SOP Sulfate of Potash)? You need 4.5 lb per 1000 sq ft over the year, so do 5 applications, four at 2 lb per 1000 sq ft (which will supply 1 lb of K2O per 1000 sq ft) and one at 1 lb per 1000 sq ft. The front yard needs 1 lb of phosphate. The easiest way to get it is with a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10. Instead of one of the potassium applications for the front, use that to put down 1 lb of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. How much you use depends on the particular NPK numbers. They are percentages of each nutrient in the product. You could also use a starter fertilizer.

In general don't apply more than one lb of any nutrient per 1000 sq ft in a month. Water in applications. Your CEC numbers are very good. Your soil should hold onto nutrients well. Very lovely grass.


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## jjainseattle (Jun 8, 2020)

Wow...Thanks for the info Virginiagal - Will search for those products.

Was also thinking about beginning to put down Milorganite a couple of times a year to push the health of my soil a bit.


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## jjainseattle (Jun 8, 2020)

One other Q here - Am I ok to apply all of this in the next week or so? Of course at the recommended coverage numbers.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

I'm not familiar with your climate so I found this guide from Washington State:
https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2062/2014/04/eb0482.pdf?x96359
Page 7 addresses when to fertilize. It's completely different from Virginia where most fertilizer should be done in the fall. Did you do fertilizer around the first part of September? The SOP is not going to push growth and that could be done most anytime spring through fall, unless you have long periods of snow cover in the winter. If so, save it until spring as it could contribute to snow mold if you have prolonged snow cover. Lime could go down now. Milorganite needs warm weather for the microbes to do their thing. If you use Milorganite, you can get some or most of the phosphate you need from that.


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## jjainseattle (Jun 8, 2020)

Not much snow at all - If there is any it's generally gone within a couple of days of it falling.

I did not put anything down with respect to fertilizer yet - We are still seeing days in the high 60s/low 70s here in Seattle

Sounds like I should wait on the SOP and Milorganite, do the lime now


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## Ridgerunner (May 16, 2017)

Avoid Milorganite. You don't need anymore P now or for the foreseeable future.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

Thanks to Ridgerunner for catching the phosphorus issue. I wonder why they recommended 1 lb per 1000 sq ft for the front yard. The phosphorus numbers are all high. I agree: avoid phosphorus and since Milorganite has a lot of phosphorus, avoid that. Your organic matter numbers are high anyway. Avoid the balanced fertilizer. Just use the SOP. And nitrogen when appropriate.


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## jjainseattle (Jun 8, 2020)

So just lay the lime down now?


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

It's ok to do the lime now. Also ok to wait until later in the fall. Just do it before the ground freezes. It's also ok to do SOP now since you don't have prolonged snow cover. Or it can wait until spring. Your choice.


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