# Soil Test Results... How to find the right fertilizer?



## uptickk (Mar 26, 2019)

Hello All,

Just got my first soil test report and am excited to get a plan into place!

Soil pH is 8.16 is high for tall fescue which the report didn't address and I have followed up with the lab on it.
Phosphorus - 16L (low)
Potassium - 63L (low)

What I am struggling with is how to find the right fertilizers for their recommendations. Their HIGH maintenance recommendation is to apply 0.5 lbs of actual nitrogen per 1k sqft in March and April and 1 lbs per 1k sqft in September, October and November. 1 lbs can be applied as 3.3lbs of a 27-33% nitrogen only fertilizer or as 10 lbs of a 8-12% nitrogen only and if possible use a 30% slow release nitrogen fertilizer. I cannot seem to find a 27/33-0-0 30% slow release fertilizer. My preference would be a granular application as I am new to all this as well and think it would be easier to apply.

The report also recommends applying phosphorus once a year at 10lbs of an 8-12% P205 or 2 lbs of 45% P205 per 1k sqft and potassium once a year at 2lbs of 50-60% K20 or 20lbs of 3-6% of K20.

Any suggestions on where to look for the fertilizers? I searched the threads and found sites like Siteone but am not finding what I think I need but that could just be because I am looking incorrectly.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

The simple approach would be to use a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10 (@5lb/ksqft in March/April and 10lb/ksqft in Sept, Oct, Nov), 13-13-13 (7.5lb/ksqft) or other balanced (same number). This will give you N P and K in one bag. You will find balanced fert at Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, etc.

Most of Scott/Vigoro/Sta-green products called Lawn Food, have between 27-33% of N and a good portion of it in slow. You can use that product once the P and K are addressed.


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## daniel3507 (Jul 31, 2018)

For me I find it easier to adjust your P and K separate from N rather than trying to find the solution in a single bag. My soil test showed I was low on potassium so I'm adding muriate of potash that you can find at any garden store. If I needed to add phosphorous I would just grab some bags of super phosphate and apply it once. Then when the grass is actively growing I can just put down the appropriate amount of nitrogen during the growing season.

There are calculators online that you can use to determine how much fertilizer to put down too. If you need .5lbs of N you can punch that into the calculator along with the N-P-K value of whatever fertilizer you are using. Add in the size of your lawn and it will tell you how many pounds of fertilizer it will take to reach your target amount of nitrogen (.5lbs). You can do it for phosphorous and potassium as well. I'm sure there are easier or better ways. This just seems easier to me than trying to find the correct proportions in a single bag of fertilizer.

https://turf.purdue.edu/fertilizer-calculator/


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## uptickk (Mar 26, 2019)

Thank you daniel3507 and g-man for the quick responses!

I was having issues finding the right concentration of nitrogen and so went with a mixed approach of 29-0-4 with 50% slow release. I will address the low phosphorus separately. The calculator makes the math easy!

Thanks again daniel3507 and g-man!


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## Methodical (May 3, 2018)

Curious. Which company did the test and did not address how to adjust PH levels?


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## uptickk (Mar 26, 2019)

It was the UT (Tennessee) Extension Institute of Agriculture. I need to follow up as they never replied to my initial message.


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