# Soil test results. What to do with pH...



## Oyster Shark (Aug 24, 2020)

Any input on quantity and quality of lime to buffer the pH a point or so?

MWL literature is indicating about a a ton per acre or 22 pounds per thousand.

We are doing a reno in the back and overseeding in the front. About 4 weeks out.

Should I focus on getting some lime down, STAT?


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

Do what the lab recommends. Didn't they make fertilizer and lime recommendations? If not, call them.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

Oh, it looks like they failed to make a lime recommendation. They should. Call them. Front yard can wait until later in the fall. Back yard, your call. Probably be fine either way. Why are you waiting 4 weeks to seed? The best growing weather is September.


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## Oyster Shark (Aug 24, 2020)

I called the lab. They are working on it. I'm waiting on some construction to get wrapped up in the back yard. Soonest will be two weeks so I'm hoping they hurry along.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

When you talk to them again, ask why they list magnesium as very high but recommend addition of some magnesium (roughly 1/3 lb/1000 sq ft) in the back yard. Same thing with phosphorus in the back yard. Ask them whether they'd recommend dolomitic or calcitic lime. If you do need some magnesium, dolomitic would supply it. But if magnesium really is very high, calcitic would be better. There is a regular calcitic lime but it may be hard to find. The big box stores seem to carry just dolomitic and fast acting calcitic. Fast acting is fine but you are limited in how much you can apply at a time (follow bag directions). Regular lime can be applied at up to 50 lb/1000 sq ft. Your CEC is low so probably a relatively small amount of lime can make bring it up sufficiently. The low CEC indicates your soil doesn't hold nutrients too well. You can compensate by spoon feeding. In a month when you'd be fertilizing, do half as much twice as often. Or use a slow release fertilizer. Organic fertilizers (like Milorganite) are mainly slow release but they need warm weather for the microbes to do their thing.


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## Oyster Shark (Aug 24, 2020)

Lab got back to me. Said there were errors populating the report fields. Magnesium should be between that 100 and 250ppm range.

Their rec was 1 ton of lime per acre. Calcium carbonate lime in pelleted form is on sale locally. Sound like a plan? Also rec'd bout half a pound of boron.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

Sounds like a plan. I hope they are sending you corrected recommendations for everything.


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## Oyster Shark (Aug 24, 2020)

I will reach out to the lab and have them update. Midwest Laboratories is usually great. They turned the sample around in 48 hours. I believe they are running upwards to 20,000 soil samples a day so this must have just slipped through the cracks.


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## Ridgerunner (May 16, 2017)

> MWL literature is indicating about a a ton per acre or 22 pounds per thousand.


1 Ton/acre is about 45lbs/M.


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## Oyster Shark (Aug 24, 2020)

Good catch! Looks like I'll be dropped a 40 pound bag per M to keep it simple.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

That half of lb of boron is also for an acre. For 1000 sq ft it would be a very small amount. I would skip the boron, just keep a check on it next soil test. What about potassium? Did they say anything about that? If they're sending a revised recommendation, maybe that will be on that.


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