# First time Soil Test. Need your insight!



## Scagfreedom48z+ (Oct 6, 2018)

Hi guys,

First time doing this. Looking for some help from you lawn nuts. I'm looking to see what suggestions you guys have for fertilizers, micro's, lime, etc. We purchased the house going on 3 years ago and this is the first test done. Any advice would be incredibly helpful . I have 2 soil tests. One for the front and the other for the back lawn.

I have to say that I have a wide array of the N-ext products and FEature for micro's. I did notice that 1 of the 2 soil results did have a very high iron count, which is pretty bizarre. I'm not sure why/how is got that to that level.


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## desirous (Dec 15, 2017)

Typical for Massachusetts soils. Follow the UMass recommendations. The high Fe number will go down as your pH increases.


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## Scagfreedom48z+ (Oct 6, 2018)

desirous said:


> Typical for Massachusetts soils. Follow the UMass recommendations. The high Fe number will go down as your pH increases.


Is there any specific lime or fertilizer that you would recommend? Maybe a Lesco starter to bring up all 3 NPK?


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

@Scagfreedom48z+ I see from your other post that you are confused about what to do/apply.

You need lime, P and K. I think you should use just regular again lime to up your mg too.

There are multiple options for P and K depending on the effort. I like to apply my N, P and K in independent products. This gives me flexibility but it means going over my lawn 3 times.

For P you can get TSP. For K, SOP is the ideal over MOP. This is to go with the independent approach.

The easier approach is a balance fertilizer like 10-10-10 or similar.

What products do you have? What can you get?

Lastly, while your values are below the target, do go crazy trying to improve in your next application. You can have a great lawn even if you do nothing but nitrogen on your soil. The values are not deficient. If you have a Reno area, just spoon feed nitrogen with just urea and add the P and K whenever you can later in the season. This is a marathon and you are at the 1mile mark, 25.1 more to go.


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## desirous (Dec 15, 2017)

@Scagfreedom48z+, I second g-man's advice. I see you have 30M of lawn, so I strongly recommend going with the most cost- and effort-effective option. For lime, I'd use the dolomitic Soil Doctor pelletized lime, $4 per 40# bag at Lowes and Home Depot. For fertilizer, I'd suggest 10-10-10 from Walmart, $10 for 40# bag.

Don't expect quick changes of the test numbers, it takes a few years for P and Ca to move through the soil. Your grass will look great even if test results take time to show the improvements.


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## Scagfreedom48z+ (Oct 6, 2018)

g-man said:


> @Scagfreedom48z+ I see from your other post that you are confused about what to do/apply.
> 
> You need lime, P and K. I think you should use just regular again lime to up your mg too.
> 
> ...


Thanks guys for the input. I don't have really any fert on hand besides my n-ext products. That's really not an issue though. I have access to all the big box stores, baystate fert, site one, local garden centers, etc. Getting fert is no issue.

I have a newly overseeded front lawn (fall 2018)that I wanted to spoon feed Urea to thicken up the KBG.

I apologize, what is TSP and or SOP? I've never heard of it

I put down around 50 lbs of dolomitic lime yesterday with 4 0z of RGS/Air8 per 1M.

I was also eye balling the Lesco starter fert that was high in P&K. What do you guys think?

This is my first year looking after my lawn. I'm trying to do whatever I can to perform the best practices for my lawn and also set up my soil for my fall Reno. I will take any guidance I can get from you guys.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

TSP = Triple Superphosphate - 0-45-0
SOP = Sulfate of Potassium - 0-0-50


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## Scagfreedom48z+ (Oct 6, 2018)

g-man said:


> TSP = Triple Superphosphate - 0-45-0
> SOP = Sulfate of Potassium - 0-0-50


Thanks for the info. I will look around in my local Nurseries. Does site one carry it? The prices on line are through the roof.

I was thinking of this.


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## jdc_lawnguy (Oct 30, 2018)

Scagfreedom48z+ said:


> g-man said:
> 
> 
> > TSP = Triple Superphosphate - 0-45-0
> ...


Not sure where you are in Ma.

I was unable to find TSP or SOP at my local site one in Chelmsford. I found TSP and SOP at the Farmers exchange in Nashua.

Dodge grain in Salem NH has TSP as well but had 0-0-60 not 0-0-50. Valley Green is similar to site one and locations around the State. They have SOP but did not have TSP


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## Scagfreedom48z+ (Oct 6, 2018)

jdc_lawnguy said:


> Scagfreedom48z+ said:
> 
> 
> > g-man said:
> ...


Appreciate the info. I may have to look around locally and see what I can dig up. Unfortunately those 2 sites that you mentioned are hike for me. I may have to just use a starter fert that is high in P and K. It's surprising because I wouldn't have thought that my P&K were low without my soil test. I thought it would have been the opposite.


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## Scagfreedom48z+ (Oct 6, 2018)

I went with the Lesco starter Fert 18-24-12. In the grand scheme, it has the highest P-K I could find for a reasonable price. Would you guys recommend spoon feeding my recently overseeded lawn with this? Would I even get good results if I were to spoon feed with it? I'm curious because I've only spoon fed with Urea only. I also do have straight Urea as well.

Here are the contents


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Apply 1 lb/ksqft weekly of this product.


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## ken-n-nancy (Jul 25, 2017)

jdc_lawnguy said:


> I found TSP and SOP at the Farmers exchange in Nashua.


Mind sharing the price for the sulfate of potash (SOP) and size of the bag at the Farmer's exchange in Nashua?

I've been getting SOP at Achille Agway in Milford, NH for quite a few years at $35.99 for a 50-pound bag, but am always on the lookout for good deals.


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## Scagfreedom48z+ (Oct 6, 2018)

g-man said:


> Apply 1 lb/ksqft weekly of this product.


Thanks Gman. I was curious, I've only been used to doing .25-.50 lb rates of Urea during the nitrogen blitz. What's your rational at 1pb per 1k sq ft weekly? How many weeks would you suggest going for?


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## jdc_lawnguy (Oct 30, 2018)

ken-n-nancy said:


> jdc_lawnguy said:
> 
> 
> > I found TSP and SOP at the Farmers exchange in Nashua.
> ...


@ken-n-nancy It was about $45/50#. I passed on it. I need to go to my office in Merrimack this week. Sounds like I will be going to Milford as well.


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## ken-n-nancy (Jul 25, 2017)

jdc_lawnguy said:


> ken-n-nancy said:
> 
> 
> > I've been getting SOP at Achille Agway in Milford, NH for quite a few years at $35.99 for a 50-pound bag, but am always on the lookout for good deals.
> ...


If you're going to make a trip to Achille Agway in Milford, NH to get SOP it would be best to call ahead first to see if they have some of the 0-0-50 SOP in stock. Their manager, Bruce, has been ordering it at my request each year and then selling what he has left over. I haven't made a request this spring yet (and I actually may not, as I have a fair bit left over from last year and haven't yet assessed if I have enough to last the whole year) and it's possible they're out from last year, but I don't know.


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## Scagfreedom48z+ (Oct 6, 2018)

g-man said:


> Apply 1 lb/ksqft weekly of this product.


Thanks Gman. I was curious, I've only been used to doing .25-.50 lb rates of Urea during the nitrogen blitz. What's your rational at 1pb per 1k sq ft weekly? How many weeks would you suggest going for?


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

1lb of 18-24-12/ksqft will yield:

0.18lb of N/ksqft
0.24lb of P/ksqft
0.12lb of K/ksqft

If you do this weekly (4 times a month), then:

0.72lb of N/ksqft
0.96lb of P/ksqft
0.48lb of K/ksqft


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## Scagfreedom48z+ (Oct 6, 2018)

Awesome man. Thank you. I'm going to try that on my front lawn for sure! The kbg should pop!

I have 46-0-0 Urea as well. What are your thoughts on maybe adding an extra small amount of urea in adjunct/mix with the weekly starter Fert spoon feedings to give it a little more boost? Would that be too much?

If not how much would you recommend to add?


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