# My first soil test result need recommendations



## lawngest (8 mo ago)

Hi everyone just want to say how much I appreciate this forum and all the information I'm soaking up here. Now I spend more time with my lawn than my cars. My lawn is sod KBG 10ksqft corner lot about 4 years old and starting to thin out. After many fail attempt to thicken and green up my lawn using a local lawn care service, I decide to take matters to my own hands. I'm glad to have found this forum. The problem with my lawn is the sandy rocky soil I was left with after my new home build. The landscaper did a horrible job with putting down sod on bad soil. I have two area (about 2k sqft) with nothing but sand underneath and worse on a graded incline. Anytime the temps go above 80F this area of the lawn is the first to show stress. I plan on just turning this area into a mulch bed. Anyway back to my soil result.

I just got my soil result back from Waypoint, the PH level is high at 8.1 Question is I believe I'm suppose to add Sulfur and not Lime correct? My goal is to get to a tier-2 lawn, any other recommendation would be great.


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## Grizzly Adam (May 5, 2017)

Yes, sulfur will help your pH, and you are low on sulfur anyway. Do not lime. Ever. No calcium, no magnesium- you have plenty (that means no gypsum). Yo don't need phosphorous or iron at this time either, but the iron will deplete at a decent pace over the season. I would stick to fertilizers with just nitrogen and potassium in them, like 22-0-4 or 22-0-10.

If you can find something with organic matter in it, that would be good too since you would be ideally between 3.5-5%. Otherwise, you could throw down some compost or peat. Maybe start mulching if you don't already.


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## lawngest (8 mo ago)

Here's my plan:

PH: (now) To slowly lower the alkaline PH to 7 I will put down elemental sulfur, using Tiger 90 CR Sulfur Turf Grade 50 lb. from Siteone

PH: (Fall) put down Ammonium sulfate (21-0-0-22) because of the added nitrogen+Sulfur, LESCO Compacted Fertilizer

K: (now) Potash is very low need to add Sulfate of Potash SOP, 1-lbs/1ksqft (0-0-53) Sunshine Harvest 40 lb.

N: (now)I got Urea coming in so will be spoon feeding (spray) .25-lbs/1ksqft per week (46-0-0) Sunshine Harvest 40 lb.


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## Grizzly Adam (May 5, 2017)

Lawns typically really like potash in the fall-- I am also deficient and am adding some now but also saving some for the fall.


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## MacLawn (Oct 26, 2021)

Hows the lawn doing now


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## Ridgerunner (May 16, 2017)

ken-n-nancy said:


> @Lust4Lawn, I just noticed this thread and wanted to let you know that you're not alone in having to apply potassium (K) on a long-term basis to your lawn in order to supply the needed potassium for the grass to grow. I have soil test results going back about 8 years with a potassium level hovering around 3% that basically doesn't budge in our sandy soil (TEC in range of 4-5), despite making 2-4 applications of sulfate of potash (0-0-50) every year.
> 
> Our sandy soil leaches potassium continually, so we are nearly always potassium deficient, so I make monthly applications of 1#K/ksqft from May through August, but none after Labor Day.
> 
> ...


 :thumbup:


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