# Fescue - interpretting new soil test results



## jebmke (Apr 5, 2020)

I first posted about a burn situation earlier this summer during a drought.

https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=416277#p416277

I have since had the back yard soil tested. Here are the test results - this time including some soil composition test. It shows organic matter (OM) of 3.1% (upper right). The second page shows the sand/silt/clay composition.



Before I hear from my turf mgt guy, I was wondering if anyone could explain any deficiencies, in practical terms. In particular, CEC, Ca and any implications of the sand/silt/clay mix [or anything else of note people spot]. Originally I had thought the soil was mostly heavy clay based on how it looks but is that what the composition test shows?

In other words, given these results and the prior issues with burn during the drought, what, if anything should I do this fall?

The normal time to over-seed etc. is late September/early October here.

Thanks for any insights.


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## Factor (Oct 10, 2019)

Pounds per acre converts to ppm is # X .5 = ppm

You won't see N its considered transient.
Ph 6.6 is good in general mid 6 is good like 6.5 up to 7.0 
P Phosphorus 23 - 50 ppm. You are 57. 
K Potassium 37 - 150ppm. You are 123.

Ca minimum is 331ppm you are 985ppm.
Mg minimum is 47ppm you are 251.

OM should be 3 - 6% you are 3.1.

CEC cation exchange capacity. Yours is 7.2 which is fine sand loam.
https://www.spectrumanalytic.com/support/library/ff/CEC_BpH_and_percent_sat.htm

I am no expert but seems ok to me. You might want a micros package with Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe. I personally would like to see the Ca and Mg a bit higher. 

You also didn't get a full test. Next time you should get Na, Fe, Mn and Soluble salt too. Any idea what this cost you? Was it more than say $30-40?


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## Factor (Oct 10, 2019)

> The normal time to over-seed etc. is late September/early October here.


You should seed 45 - 60 days before the first frost.

Which can be found here with you Zipcode. https://www.almanac.com/gardening/frostdates
Looks like it is around October 30th. I would say you should seed around August the 31 to Sept 15th. October is way too late.


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## Lawn Whisperer (Feb 15, 2021)

Factor said:


> …Ca minimum is 331ppm you are 985ppm.
> Mg minimum is 47ppm you are 251.
> …
> I personally would like to see the Ca and Mg a bit higher.


Are you referring to Ca to Mg ratio? I don't think this soil needs anymore Mg. More Ca maybe to raise the Ca to Mg ratio.


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## Factor (Oct 10, 2019)

Lawn Whisperer said:


> I don't think this soil needs anymore Mg.


Well I was wondering what other might think. I can agree Ca more is needed. 
High would be 150. Mg is High. I am sorry, Thanks for correcting me.

Honestly, the Ca might be ok to seems 895 is considered good?


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

All you need is nitrogen from what they tested. Most ppl think they have clay, but they don't.


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## jebmke (Apr 5, 2020)

g-man said:


> All you need is nitrogen from what they tested. Most ppl think they have clay, but they don't.


Clay is fairly common around the county but I am right on the water (Chesapeake tributary) so it could be different. Also may have been something put on the lot when the house was originally built (1980s).

Unlike the front yard, back seems not to be as drought tolerant. May be that adding some organic matter is needed. Expensive to do compost though because it isn't accessible to truck so they would have to wheel barrow it around the house and then level off before aerating. Another option suggested was to aerate and apply Milorganite.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

I agree with @g-man. All you need is nitrogen. Do not add lime. Your pH is perfect as is. Here is an article on CEC, which may be of interest:
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/what_is_your_soil_cation_exchange_capacity
Your CEC is somewhat low but not terrible. You can keep it in mind when fertilizing and irrigating: smaller amounts more often are better than large amounts less often. Here is an irrigation guide:
https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=19653

Do you have deciduous trees? Mulch mowing leaves in the fall and leaving them chopped up on the lawn will add organic matter. I collect from neighbors (who have left piles at the curb for pickup) and take them in tarps to my yard to mow them. Just growing grass adds organic matter as the roots grow and die back in their natural cycles.


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## jebmke (Apr 5, 2020)

Thanks. Irrigation isn't practical right now. Large lot and not sure well can handle the volume.

Was hoping I could get the back more tolerant. I don't mind dormant grass. The front goes dormant in dry conditions and always comes back. For some reason the back doesn't handle the long stretches.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

Just read your earlier post and was reminded of your situation. You're not asking for fertilizer recommendations as much as what to do about your back area that struggles each summer. Another thing I'm just noticing is that the texture is clay loam while the CEC is only 7. A clay loam normally has a much higher CEC. Also noticing that last year the CEC was 4, which is quite low.

You're planning to overseed without irrigation. Apparently you've done this successfully before. I would keep an eye on the weather and overseed when it looks like there will be a stretch of rainy, cloudy, cool days. Gentle rain if possible. If you haven't read the overseed guide here, take a look:
https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=6250

Tall fescue is a drought tolerant cool season grass but it doesn't do dormancy very well. It is drought tolerant because it has long roots. But that refers to well established fescue, more than one year old. Have you considered K31? It is not a pretty grass (it's clumpy) but it seems to endure hot summers. @Overtaxed may be doing an overseed with it this fall in an unirrigated area, so you might talk to him about it. He too has a large property. What do your neighbors have? Do they have similar problems to yours?


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## jebmke (Apr 5, 2020)

Virginiagal said:


> Just read your earlier post and was reminded of your situation. You're not asking for fertilizer recommendations as much as what to do about your back area that struggles each summer. Another thing I'm just noticing is that the texture is clay loam while the CEC is only 7. A clay loam normally has a much higher CEC. Also noticing that last year the CEC was 4, which is quite low.
> 
> You're planning to overseed without irrigation. Apparently you've done this successfully before. I would keep an eye on the weather and overseed when it looks like there will be a stretch of rainy, cloudy, cool days. Gentle rain if possible. If you haven't read the overseed guide here, take a look:
> https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=6250
> ...


I've seen other suggestions on the K31. Will check it out.

I should clarify on irrigation. I will be using three tripod sprinklers and covering overseeded areas when rain inadequate this fall. What I am not planning is to install an irrigation system to irrigate during the summer. Very few do that around here -- usually you can tell that they have a lot of money to burn since properties are large.

Also planning to talk to a couple of people who maintain some conservancy property in the area. Some of them have used clover to rehabilitate some spent farm land before restoring natural habitat. One guy down stream from me has over 2,000 acres being restored to natural grassland and edge forest. I know he started with some fields in clover for a couple of years before overplanting with wild grass. He may have some unique knowledge of the soil history around here.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

I was going to suggest clover but thought, if he's gone to the trouble to renovate, he's not going to want clover. It would be a good ground cover but will limit you in what herbicides that can be used. Will also attract bees, which may or may not be an issue.

We have a second house at the river (Rappahannock). It's two acres and we don't try to have turfgrass. It's a variety of weeds through the year, like henbit and chickweed in the spring, clover and crabgrass in the summer. Some fescue and Bermuda mixed in, some violets. It's whatever wants to grow and It's quite thick. All we do is mow (my husband recently got a Gravely zero turn which is cutting down on mowing time). We never planted, watered, or fertilized. The neighbors all have a similar yard. I tried to upload a picture but the WiFi here isn't cooperating. It's green, it has roots in the ground, preventing erosion, no fuss, no disease issues. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with mowed weeds. Now, back in the city, I do keep an all fescue front yard and am getting ready for the annual overseed. I thought I might make it through August with all the grass intact but some brown patch/drought has gotten me in the last couple of weeks while I was away and I have to at least overseed those patches.


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## jebmke (Apr 5, 2020)

Brown patch is hanging in late this year. I'm seeing it too -- normally by this time it goes dormant. If I reach a point where grass isn't going to make it solo I might look at overseeding with clover and living with a mix. I'm not as much interested in a pristine yard as much as sustainable. The back faces the water and I really don't want to contribute to more silting in the bay.


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