# Soil Test Help



## Rackhouse Mayor (Sep 4, 2017)

If you're an OG member on here you might remember that I bought a house with a rough lawn. My kid was born and I stopped messing with the yard. I think I'm back at it now. This is my first time getting a soil sample from Waypoint. You all are a lot smarter than me, so I'd like your help analyzing it and coming up with a plan. It's an acre of centipede. I have a Lesco 80# hopper and Gregson Clark Spreadermate. I've considered going all liquid this year. I've been able to track down ammonium sulfate but potassium sulfate just doesn't exist in Mississippi - at least that I can tell.

My front yard.









My backyard.









My side yard (Sample ID: Good)


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

I'm always outside of my omfort zone with centipede. It doesnt like high pH or phosphorous, but it wants potassium. It doesnt love nitrogen either, 0.5 -1lb of N/ksqft per year. If you cant get SOP, then use MOP.

https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/centipedegrass-lawn-maintenance-calendar


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## Rackhouse Mayor (Sep 4, 2017)

g-man said:


> I'm always outside of my omfort zone with centipede. It doesnt like high pH or phosphorous, but it wants potassium. It doesnt love nitrogen either, 0.5 -1lb of N/ksqft per year. If you cant get SOP, then use MOP.
> 
> https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/centipedegrass-lawn-maintenance-calendar


Thanks @g-man

I spoke to the agronomist at WayPoint today, and I walked away from the conversation more confused than I hoped to be. His answers to my questions went against most of the research that I've done to date. For instance, my samples had a Ph of 6.4, 6.2, and 5.8. I *thought* the Ph level of centipede should be between 5 and 6, so I asked him if I should lay down elemental sulfur to lower the two high samples. He stopped me mid-sentence and asked "Why would you do that? You need to be applying lime to the 5.8." Also, I asked about muriate of potash vs. sulfate of potash. He said it really didn't matter. That made me pause. He said chloride leached from the soil over time and I mentioned my lawn was irrigated by well water (no chlorine). He stated that even if I went with SOP that I needed to still incorporate MOP every other, or every third, time.

The other thing that threw me off was he recommended a triple 13 fert at 10#/1k. He was very nonchalant about it. I thought with centipede you should get a fert with 0 phosphorous. I asked him about this and he said to do the triple 13 fert, then 6 weeks later apply my usual 15-0-15 if I was concerned about it. I asked him about micronutrients. He seemed to wonder why I was asking about that. Then, said to find a triple 13 with micros then apply a micro every month going forward.

There were other questions I won't bore you with. I'm just a little surprised at how the conversation went. I can't decide if I'm overthinking lawn care or if his day job really focuses more on farmers and crops. I'm not knocking him - I'm just confused. @Greendoc do you have any guidance for me?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Apply Sulfur to the high pH areas. N and K + micronutrients to all areas. Never ever put 1-1-1 on Centipede.


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## bigmks (May 22, 2018)

Get this for centipede from site one.


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