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Started By
Message
back yard soil is very alkaline and has almost zero nitrogen
Posted on 6/14/23 at 1:58 pm
Posted on 6/14/23 at 1:58 pm
I was struggling to grow grass back there and at first I thought it was due to a lack of sunlight, but then I realized the seed struggled even in areas that got plenty of light, so I tested the soil in multiple spots. Seed did fine on the side lots and in the front with the same methods.
ph is maybe 9.5 or 10. Plenty of phosphorous and potassium, but no nitrogen. The house is on a downslope that backs up to a creek in central texas, if that matters.
My first thought was milorganite, but if that's 6-4-0, is there such a thing as too much of any one nutrient? And how do you calculate how much to add, based on your soil's starting point?
ph is maybe 9.5 or 10. Plenty of phosphorous and potassium, but no nitrogen. The house is on a downslope that backs up to a creek in central texas, if that matters.
My first thought was milorganite, but if that's 6-4-0, is there such a thing as too much of any one nutrient? And how do you calculate how much to add, based on your soil's starting point?
11
Posted on 6/14/23 at 2:05 pm to el duderino III
33-0-0
Posted on 6/14/23 at 3:00 pm to el duderino III
quote:
so I tested the soil in multiple spots.
Was this a lab test or an “at home” test? Cause I wouldn’t trust an at home.
Posted on 6/14/23 at 3:08 pm to el duderino III
pH 10 soil is very high. Do you live next to a Tums plant? 
Posted on 6/14/23 at 3:33 pm to el duderino III
Have you ever fertilized before?
Posted on 6/14/23 at 3:33 pm to sosaysmorvant
quote:
pH 10 soil is very high. Do you live next to a Tums plant?
Off topic, but my wife's aunt lives in southcentral Alaska and their well water has a pH of like 10+
Told them somebody must be poisoning their water supply
Posted on 6/14/23 at 4:31 pm to PillageUrVillage
quote:That was my thought as well, but I tested vinegar and bottled water and they showed a ph of about 4 and 8 respectively, so I think the test is at least in the ballpark. The bottled water was cheap ozarka water (texas springs).
Was this a lab test or an “at home” test? Cause I wouldn’t trust an at home.
I think the culprit here is the tap water. I knew Round Rock has hard water, but apparently it's considered "very hard" - and it's around 9 according to this kit.
I retested with the bottled water (8), but the soil still was about 9. So I guess the water is stripping the nitrogen and turning my soil alkaline?
This post was edited on 6/14/23 at 4:32 pm
Posted on 6/14/23 at 4:36 pm to ronk
quote:
Have you ever fertilized before?
I think I put down Scotts turf builder quite while ago, then roundup for the renovation, then a bunch of peat moss on top of the first seeding. Also added Humichar and DirtBooster. Used 2,4-d a month ago to get rid of horseherb (since the first round didn't do much anyway), and a second round of seed two weeks after that.
This post was edited on 6/14/23 at 4:42 pm
Posted on 6/14/23 at 5:17 pm to el duderino III
Roundup will kill grass
Posted on 6/14/23 at 5:57 pm to Quatrepot
yeah that's what I used to kill what was back there before I planted the seed.
Posted on 6/14/23 at 6:00 pm to el duderino III
quote:
but no nitrogen.
How did you test the soil to get a nitrogen level? Because if you spent the money to get a proper nitrogen test (not done as part of a routine soil test), you would know how much to apply of each nutrient.
Also, there aren't many plants that are going to grow well in soil with a pH of 10. It doesn't matter how much fertilizer you throw at it, if the pH isn't in the right range for your grass, it's not going to be able to use the nutrients you apply.
This post was edited on 6/14/23 at 6:02 pm
Posted on 6/14/23 at 6:10 pm to el duderino III
The subsurface rock in central texas is limestone and very alkaline. 9-10 ph is very, very high and you would probably need to add a lot of sulphur and till it in. Best to do this in the fall and it will take several weeks for the ph to come down. You want to get down to around 7.5. I would suggest talking to the Ag Extension office in Williamson County for suggestions on how much sulphur and what other amendments can help.
Posted on 6/14/23 at 6:21 pm to el duderino III
quote:
You want to get down to around 7.5. I would suggest talking to the Ag Extension office in Williamson County for suggestions on how much sulphur and what other amendments can help.
Do what Zappas says - you are just spinning your wheels until you get a proper soil analysis done by the Texas A&M soil testing lab (or other certified lab) and interpretation of the results and recommendations by your county extension agent.
A soil N test is for all practical purposes meaningless and for that reason most university soil testing labs do not include it in their routine soil analysis. Use your Land Grant University state and county extension service resources - you are paying for it with you federal and state tax $.
This post was edited on 6/14/23 at 6:54 pm
Posted on 6/15/23 at 2:21 pm to el duderino III
My inlaws struggled with lawn and garden in the TX Hill Country. Their soil was mostly a soft limestone gravel. It had a high pH and so little organic matter that water just sank in and flowed away. For flower beds they dug out a few sq ft and filled with topsoil. For lawn, they paved a lot and on the rest, worked manure in every year. Although on county water, a shallow well made it economical to water like mad. I think the lawn was St Augustine sod.
Posted on 6/15/23 at 6:16 pm to el duderino III
Did you do the soil test before or after peat moss? The acidity level of peat moss is 4.4 so if you had peat moss in the sample but still came out at a 10 I’d question the test.
Posted on 6/22/23 at 2:10 pm to el duderino III
It seems like you've been troubleshooting your grass-growing challenges and discovered that the soil pH is high (around 9.5 or 10) with a lack of nitrogen but sufficient phosphorous and potassium. Given your situation using a product like milorganite could be a good option. While it has a nutrient ratio of 6-4-0, it's important to avoid excessive amounts of any single nutrient, as it can have negative effects. To determine the right amount to add, you can calculate the nitrogen requirement based on recommended levels for turf grass (around 1 to 2 pounds per 1,000 square feet per year). This will help you strike a balance and avoid overloading the soil. Additionally, consider incorporating bulk mulch, which can enhance soil moisture retention, regulate temperature, and suppress weed growth. By combining these strategies, you'll be on your way to promoting healthy grass growth in your backyard.
Posted on 6/27/23 at 10:39 pm to el duderino III
. 
This post was edited on 6/27/23 at 10:42 pm
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