# Help With Soil Test Results



## Philly_Gunner (Apr 23, 2019)

Received my soil test results from Waypoint today and I must say I'm very impressed...4 day turnaround. The chart is very cut and dry but I would like some guidance as to my next steps for amendments. Looks like my pH is too high and I've read that Bermuda does the best in a pH of 6-7. Looks like I need to start adding sulfur as well. So, any guidance on product selection, where to source it, timing of applications, etc would be greatly appreciated.

For some background, I have Tif 419, sqft is 26k, irrigated, rotary mowed at 2". So far this season I've done 3 fert apps. 100 lbs of 28-4-10 in May, 40lbs of 46-0-0 in June and 100 lbs of Carbon X July 21st. I can also include my herbicide apps if that is pertinent.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

@Philly_Gunner I moved this to the Soil Fertility subforum.


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## Philly_Gunner (Apr 23, 2019)

Thanks @Ware , my apologies.


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## dfw_pilot (Jan 28, 2017)

Any thoughts on this @Mightyquinn?


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

Hello PG!!

I will try to give some guidance as I have gotten away with not doing many soil test recommendations recently. It's going to be hard to lower your soil pH but it can be done if you just stay after it and it will take several years to see a change possibly. You may want to search and find a farm supply store or something similar around you to get your products since you have A LOT of square feet to treat and they will generally be cheaper than buying it anywhere else. I'm going to assume that your lawn is in relatively decent shape and doesn't require any areas that need to fill in. Let me know if that is not the case.

#1 Switch to fertilizing with Ammonium Sulfate instead of Urea if it's cost effective for you as the Sulfur will help lower the pH and only apply .5lb of Nitrogen per M(1,000 sq/ft) a month during the growing season. If you can find elemental Sulfur at the farm store add that to the mix too.

#2 For Phosphorus, try finding some Triple Super Phosphate(0-50-0) and apply a pound of Phosphate/M so 2lbs of the TSP/M. That should get your P numbers up and you should be good after that since Phosphorus doesn't leach from the soil very easily.

#3 For Potassium, I would apply .5-1 lb of K/M a month with Potassium Sulfate(0-0-50). I started pounding my lawn with Potassium Sulfate this year and have noticed a difference and it will leach from the soil very easily right behind Nitrogen.

#4 You need to raise your Magnesium numbers up as your Calcium/Magnesium ratio is not good at all. So if you can find Epsom Salt in large quantities I would apply .5-1 lb of Epsom Salt/M in the Spring and Fall as it will help bring that ratio closer to where it should be.

All in all your soil test doesn't look all that bad and you should be able to grow a very nice lawn with what you have. I'm sure others will come by and give recommendations so you can get a plan together from that. Let us know if anything I suggested doesn't seem doable of if you have any questions. Good luck and know that this is a marathon and not a sprint.


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## Philly_Gunner (Apr 23, 2019)

@dfw_pilot and @Mightyquinn thank you, thank you, thank you. This is exactly what I needed to get me pointed in the right direction. I greatly appreciate the help. So glad I found this forum. 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻


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## Philly_Gunner (Apr 23, 2019)

@Mightyquinn after reading your recommendations, this is my plan. 8/1, throw down the Phos and K. 8/15, an application of the ammonium and then 9/15 put down the Epsom with my Prodiamine application. Yard is currently in pretty good condition, if anything it seems to be slow growing right now. Perhaps my 2 Celsius applications and my most recent Prodiamine app slowed things down some. Otherwise I would say my coverage and weed control is above average. Any other input would be greatly appreciated.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

Were you able to source all the stuff I suggested? The 2 Celsius apps may have slowed it down some but other than that you should be good to go. I would send in another soil sample in the early Spring to see where you are at and then reevaluate after that. I think late Winter to early Spring is the best time to take a soil sample as it will give you a better representation of what the soil is doing since there hasn't been any inputs in the lawn since fall and it will give you a whole season to make any needed corrections. Just FYI


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