Soil Tests Back!

[Football Hunter]

Wow,I was surprised,got my soil tests today fro the co-op.They look a lot better than I would have guessed.Here thet are:

Cave Field. Ph 7.o P 32 K 174 Ca 3153 Mg 227 Lime not reccomended.This was woods last year,at the bottom of a hill,but not what I would consider a "bottom" field.

Oakflat.Ph 6.0 P 17 K 95 Ca 2344 Mg 151.Lime reccomenditions 2 tons per acre.This is a ridgetop plot that was woods last year.

Bottom.Ph 6.2 P 13 K 81 Ca 3373 Mg 102 This is bottom land dirt,but in fescue and Johnson grass for years,figured this would be the best dirt.Lime not reccomended.

Basically 60 lbs per acre of nitrogen was reccomended in the fall,I told them white clover and oats was what i was planting.

There are my results,what do ya'll think?Any soil scientists out there?

 

[BSK]

Those are GREAT numbers.

My plots, at first test, came back with a pH of 4.3!

 

[Football Hunter]

Those are GREAT numbers.

My plots, at first test, came back with a pH of 4.3!

Sort of wondering if I got real results,but I tried to give em a good smple of each

 

[richmanbarbeque]

Great results, congrats! I am curious what mine will be. I know not that good.

 

[BSK]

Those are GREAT numbers.

My plots, at first test, came back with a pH of 4.3!

Sort of wondering if I got real results,but I tried to give em a good smple of each

Hace you limed your fields in the recent past?

 

[Football Hunter]

Those are GREAT numbers.

My plots, at first test, came back with a pH of 4.3!

Sort of wondering if I got real results,but I tried to give em a good smple of each

Hace you limed your fields in the recent past?

Yes,last summer,just didnt think I had done that much,maybe I didnt have so far to go,this was my first soil test

 

[BSK]

Lime will continue to be active in the soil for at least 2 years, so that first lime application probably helped.

 

[Quailman]

Good looking tests FH. I sent you a pm back. When I first started out, my pH on newly cleared woodland soils was 4.8-4.9! I had a lot of work to do, to say the least.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

I would kill for that kind of soil. I started at 5.5. Dont know where I am now.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Lime will continue to be active in the soil for at least 2 years, so that first lime application probably helped.

I thought it was about 6 years or so? Or did I just dream that up? :)

 

[8 POINTS OR BETTER]

I'd be careful putting 60 lbs per acre of nitrogen on the clover.

 

[deerchaser007]

Looking good FH!!

I agree with 8 points or better,.. applying nitrogen to clover is not recommended!! Applying nitrogen to oats in the winter is highly recommended!!

 

[Quailman]

I'd be careful putting 60 lbs per acre of nitrogen on the clover.

Very good point. Personally, I would back off to 30 units of N to help the oats. This is a food plot, not an ag crop.

 

[Boone 58]

all of ours started at 4.9 to 5.2 and have never tested at or above 6.5......still liming to get it there but in Wayne county you usually have a recommendation of 2 tons per acre to start with.....it takes time/money!

 

[BowGuy84]

whats lime running a ton now any ways? I am getting the road fixed and going to buy a truck load here pretty soon...whatever the ton minimum is. Im thinking thats around 10

 

[Football Hunter]

Looking good FH!!

I agree with 8 points or better,.. applying nitrogen to clover is not recommended!! Applying nitrogen to oats in the winter is highly recommended!!

Just saying what they recomended,and........how in the heck do I apply N to the oats,and not the clover? :) ?

 

[Football Hunter]

Another ? Looks like my phospherous levels are a little below Ideal,according to QDMA..."Phospherous is necessary for growth of both roots and leaves.In addition,it is a primary component of antlers."

So,with that in mind,should I up my P levels?If so how?I think its the middle number,Right?Can I get a 0-25-0 fert?How much per acre?

Yes Im crazy,but if it doesnt cost to much,why not make it as good as I can?

 

[deerchaser007]

I understand what your saying FH,.. my soil test says the same thing when i say a clover with a grain. For food plots,.. its better to get as much info as you can from resources related to food plots,. such as your QDMA food plot book. Clover, being a legume, produces its own nitrogen. It can produce enough nitrogen for itself, and anything else thats in the soil with it. If you notice,.. when clover is mixed with chicory,.. clover can provide enough nitrogen for the chicory also,. nitrogen application is not recommended. BUT,.. chicory alone requires a high nitrogen application. It works the same when you have clover with a grain. The clover will provide enough N for the clover and grain both. The only exception,.. winter months. During the winter,. N is pulled from the soil so a application is recommended. What i do is, at planting(fall), i use 0 nitrogen,.. but sometime in Dec,.. i will go in and apply 100 Lbs per acre of 34-0-0. This will carry the nitrogen needs of the plants thru winter. From spring til fall,.. the clover will do its job.
As far as the phosphate fertilizer,.. all i use is 0-45-0. With your current numbers,. it wouldn't hurt to add a 50 lb bag this spring per acre.
You've got yourself good enough numbers to were you can get on a regular maintenance schedule at this point. I have my areas broke up(helps with cost),.. my top plot(1 acre) gets maintained every spring. I use 100lbs 0-45-0 and 100 lbs 0-0-60. My bottom plots get maintained every fall,. 100 lbs 0-45-0 & 100 lbs 0-0-60 for the 3/4 acre and 50 lbs each for the 1/2 acre plot. And again,.. the only time i use N in any plot is in DEC. As far as lime,.. i'm stuck with only bagged pelletized as a option. For me,.. i add lime anytime i have extra money just to maintain my ph level. Sometimes,. its only 5 or 6 bags,.. but it cost me a huge chunk at one time to get the ph level up at first,. so now that i have mine up to a satisfactory ph level,.. instead of waiting on that next big chunk,. i buy little at a time and just maintain with lime. AND,. soil test to keep an eye on it every 3 years.

 

[richmanbarbeque]

Good post deerchaser, gave me some much needed ideas.

 

[Football Hunter]

Thanks Deerchaser,I do the same,somtimes it will be 5 or 6 bags,but it helps on liming overall I guess.

As far as the phospherous goes,co-op said that a 90 lb recomendation per acre,would be equal of 10 bags of their 0 20 20 per acre,which is about $120 per acre for fert!DANG!

Does a little help?Should I wait for fall,or closer to fall?

 

[Football Hunter]

Thanks Deerchaser,I do the same,somtimes it will be 5 or 6 bags,but it helps on liming overall I guess.

As far as the phospherous goes,co-op said that a 90 lb recomendation per acre,would be equal of 10 bags of their 0 20 20 per acre,which is about $120 per acre for fert!DANG!

Does a little help?Should I wait for fall,or closer to fall?

Reread your quote,maybe a few bags of 0 45 0 would help this spring.

 

[deerchaser007]

Here's were we save money FH!!
a bag of 0 -20-20 has 20 percent P in it. SO,. a 50 lb bag would have 10 lbs P per bag. You need 90lb ,.. 10 lbs per bag X 10 bags = 100 lbs P
a bag of 0-45-0 has 45 percent P in it. SO,..50lb bag has 22.5 lbs of P per bag. You need 90 lbs,.. 22.5 lbs per bag X 4 bags = 90 lbs

10 bags of 0-20-20 at $12 a bag = $120
4 bags of 0-45-0 at $16 a bag =$48( i think thats what i paid last year)

Whats happening is your saving money because you don't need the K in the 0-20-20. Why pay for something you don't need?

 

[deerchaser007]

FH,.. i just went and got my paperwork and looked over your numbers. The cave field is spot on,.. Ph level perfect, P & K at a high rating,. i wouldn't touch it this year,.. its ready to go!!
The oakflat and bottom fields need some fertilizer,. as recommended. The ph level on both is good,. naw its not a perfect 7 like the other,.. but its really good. Your P & K both are low rating in both spots. I'm sure the 90lb P per acre they gave you at the co op is accurate,.. did they give a K lbs per acre? I would say its 40 lbs at least on the K.
At your K level ,.. i would at least add a bag of 0-0-60 per acre. That will bring you up to a high medium rating at least. 0-0-60 is alittle higher per 50 lb bag. I think i paid $27 a bag last year.

 

[Football Hunter]

And they say your not a genius! :)

 

[Football Hunter]

Thanks for all the good advice,we need to meet up somtime and compare plots,where is Bradyville?Bet richmanbbq would be interested as well

 

[deerchaser007]

And they say your not a genius! :)

I'm not,... but i did stay at a holiday inn express last night......... ;) :grin:

I picked up on alot of this from a freind of mine that works at the Extension office here in cannon co. He's been helpful at getting me info and little ways of saving me a few dollars.

 

[deerchaser007]

Thanks for all the good advice,we need to meet up somtime and compare plots,where is Bradyville?Bet richmanbbq would be interested as well

Shotgun county, :grin:............. cannon co.

 

[Football Hunter]

Deerchaser,you were right about the 0 45 0,put out 200 lbs today,plus a lot of other good stuff

 

[Football Hunter]

Im really getting into this soil science stuff,maybe even gonna see about taking some classes.Im gonna have the sweetest dirt possible.

 

[Football Hunter]

Here is the one that had the 7.0 ph,Im suspicous,gonna do another sample when it dries out.