Just received lawn soil analysis - Need your advice

[drugrep]

I just received the results from my soil test. They gave advice, but I'd like more opinions.

I'm in West Chicago Suburbs

My pH is high - 7.4, but my Sulfur is listed "Very High" at 60 ppm.

I'm assuming adding more sulfur wouldn't be the way to go to lower my pH.

The lab's suggestion for my pH issue is for all my fertilizer applications to contain Iron.

They also suggested I use 12-12-12 Fertilizer based on my analysis. 4 pounds of each per 1,000 sq ft.

Since my soil doesn't appear to be Sodic, I'm assumning there is no use for me to use gypsum, correct? I did apply it last fall at 50# per 1000 sq ft, hoping it would help with my "clay-like" soil.

Here's other significant numbers:

Organic Matter - 4.1%
Phosphorous - 16 ppm
Potassium - 172 ppm
Magnesium - 700 ppm
Calcium - 2200 ppm
Sodium - 13 ppm
Cation Exchange Capacity, meq/100g = 17.3
pH - 7.4
Soluble Salts mmho/cm - 0.3
Sulfur - 60 ppm
Zinc - 3.7 ppm
Iron - 17 ppm
Manganese - 45 ppm
Copper - 2.4 ppm
Boron - 0.8 ppm

[Smallaxe]

Gypsum also raises the Ph. Sulfur works the other direction in lowering the Ph.

Calcium works with mg and it looks like calcuim is your dominant feature. Add sand for the clay instead of gypsum. OM can alsways be improved even at 4%.

Grasses can grow at 7.4 pH.
What symptoms are you experiencing in your lawn?
Which varieties grow best in high pH?

I don't know how successful you would be in correcting for that much calcium. Some people add lots of OM as a buffering agent.
I think DCHall deals with that in Texas.

[Athletic field]

gypsum does not raise pH levels. The carbonate part in lime raises the pH, lime is calcium carbonate. Gypsum is calcium sulfate. Both have calcium, but calcium doesn't do a thing to the pH.

[drugrep]

I know it doesn't raise pH, but my soil is not sodic so it won't do anything to my texture. I still have high calcium so testing company said no need to add gypsum.

I'm just looking for a way to get this high pH, magnesium, and sulfur down.

Normally sulfur can help lower pH, but when it's already a 60 ppm, I certainly don't need more Sulfur.

And this Magnesium at 700 ppm, about 3X too high.

[Athletic field]

Drugrep sorry my last reply was intended for smallaxe.

I would go by what the soil lab had stated.

Fe and Al will take the (OH) group from water making Fe(OH)3 and Al(OH)3leaving behind H+, making the soil solution more acidic. You can see Fe and Al in fertilizers for acid loving plants.

[heritage]

I know it doesn't raise pH, but my soil is not sodic so it won't do anything to my texture. I still have high calcium so testing company said no need to add gypsum.

I'm just looking for a way to get this high pH, magnesium, and sulfur down.

Normally sulfur can help lower pH, but when it's already a 60 ppm, I certainly don't need more Sulfur.

And this Magnesium at 700 ppm, about 3X too high.


The Gypsum IS a good choice as the xtra Ca will help knock some of the Mg off (Cation Exchange) and put in solution with the help of the Sulfate as well. This will Lower PH as well as Improve your Ca/Mg ratio and that could improve your texture.
Extra water as well :)

Also as AF stated, follow guidelines from your Lab and even call them to discuss.

Pete

[heritage]

Also as I recall, S can also stay high in poorly drained soils. Looking at your CEC value, I see you have some clay in there.

Plan on core aeration and then topdress with some Organic Matter and drag mat OR use an Bridge Fertilizer with 50% organic, to help with the soil condition over a longer period of time.

Those are all options I personally would consider.

Small axe has also mentioned addition of OM. I agree with him.

Good Luck,

Pete

[drugrep]

Drugrep sorry my last reply was intended for smallaxe.

I would go by what the soil lab had stated.

Fe and Al will take the (OH) group from water making Fe(OH)3 and Al(OH)3leaving behind H+, making the soil solution more acidic. You can see Fe and Al in fertilizers for acid loving plants.

How should I get the Al? Their instructions are to use balanced fertilizer, so I figured I'd use 12-12-12, 4 times this year to get lab's suggested 4 lbs of each and the use Ironite 4 times this year.

About the only balanced fertilizer I can find is Anderson's American Green.

[Smallaxe]

Yes, I was wrong about gypsum and pH. I was thinking Ca - just not clearly. :)
Evidently there is no need to worry about "high" numbers with Su.
Check this out.

http://www.heftyseed.com/article-highph.html
Getting back to our list of things to do in high pH ground, we've talked about soil testing, tiling, and zone building. Next on the list is applying gypsum and sulfur. By adding gypsum, chemical reactions will take place in your soil to help reduce your salt levels and your magnesium levels. Both salt and magnesium are terrible for soil structure. They both lead to increased compaction, poorer drainage, and lower yields.

Gypsum is calcium sulfate. When this reacts with magnesium, you are usually left with 2 things: calcium and magnesium sulfate. Calcium is one of the building blocks for good soil, while magnesium sulfate can be readily absorbed by plants or leach through the soil. Either way, you'll lower your magnesium content and improve your overall soil tilth.

The salts that you will usually have in high pH soils are comprised mostly of carbonates and bicarbonates. Carbonates are known chemically as CO3. Bicarbonates are known chemically as HCO3. When gypsum reacts with the carbonates and bicarbonates in soil, compounds like water and lime are often formed, which again, can be beneficial to soil.

Gypsum is a pH neutral product that could in time have some impact on soil pH, but if you want quicker results in lowering pH, there's always straight sulfur. Through the addition of sulfur, eventually, sulfuric acid will be formed and pH will begin to go down.

[Kiril]

gypsum does not raise pH levels.

Thank you.

Both have calcium, but calcium doesn't do a thing to the pH.

Not necessarily true .... but for the purpose of this discussion close enough.


@drugrep

Nothing really wrong with your soil. pH is a little high, but not worth correcting IMO. Raise your OM a little more.

[Athletic field]

drug rep

Agian do what the lab had mentioned stick with the Fe fert.

Some advise on here mentions if you put some "stuff" on the ground other things leave? Where does it go. Things dissociate in the soil. Positive ions like Mg are not going to leach very well.


Don't get too caught up in all of this.

Again if you want to change pH don't use gypsum! Soils that high pH have high carbonates, again the carbonates are the reason the pH is high, carbonates take a H+ from water. If gypsum reacted with the HCO3 there would be more H+ in the soil with lime no net change in pH. If the Ca in gypsum made lime, CaCO3. The H+ in HCO3 would go with the SO4 and make an acid.