# Soil Test Results



## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I am going to post the soil test results from a newly acquired 50 acre hay lease. It has been baled with nothing put back for probably 20 years.

If anyone can decipher these results, please feel free to do so.

Soils group: 2 Loams and light clay

pH: 5.6 recommended 1.5 tons of lime per acre.

Phosphorus: VL10

Potassium: M90

Magnesium: H243

Calcium: H 1948

Recommendations:

N --- 100 pounds per acre

P2O5---100 pounds per acre

K2O---- 200 pounds per acre

Looks like I am going to drop some coins getting this field back into descent condition.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Typical of our fields here in the coastal plains, surprised the ph is not lower....did you put grazing or hay production for those numbers of N & k...sounds like fairly normal conditions for grazing...not too bad

We usually are recommended 400# N and 400# K for hay production.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Tim:

How many soil samples did you get? Or is this the average?

I usually take one for every 2.5 or 5 acres so that I can get a representative average.

Ralph


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## Bonfire (Oct 21, 2012)

With a P of 10, it looks like a good place to spread some poultry litter.


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## Bob M (Feb 11, 2012)

Are you talking actual 400lbs N , and what are your hay yields?


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Yep Bob, on one acre of land we usually average about $600 input costs.....that is NPK, lime, herbicides, insecticides.....N&K being the largest contributors.

Depending on type of Bermuda 7-10 tpa


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

The soil samples were taken from various places across the land. From high places and lower drain type ground.

The land was listed as a hay field, no grazing. I would love to run cows on it for a few years. Just not an option with the owners right now.

I am trying to get the lime hauled. My trucker friend is backed up.

Also looking at getting the fertilizer blended to order. The land needs over seeding as well.

On a different note, the pH on my home pastures and one hay field I have been working on for two years have a 7.0 and 7.1 pH. It has been a long time since I have had a test that did not suggest lime.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Tim/South said:


> I am going to post the soil test results from a newly acquired 50 acre hay lease. It has been baled with nothing put back for probably 20 years.
> 
> If anyone can decipher these results, please feel free to do so.
> 
> ...


How the heck do you get high mg and ca if no lime applied for 20 years and the phosphorous is that low? My assumption is that something was taken off without adequate fertilizer before the 20 years started so you don't have any P but then why would the ca and mg be high. Are you on soils from dark crystaline rocks like gabros or diabase-sticky clay subsoils?


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

The soils are rich, black looking soils. I am guessing something is binding the nutrients? I am not good at reading the results. From just looking at the soil itself, it looks rich.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

I am a soil scientist (agronomist) by training but not familiar with Alabama soils. We don't have black rich soils here, if they are gray, they are wet, real wet. However, I have seen some of those in OK and they had calcium beds under them. Not sure if you have limestone there or not but hard to figure out why you would have a pH of 7 in a humid rainy environment unless you over applied lime and you inferred that no lime has been applied for some time. I will have to leave solution to the local experts that know those soils. sorry


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

The pH on the land needing lime is 5.6. Suggested 1.5 tons per acre.

My home pastures and one other leased field are 7.0 and 7.1. It is seldom that we have a soil test that does not recommend lime.

I had 52 tons of basic slag hauled today. Will have another 52 hauled by the first of next week. 75 tons will go on the 50 acres. The rest will go on other fields. Am scheduled to have it spread next week. Cost to spread is 8 per ton if I load, with a 100 ton minumum.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Tim/South said:


> The pH on the land needing lime is 5.6. Suggested 1.5 tons per acre.
> 
> My home pastures and one other leased field are 7.0 and 7.1. It is seldom that we have a soil test that does not recommend lime.
> 
> I had 52 tons of basic slag hauled today. Will have another 52 hauled by the first of next week. 75 tons will go on the 50 acres. The rest will go on other fields. Am scheduled to have it spread next week. Cost to spread is 8 per ton if I load, with a 100 ton minumum.


sorry, missed it and you had the pH right in the results.-must be i am still in a snow coma. What is the extractable composition of basic slag?

You appear to have a relatively high Cation exchange capacity in your soil. Does you lab give you K sat, and Ca sat? Do you use any sulfur there? I would think it is going to take a couple of years to get the P and K levels up to maximum output levels-especially the P.


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

Too early to jump to conclusions BUT

It is fairly obvious you need phsophate.

The lab may be talking about fertilizers for each cutting. Figure 40 lbs of N per ton of hay.

The potassium is also too low. Apply a pound of potash for each pound of nitrogen, at least till you get some hay analysis back.

Are you in the Black Strip?

I would suggest you use your hay samples for plant analysis, and convert the N percentage to protein

N % X 6.25 = CP

Too bad Don Ball at Auburn has retired, he is a whiz.


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

Tim/South

IF you are in the Black Strip, & IF your black clay is a high Shrink clay & IF yours has a high CEC value. THEN no NEED to fertilize after each cutting. Dump it on whenever your cash flow allows.

In Theory we can apply and retain 10 lbs of N for each CEC point. Assuming a 20 CEC that would allow for 200 lbs N with no danger of leaching.

In practice HERE we can apply 30 lbs N for each unit of CEC with our high CEC Clay Soil with no losses.

The magic level for Ca for a 20 CEC is 2,600 ppm Ca. Another source tells me we want 2,800 ppm Ca to 3,200 ppm Ca.

IF you can get lime that is low in Magnesium use it. That or use Gypsum as much as possible for your calcium.

I would say you are short of potassium. I suggest you would want the soil analysis to be between 195 & 275 ppm K IF your soil is in the 20 CEC range.

Our friends in Georgia suggest that a 6 week harvest interval will result in 12% CP bermudagrass hay. Again IF done correctly & Baled with good humidity.

Roundbales will be about 11% CP.

Most Jack Leg Labs supply a computed CEC value for you. Better yet pay the extra cost ask for a Measured CEC value. CEC values should not change unless you dramaticly increase your soil's Dry Matter.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

We are not in the Black Belt, that area is a few hours south of me.

I have not done anything with this field since spreading the Basic Slag. It has greened up and I have a field full of healthy weeds. I am going to spray with 2-4-D this week. Not sure it is going to take out all the weeds.

I am not seeing as much grass as I had hoped. Not going to rely on this field for feed quality hay this year. Anything feed worthy will be considered a bonus right now.

The CO-OP is ready to blend the fertilizer. I am waiting until after I spray. I understand the ground and grass need it now, just been busy haying the fescue fields.


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## rajela (Feb 15, 2014)

We normally use 2 pints to the acre but if I was you I would hit them with and extra pint since it is late in the season.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I always mix a quart per acre. I sprayed several fields earlier this spring and 2-4-D does not have an affect on the tall flowering weeds with a long stem.

I would consider a wipe with round up but already have the 2-4-D for the 50 acres.


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## rajela (Feb 15, 2014)

What tall flowering weed are you talking about???? does it have a name or a picture.


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

Thistle?


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## rajela (Feb 15, 2014)

24d in a hand sprayer soak the heads really well and hit the base a squirt...I ride the wheeler around and spray em....or I will slow down when I go by with the boomless and give them a little extra.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

The flowering weeds have become prevelant here the last few years. my guess is they are an new invasive. I do not know their name. I am sending pictures to the Extension Agent for identification and treatment.

Not possible to hand spray them. There are thousands over the 50 acres. The plant has a tall thin stem and a white flower at the top. It is about knee high.

I sprayed the field with 2-4-D today. It may not get the tall flowers but will get the broad leaf weeds.

The field needs rejuvenating. Not much grass there.

It is not thistle thought there is some scattered in the field.


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## rajela (Feb 15, 2014)

post pic????


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Sounds interesting Tim, could you describe the flower head? Probably need to spray the field with something that has pretty good residual....then it would be ready to reseed by October if needed.

Regards, Mike


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Mike,

I may email you some pictures and have you post them for me. I have not taken the time to learn uploading here.

I do have a long term free lease on this field to get it into production. Sibling is managing it now and they just want it right and appreciate someone spending time and some money.

With the other fields, the producing ones also needing tending I am spending more of the available money there. This new place is a work in progress.

I really did not want to spend the money for Grazon just yet. Need to sell the next group of calves. Am also drilling 25 acres of Tifton 9 Bahia on my own ground when the seed comes in, hopefully this week.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

It sounds like your weed could be daisy fleabane. It seems like it grows in unmanaged fields and blooms about this time of year. http://courses.missouristate.edu/pbtrewatha/daisy_fleabane.htm


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

FarmerCline said:


> It sounds like your weed could be daisy fleabane. It seems like it grows in unmanaged fields and blooms about this time of year. http://courses.missouristate.edu/pbtrewatha/daisy_fleabane.htm


If it is fleabane it will settle down until next spring after it is mowed. And you can kill it with 2-4d ester. Just watch for it emerging next spring and catch it when its about 3"-4".....

Regards, Mike


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Got the pictures right in the next post.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Going to see if these pictures uploaded. It does look like the fleabane mentioned. The base of this plant looks different. Could be the maturity.





  








Weeds in new field




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Tim/South


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Weed in new field




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Tim/South


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Weed




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Tim/South


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May 28, 2014


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

http://www.haytalk.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_118/gallery_25090_118_828235.jpg

Tim- I saw your old uploads. This is my favorite.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

deadmoose said:


> http://www.haytalk.com/forums/uploads/gallery/album_118/gallery_25090_118_828235.jpg
> 
> Tim- I saw your old uploads. This is my favorite.







  








Image 1




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Tim/South


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Sep 30, 2012




Sign I had made after selling timber. It is old farming ground and folks kept asking me what I...





Thanks.
My aunt built a sub division on her inherited property next to me. When I sold the pines on that piece the rumors started that Tim was building another sub division.
Had to put the rumors to rest.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Glad to see it put to good use. Too many subdivisions around.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I was looking at this field today with a friend. The 2-4-D is doing the number on everything other than the fleabane. I am guessing that is what it is.

Some Bahia is coming out and looks good in places. I believe I am going to cut and roll this for the cows, then fertilize and see what happens.

I can spray again early next spring and hopefully get rid of the fleabane.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Probably so Tim....fleabane is listed even on the amine data. Ester would probably do you a much more effective job next spring....catch it early and use plenty of surfactant and 2-3 pints/acre and I am sure you will get the results you want.

Regards, Mike


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## rajela (Feb 15, 2014)

Late mature weeds are hard to kill....3 pints per acres...


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

rajela said:


> Late mature weeds are hard to kill....3 pints per acres...


I put 2.4 pints per acre. It did well on everything except the fleabane.

I will get it it next year. Now that it has flowered I know what it is and am better educated on how to attack.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

If you can spray it next year when it is still in the rosette stage and before it starts bolting it will kill much easier.


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

rajela

This researcher at Arkansas U may be able to help you more than any of us. [email protected]

Doug used to be on New Ag Talk with Southernokie as a handle. His home place is in Oklahoma and he is in the process of cutting down trees to go from forest pasturing to Savanna pasturing. Eventual to cut down more trees to develop a rich prairie soil for pasturing.

At your latitude, you should not need hay but should prosper with 12 months of pasturing with a supply deep in the barn for emergencies.

He probably has a good idea of your soils & climate.

Doug is big on developing soil health. If you do not utilize cover crops for your off season he will probably have some suggestions.

He probably has the full run of the U Ark Labs.

Maybe vhaby will chime in with some suggestions. He is not far from Tylor, TX


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

nt


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