# Soil tests for front and backyard



## tragiclawn (Oct 4, 2020)

Hello everyone,

I just moved into my new house last year and finally got around to getting my soil tests done for 2 zones ( front and back yard ). Since the extension office is providing very general feedback i would like to get some feedback on what i should be working on in order to work on getting my killer lawn going. Below are the results

Location: Houston, Texas
Lawn: St. Augustine

Backyard



Frontyard



My noobie analysis:

Backyard
1. PH - Mine seems pretty good. I don't think it's worth worrying about trying to get it to the 6.2?
2. Phosphorus - No more phosphorus for 3-5 years
3. Everything else looks fine from my eyes

Frontyard
1. PH - Seems way too high but the extension office didn't even recommend how to lower it.
2. Phosphorus - No more phosphorus for 3-5 years
3. Everything else looks fine from my eyes

1. How do my soil tests look like to you?
2. What do you think needs improvement?
3. Besides boron, my micronutrients seem pretty high. 
- Are my micronutrients high because the inability for the grass to utilize them in the soil?
- If i use something like "Nxt Microgreene" next year is this going to base a waste of money and/or cause things to shoot through the roof which could cause harm on the lawn?
4. What organic compost's should I look for so that I don't accidentally apply more phosphorus to the soil as I'm trying to improve soil texture/structure?
5. Is mulching going to make my phosphorus issue worse or go away slower and should i continue to do it. My Assumption is continue to do it?

Any feedback and recommendations is also greatly appreciated


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

The back just needs nitrogen. I suggest AMS.

The front needs nitrogen and some maintenance quantity of potassium. Since the pH is high, use AMS and foliar iron (FAS) for color if needed.

I think you should try to lower the pH with elemental sulfur twice a year.

The rest looks fine and you dont need anything else (eg. micronutrients, compost). I would continue to mulch mow. Check the Soil Remediation Guide for the products/rates to use.


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## tragiclawn (Oct 4, 2020)

g-man said:


> The back just needs nitrogen. I suggest AMS.
> 
> The front needs nitrogen and some maintenance quantity of potassium. Since the pH is high, use AMS and foliar iron (FAS) for color if needed.
> 
> ...


Hey @g-man ,

Thanks for providing your input. I have a couple of questions.

1. This late in the fall is it even a good idea to put down N and K?

2. What is AMS?

3. Once i correct PH should i expect to see iron and the other high micronutrients start to go down and be utilized? Also how long do micronutrients typically last in soil in a soil with a good ph level?

4. If i correct PH will it most likely eventually drift back to it's "natural PH" of the surrounding area in the future. that is, will i most likely expect to have to apply elemental sulfur again in the future even once i get it at a good level?


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

I don't know your weather. If the grass is not dormant, apply N or K. K in winter is only an issue in the snow covered areas.

AMS = ammonium sulfate 21-0-0

If you mulch mow, the nutrients should stay. Those micro will remain, but it depends on the soil type. In your next soil test, you can see if they change.

pH can change overtime. Rain and irrigation can move it around, but don't worry about it. It is not fast. Do another test next year to see how much they shift, if at all.


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## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

Here is Texas A&M's guide to St Augustine:
http://publications.tamu.edu/TURF_LANDSCAPE/PUB_turf_Maintaining%20St.%20Augustine%20Grass%20Lawns.pdf
It recommends stopping fertilizer 4-6 weeks before the first expected frost and doing low nitrogen, high potassium at that time.

Clemson says no nitrogen in the fall, potassium is fine if needed:
https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/st-augustinegrass-maintenance-calendar/


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## tragiclawn (Oct 4, 2020)

Hey @g-man ,

One last thing. Looking at the soil tests above my lawns have a high sulfur ammount. If i add the elemental sulfur would that number continue to go up?


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Sulfur will increase, but if I recall correctly, it would not be detrimental.


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## tragiclawn (Oct 4, 2020)

Hey @g-man or anyone else,

I reached out to my extension office and asked them if they could provide the CEC and base saturation level %'s of Calcium, Sodium, Magnesium, and Potassium and they said we don't do that. My question is. Down at the bottom right of my soil test there is a another reiteration of PH and nutrients from a "salinity test". Can i use this information and some formula or something to understand my CEC and/or base saturation levels? OR is looking at just the normal Analysis chart of micro and macro nutrients something i can use to understand the soil type and if the % saturation levels are in a good range.


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