# Welp… This is frustrating and confusing! What the heck is going on??



## Scagfreedom48z+ (Oct 6, 2018)

I have no idea what the heck is going on with my soil. It's literally like flushing money down the toilet. That's basically how it's making me feel. For the last 2 years, I have been applying 2 lbs of SOP and TSP every month during the growing months. 2 years! Calcium, I've applied a crap ton of gypsum so it wouldnt mess with the PH, to increase the calcium since it's low. These are the results from 2021 and 2022, they are pretty much the same! Wth am I doing wrong here? Is it leaching? Is it binding? I received the 2022 results today and it basically felt like digging out the end of the driveway and then having the town plow, throw another 3 ft at your feet. Has anyone seen this result after attempting to rectify their soil issues?


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

what depth are you taking this soil at?


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## Scagfreedom48z+ (Oct 6, 2018)

ABC123 said:


> what depth are you taking this soil at?


It varies…. It's Mass and most of soil around here is pretty rocky with gravel. There areas, I can get 
3-4" samples and others over 8". But the common ground is in the 3-6 ish range. I just can't get any deeper or I run the chance of denting the mouth of the soil probe.


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## Lawn Whisperer (Feb 15, 2021)

I remember this from last year. I had a feeling you were going to get the same results.
I didn't agree with the amount of p and k you were applying, 7lbs of P and K annually. Those were just outrageous amounts.

Are you removing the top part of the soil samples? Or do you include the whole sample including the top few inches? How much thatch is in your soil. Your soil depth samples should be consistent, 0-4" or 0-6" throughout, it's not necessary to go deeper for lawns.


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## Scagfreedom48z+ (Oct 6, 2018)

Lawn Whisperer said:


> I remember this from last year. I had a feeling you were going to get the same results.
> I didn't agree with the amount of p and k you were applying, 7lbs of P and K annually. Those were just outrageous amounts.
> 
> Are you removing the top part of the soil samples? Or do you include the whole sample including the top few inches? How much thatch is in your soil. Your soil depth samples should be consistent, 0-4" or 0-6" throughout, it's not necessary to go deeper for lawns.


Yes I remember you chimed in last year. So I've overseeded the last 2 years and have dethatched the last 2 fall seasons to open the canopy. I also mowed lower last fall to reduce the snow mold and winter die off, so the thatch wasn't a big issue. I also removed the top layer of spongy thatch that the detached couldn't get to when I took my samples. The rest of the samples that I got from the probe, I did include.

I agree with you, these numbers just don't add up. I don't know if these numbers are telling the full story and the numbers are actually higher than what the test results are showing but the amount of p&k that I've put down the last couple of years, should have moved up the needle much higher than this. I'm stumped as what I should do this season. Should I keep putting down p,k,c? Frustrating


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

I'd try another lab just to make sure.


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## Scagfreedom48z+ (Oct 6, 2018)

ABC123 said:


> I'd try another lab just to make sure.


Interesting you say that because I was thinking the same. Someone else just recently posted a umass spoil test and it's pretty close in numbers as mine. Coincidence? Maybe but my last 3 year test results don't make much sense. I didn't post 2020's but it was pretty close to being the same, slight changes.


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## Ridgerunner (May 16, 2017)

It is extremely important the soil samples be at a consistent depth and in sufficient quantity. For lawns 4" is recommended, but 3" if that's the best you can get will do. Mark your probe for 4" and don't go deeper. If you can't get the probe down to 4", move a few inches and try again. Use only those samples that meet the 4" depth and discard anything that doesn't. Also, you should take at least 6-8 samples for every 3000 sq ft of lawn.


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## Scagfreedom48z+ (Oct 6, 2018)

Ridgerunner said:


> It is extremely important the soil samples be at a consistent depth and in sufficient quantity. For lawns 4" is recommended, but 3" if that's the best you can get will do. Mark your probe for 4" and don't go deeper. If you can't get the probe down to 4", move a few inches and try again. Use only those samples that meet the 4" depth and discard anything that doesn't. Also, you should take at least 6-8 samples for every 3000 sq ft of lawn.


I will usually fill a 5 gallon bucket about halfway by the time I'm done taking the samples. I would say that 85% of the soil samples are about the same length every time. Would the other samples that exceed that typical length really throw the numbers off that much?

Also the samples from year to year are almost the same in terms of length and amounts


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