Soil test results

[Someday isle]

 

[wiscwhip]

At first glance, with your magnesium where it is at, I would try to find calcitic lime to bring up your pH, not dolomitic lime.

 

[Someday isle]

These are my three soil sample results from the MU extension. The ones marked WM and UP ar from my existing food plot trails. The one marked CC is from an area I hope to clear in the near future.

Obviously the organic matter is low. Clearly Lime is my priority. I was expecting a PH in the 4s. I got the results back today and am still expecting an email with fertilizer recommendations for each area as well as a target organic matter number to shoot for in future years. Missouri sure seems to have a great service in that regard.

Any observations or recommendations from you guys would be great though! MOBuckChaser I know this is right in your wheelhouse if you're up for shooting out a recommendation.

 

[wiscwhip]

When choosing a source of phosphorus fertilizer, remember that DAP will lower your pH less than MAP. It is not a real concern in most cases, but your pH is low to start with and adding a more acidic fertilizer will only increase your need for more lime.

 

[Someday isle]

Thanks - I was not aware of that.

 

[Someday isle]

I'm still waiting on the email giving me more specific fertilizer recommendations but they did include a link to a calculator. If I input the numbers correctly it appears that in the neighborhood 300 pounds of triple 19 per 1/2 acre area would be appropriate. I'll put that down in the spring on the clover plots and in the fall when I disc the other areas before seeding unless you guys have better suggestions. So roughly $300 in fertilizer cost plus the cost of lime. Since I'm planning on doing the lime in thirds between 800 and 1000 lbs per 1/2 acre per application will work. It'll be nice to be able to spread both the cost and the work out a little if I'm figuring this right.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

We have soil test's for customers that come in just like this. 4.3 on the PH is as low, lowest I have seen, but the good thing is your not any lower. Water treatment lime is High in calcium and low in magnesium. That is what we use up here to raise your PH. It is cake lime that we get for free!

But don't fret things, your OG is 3 times what we have with this type of test. So you at least have that going for you! And yes, you can still grow some food plots while you find and install your truckloads of amendments! LOL Good Luck!

Edit: Once again though, can not stress enough, get a full soil test, with the micro's on it. Knowing where the sulfur and zink are at, can be that little boost you need from getting good plots to GREAT plots!

 

[MoBuckChaser]

If you do find lime to spread on your plots, be aware they all come with different ENP ratings. Ag lime from different quarries in MN, the ratings can very from 1,000 ENP per ton, up to 1,600 lbs per ton ENP. Water treatment lime is generally half that, so if my 10th grade math is correct, we spread twice as much water treatment lime as Ag Lime. Here is a link we use for our customers in MN, depending on where they are located, they can target the best quarry to buy from, getting the biggest bang for there buck!

http://www.mda.state.mn.us/licensing/licensetypes/limeprogram/aglimeanalysisresults.aspx

 

[Someday isle]

Thanks! After seeing the tests it's clear why the radishes struggled to do much but it's a great lesson on the value of cereal grains. My rye and oats grew pretty well and still got lots of use. The clover actually got a nice start too.

 

[wiscwhip]

I'm still waiting on the email giving me more specific fertilizer recommendations but they did include a link to a calculator. If I input the numbers correctly it appears that in the neighborhood 300 pounds of triple 19 per 1/2 acre area would be appropriate. I'll put that down in the spring on the clover plots and in the fall when I disc the other areas before seeding unless you guys have better suggestions. So roughly $300 in fertilizer cost plus the cost of lime. Since I'm planning on doing the lime in thirds between 800 and 1000 lbs per 1/2 acre per application will work. It'll be nice to be able to spread both the cost and the work out a little if I'm figuring this right.

Remember when using trip-19 on clover, clover doesn't need the N and it is sort of a waste of money. That said, if it is all you can get, you plan on overseeding a N loving crop into it later in the fall, or you don't have a coop nearby that can custom mix it for you, it will be fine to use trip-19, guys do it ALL the time. But, if you have a coop near you, you could maybe(?)save a few bucks? You could have them mix a custom blend of DAP(18-46-0, so it has the N in it anyway) and potash(Potassium chloride, 0-0-60). If you need more N for a nitrogen loving crop like brassicas, you can just apply the proper amount of urea to make up for any extra N your individual plots need, that way you are not wasting money putting extra N on crops that do not need it. Mo might be able to speak to some of this as well.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

For sure buy what you need, for example 0-0-60 was $12 for a 50lb bag last year. So was triple 19. If you only need the potash, you could use one bag for every 3 of triple 19.

 

[Someday isle]

Using the information from wiscwhip, and my worst area tested, I plugged my numbers into the Georgia extension calendar and came up with this.

 

[wiscwhip]

Hey now....................post a link to the "tool" you used for that ^^^. That looks like an interesting resource for the forum.

 

[Someday isle]

http://aesl.ces.uga.edu/soil/fertcalc/

I think this link should work - it's the Universoty of Georgia extension soil test calculator.

I'm impressed with the resources and information provided through just a visit to the University of Missouri extension in St. Louis. They provided me with contacts and printed material to get the most out of my soil test. They also gave me some habitat brochures for deer. Much the same information available on this forum but nice to have in addition anyway. They stood there and answered every question and offered information I didn't even ask for. I think they're mostly researchers and grad students.

 

[Someday isle]

I tested the link - it works.

 

[tooln]

Here you go Dale.

http://aesl.ces.uga.edu/soil/fertcalc/

http://www-users.math.umn.edu/~white004/personal/fertcalc.html

http://soils.rs.uky.edu/calculators/mult_fert.asp

 

[wiscwhip]

;) Wasn't really for my benefit Mike, but thanks! I already knew about the ones from UofM and UofK, had not seen the UofG one though. Links to stuff like this should be posted any time someone finds it, as it only benefits the whole forum to have this type of resource readily available without having to "google" it every time.

 

[tooln]

I figured you already had thm but posted what I had. I agree post links for everyone.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

;) Wasn't really for my benefit Mike, but thanks! I already knew about the ones from UofM and UofK, had not seen the UofG one though. Links to stuff like this should be posted any time someone finds it, as it only benefits the whole forum to have this type of resource readily available without having to "google" it every time.

It is for my benefit, I didn't have it. I have a fertilizer guy do my recs!

 

[Someday isle]

Been a while since I added to this post. I got out today and put out 600 lbs of pelletized lime on about a quarter acre. Tomorrow I'll be putting another 800 lbs on a about a third of an acres worth of trails. It's a start. Hopefully by fall the lime will start working.

I had a dozer guy come out today and give me an estimate on clearing out and expanding my trails in a couple spots and maybe clearing the half acre area where a timber harvest was done several years ago. He said about a days work but isn't sure if he can get back to my property with his dozer. Estimate was $1400 for a days work. Hopefully know in a couple weeks. I had another guy who would be cheaper that I've been talking to since July. He just says he'll call me when he gets a day to come out. This guy came out two days after I called and turns out he lives two miles away.

My winter rye looks good and this crazy spring weather in January and February already has the clover starting to show up.