# Bermuda grass questions



## caddy45 (Mar 8, 2016)

Hey all,

First time poster long time lurker here.

Ive got about 90 ac of bermuda grass pasture that is mostly just put up for hay and yield is atrocious. probably around 1 ton to the ac. I just sent soil samples off for test and expect them back shortly. I know that the report will show very low N-P-K and will probably be low in PH as well.

my main question concerns top dressing the bermuda with DAP and how the plant takes up phosphorus. P is stubbornly immobile, but with the way bermuda sends out runners on top of the ground will it efficiently use what P it finds right on top of the ground? Would a liquid P source be a better idea to get the nutrient down in the soil? I have a Broomsedge infestation and local extension offices recommend P application. Any other ideas to take out the broomsedge?

Thanks all, looking forward to becoming more active here!


----------



## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

Is this a hybrid bermudagrass planted from sprigs, or a seeded variety?


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Used to wick em around these parts with Round up......them wicks can be tricky tho, ones that spin seem to work best


----------



## caddy45 (Mar 8, 2016)

seeded. cherokee or wrangler.


----------



## caddy45 (Mar 8, 2016)

and just got soil reports back. 4ppm P, 80-100 ppm K. <6 PH. have a long road ahead......


----------



## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

caddy45 said:


> and just got soil reports back. 4ppm P, 80-100 ppm K. <6 PH. have a long road ahead......


Thanks for that... I don't feel near so bad about my 16-152 and 5.4 post-oak ground now.

73, Mark


----------



## caddy45 (Mar 8, 2016)

Around my parts 16-154 is just fine. 5.4 ph is pretty low tho


----------



## caddy45 (Mar 8, 2016)

I should say that on crop ground 16-152 is high enough that the extension office says you shouldn't see any economical yield gains if you added more fertilizer.


----------



## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

New to the whole fertilizer thing...Looked at my results Lbs per acre NOT PPM.

Here, the U of I recommends 45-60 and 250-400 ranges for the P and K. Maybe the soil type needs more due to my type of soil, or I used the wrong measurement?

I am getting ready to put 70 lbs and 100 lbs per acre on plus 3t on lime, hope I ain't screwin up?

If it is simple as I used the wrong unit of measure, let me know. If not, also let me know so I can start a new thread and not derail this one farther than I have. Sorry to the OP,

73, Mark


----------



## caddy45 (Mar 8, 2016)

I imagine that the sample report is in ppm and the rec's are in lbs/ac. Different soil types do call for different rates. I'm surprised how varied the rec's are around here but we have a lot of different soil types as well. What you plan on doing sounds reasonable. To me it helps to think of it as an investment; you may be putting too much P or K down (your not) but what doesn't get used will still be there next year. Except for N of course.


----------



## TJH (Mar 23, 2014)

If your close to the poultry growing areas of SE KS, NE OK, SW MO your best bet is poultry litter. Apply 3-4 tons per acre and you will get a lot of bang for the buck. Besides NPK, you will get some lime and traces, ask for an analysis. Broomsedge is a indication the soil is in bad shape, my dad use to say you won't find it on fertile soil. The only way to get it out is fertilizer. BTW when it is 6 to 8 inches tall and before it starts to boot it makes decent hay, cattle will eat it about as well as bermudagrass, been there done that. However it doesn't take away the soil is sick, it's a poverty grass for a poverty soil.


----------



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

Here is an opinion from out side of the box.

Most soils are reasonably neutral or slightly acid, with a fairly low CEC. In that case a soil analysis will be reasonable straight forward.

BUT if your soil is basic than the usual phosphate results will be of little use, or even counter productive.
If your pH is above 7.2 then your P analysis wants to be the sodium bicarbonate i.e. the Olsen analysis.

For high calcium levels we need also need a free lime report. With a high Free Lime Percentage we need to make adjustments to make allowances for all the Phosphate that is tied up by all that calcium in the soil. 
For advise our vhaby is the man to provide authoritative advise.
I need to apply P in bands and with a good bit of some form of ammonium fertilizer. Or use a chemical added that will delay the conversion of Phosphate to a form of rock phosphate.

Then there are charts to advise the desired level of potassium depending on your CEC. 
Here I need at least 300 ppm K to prevent potassium plant deficiency. Actually I need more than 400 ppm K better a 500 ppm K is needed to prevent a plant potassium deficiency, with my 50 CEC heavy clay soils.
Best to also pay for a measured CEC value rather than a computed CEC.

Now, I mostly look at the plant analysis to monitor fertility.


----------



## caddy45 (Mar 8, 2016)

my measured CEC is about 14. the chart I found from Missouri says I need about 310 ppm K. KSU recommends 20-30 ppm P and 120-130 ppm K if i recall correctly so I will do some more investigating. I will plan on doing some tissue analysis this summer and see what that has to say.

soil report recommendations say 120 lbs N, 60 lbs P, 70 lbs K. 6 lbs sulfur.


----------

