Soil Sample Results
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kenny thomas
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Nitrogen is never recommended from our tests. Our tests say to add Nitrogen to meet the level of production your wanting to achieve.herofan":c6uj63q0 said:
I'm fairly new here. I've been reading posts for a few months but never posted myself. Trying to learn. But I may be able to contribute a little to this topic. You need to differentiate between maximizing yield and optimizing yield for your operation and fertilize accordingly. If thats one cutting or four, is up to you. Based on your description I'd recommend 80 units N in fall or spring and enough P and K to maintain the stand, maybe a rating of medium+ to high. If micronutrients are deficient, do the same for them. For Fescue and Orchardgrass I'd lime up to 6.0 in you situation. You don't seem to be pushing to hard, but you don't want it to fall off either.
Another suggestion, don't take the test results or University recommendations as gospel. Over time pay attention to test results and what's happening in in the field (drop in yield, weeds, etc.). You'll be able to make your own correlations between the test results and what the field needs to achieve your goals.
Another suggestion, don't take the test results or University recommendations as gospel. Over time pay attention to test results and what's happening in in the field (drop in yield, weeds, etc.). You'll be able to make your own correlations between the test results and what the field needs to achieve your goals.
OP
OP
herofan
Well-known member
I spoke with the agriculture teacher today and asked him if he was big in taking a soilsample in hayfields and doing exactly what they called for. He said "yes." He went over the basics as to why.
I then told him that I guessed I was silly for just blindly putting triple 19, but we got all we needed or more with our spring cutting. His facial expression immediately changed and he said, "Oh, then I wouldn't worry about it. Most people have the opposite situation, but if you get all you need with one cutting and you are satisfied, I think putting a little triple 19 to give it a boost is fine."
I then told him that I guessed I was silly for just blindly putting triple 19, but we got all we needed or more with our spring cutting. His facial expression immediately changed and he said, "Oh, then I wouldn't worry about it. Most people have the opposite situation, but if you get all you need with one cutting and you are satisfied, I think putting a little triple 19 to give it a boost is fine."
littletom
Well-known member
If you are happy the way it is here is another option. Just put back what you are removing. Several apps and website will tell what a certain yield removes. Then you are maintaining. Something along those lines is the differences in Uk and Watters test. One is just what are removing,atleast what I heard. I have taken the same test split it and sent it to both, what I can't understand is the ph. Sometimes it's off a decent amount between the 2.
Jogeephus
Well-known member
herofan":24v812vf said:
I agree with SDM and it sounds like you are more interested in optimization and in your case you I see a lot of room to improve optimizing your yield and this can be done economically by just adjusting your pH because as is around 33% of the fertilizer is wasted because the nutrients are being locked up in the soil and not available to your grass.
By adjusting the pH you should optimize the fertilizer's effectiveness while minimizing the cost of your future fertilizer applications. Adjustment of your pH will not only improve the effectiveness of your fertilizer it could also allow you to recoup those bound nutrients from previous fertilizer applications. However this may not be true for your phosphorous if a lot of iron and aluminum are in your soil because phosphorous bound to these molecules are form more permanent bonds. This again shows the importance of monitoring the pH of your soil. In other words, if you do nothing else, lime it.
If it were me, and assuming this is a clay soil, I'd put out 2.5 tons of lime now and then pull another soil test in the spring and see what the soil needs and only apply what the soil test recommends for maintenance. When you get the pH corrected you may find you can grow all the grass you need with little or no fertilizer except when and where you cut hay. Another hidden benefit to this would be by applying less fertilizer your pH will remain more stable for a longer period of time which is another savings.
In the pastures I manage this way I have gone ten years between lime applications because my goal is steady grass growth and not a fast flush so I'm not adding a lot of chemicals which effect the pH. In my view, though pretty to see, a fast flush is futile since production will exceed consumption and what is not eaten during the tender flush loses much of its nutrient value in 30 days and you are left with a lot of rank grass.
Like many have said, get your pH right and I think you will see a lot of improvements in your grass and your bottom line. I'd also suggest adding clover to your pastures if you don't already have it. Nothing wrong with free nitrogen especially when it also yields good grazing. Good luck.
Dave
Well-known member
Another reason to get your pH right is that nitrogen fixation begins to drop off significantly when the pH gets below 5.8. The very first money spent on soil fertility should be to get your pH where it needs to be.
Lucky_P":2e4jwoo6 said:
Wish I had read this post earlier in the season. I would have mowed it all down. The soil amendment I'm using kept this from coming back as heavy and helped the Bermuda spread in but where I mowed caused the good grass to fill in better. Your post also explains more as where the lime blow off the road is where the grass spread best.
Grass growing on the side of the road and ditches is usually always better than anywhere else.....simply because the county comes thru about 3 times a year and cuts it and lets it lay. Nothing is ever removed.Highpoint":3tvkv7ur said:
Banjo":39vbqos4 said:
I explained in another post but the items I am testing have a ph of 4 and the molecules are very small so it allows the plants and soil to take in what normally it could not. The research I found showed increased lime by four times. The county does not mow next to our road but the dust this year blow into the three acres at the front across 1000 feet. In fact it was so noticeable I told my husband we should go down and get lime in buckets from quarry and soak in water to add it to spray but we were not sure and waited. I bought a tester and everywhere tested 7-7.5 so didn't want to mess up the test.
I do agree some grass next to the road does well but around here much is crazy Johnson grass which no one wants in their pastures and the county leaves it to where the seeds spread.
Highpoint":2a6mtsae said:
I am going to add one more thing about the test. Our soil is very heavy clay and normally you see small to large cracks in the ground. After the second spraying I have not found one crack and believe this has helped with the fescue and clover coming up easier.
BobbyLummus1
Well-known member
I need to lime my cleared land ,is November a good time of year to spread lime ?. I'm in SC , we have red clay and fescue pastures
Turkeybird
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Yes spread when able, my friend sent some samples off for some new ground and they called for 2 ton of lime, he put one ton of lime, 4 tons poultry manure and had good results, but followed up the next yr w/ 1 ton of lime and was fine
