# NC Soil Test



## bigG (Jun 15, 2021)

I finally did a soil test and wow did it confirm the difference between my front and back yard. Any major recommendations or alarming results? pH seems high on the back and side but from what I understand, bringing this down can be quite a challenge. I'll work to add in P and K based on the recommendations. Thanks in advance for the help and support!!


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## corneliani (Apr 2, 2019)

Your pH seems unusually high for Charlotte, but your CEC levels are out of this world! Are you growing on compost ??!? 
Seriously though what's the background on your lawn/soil. Have you been amending with lime and/or compost?


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

Does seem strange for such a difference between front and back/side. I would be wary of adding elemental sulfur at the same time you're overseeding (saw your post on the seed you bought, which seems like good seed). Maybe hold off on sulfur until the spring if you try it? Need active microbes for it to do its thing. How did you take your samples?


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## bigG (Jun 15, 2021)

@corneliani I did a major reno on the backyard in 2016 where I tilled in a lot of top soil (don't remember exactly how much, but "quite a few" yards over approx. 3,500 sqft.). Applied lime in 2018 at 40 lbs/k sqft. Other than that, it's been mowing, fertilizing (mix of Scott's stuff and Milorganite), killing weeds, annual aeration, and over seeding (with peat moss). No other lime or top dressing. My house is in a slope but the front and back are fairly flat…walk-out basement setup so my front yard is about 6-8 feet higher than my back yard. The soil in the back/sides is very much clay like and gets hard as a rock in no time flat. Few times I've had to dig in the back (planting trees/bushes/etc.) has been brutal and only attempted after we've had plenty of rain to loosen things up a bit. Otherwise it's like trying to put a shovel through brick.


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## bigG (Jun 15, 2021)

@Virginiagal Could the difference in how my property is sloped/graded cause such a difference? See above where I tried to explain how the front is about 6-8 feet higher than the back. I'll say based on how the grass has done plus the soil samples I took, the soil on the sides and back are very dense and clay like. The front seemed more like a mixture of clay/red dirt and true top-soil. I think the back/sides are basically all sub soil.

Appreciate the tips on holding off on the sulfur.

Samples were collected with a garden shovel to a depth of about 4" and mixed in a clean 5-gallon bucket. Tried my best to collect from several random places throughout the yard.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

bigG said:


> Applied lime in 2018 at 40 lbs/k sqft.


To the backyard? Why 40lb/ksqft?


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

If the back is more subsoil than topsoil, that could have something to do with it. The lime in 2018 may still be acting to raise the pH. Did you have a soil test then?


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## bigG (Jun 15, 2021)

@g-man and @Virginiagal Applied the 40lb/ksqft to the entire yard. Did not do a soil test then but used one of those pH/moisture meters you stick in the ground (the thing with 2 prongs on it you can pickup at Lowes/HD) and I remember going with the 40lbs based on something I read from the NC State Extension combined with the readings from that probe (sorry, don't have the references and did not keep note of the pH readings from back then).


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

Back in 2018 it seems the pH reader gave you about the same reading for the front and back because you applied the same amount for both. There's a different result and I don't understand it. The CEC for the back and side is quite different from the front and I would expect it would take more lime to move the pH in the back and side than in the front. But that is the opposite of what happened. I think this mystery is past my knowledge base. In any event, many people live happily with a pH of 7.5, making adjustments, like using foliar iron and a bit more nutrients of those that tend to get bound up, like phosphorus.

How well does your back and side soil absorb water? I'm not the person to talk to about the watering products (plenty of others on here but they may not be reading this) but perhaps something would help soften your soil. I have used baby shampoo and it turned a hard place into a normal one.


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## bigG (Jun 15, 2021)

Thanks for all the input @Virginiagal! I'll say it's very possible there was some user error on the 2018 soil probe readings and interpretations…that was well before I found this site and really started learning about next level lawn care! I'm still learning and appreciate the help from others such as yourself! I recall reading about the baby shampoo and other liquid aeration options on here but haven't tried any of that yet. Not sure how well the back/sides absorb water…never tested it but water does pool up/run off pretty quick.


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