Lawncology® 39: Article – The quest for perfect soil.

OK first off, perfect soil is something that I do not believe exists. I also believe it is unattainable because it is unquantifiable. The current system in place for soil testing, gives us an incredible roadmap with a starting point but not necessarily a finishing point. There are so many dips and rises along the way that creating a truly bulletproof plan is next to impossible.

One of the things that I have enjoyed quite a bit over the years is helping people understand their soil reports. That in turn has given them a better relationship with their soil and the plants that reside in it. I still believe there is a time and place for soil testing as well as a minimum amount of information needed to get a true idea and snapshot of what your soil is doing at that particular moment. All too often I see companies doing basic testing which will only allow for recommendations to be very basic N, P, and K. This model of basic testing has been around for many many years and does not truly allow for someone to solve problems nutritionally, it only gives enough information to keep whatever plant, crop, or turf type alive throughout one growing season.

For professionals, getting a comprehensive soil test on every single property that you treat is next to impossible. Further implementing a truly custom program to each individual customers Lawn is also an exercise in futility. The absolute best that can be done is to get as wide a snapshot as possible of a sample size of your customers (5 per 100) and use that information geographically to dial in your program. This method will definitely give you a leg up on any competition, but if the quest for perfect soil is your goal you will fall far from it. There are way too many variables that go into wider snapshot views of soil. Basic direction, yes. Full and noticeable change to the soil, likely not.

The concept of tracking and working toward perfecting soil profiles is much easier when dealing with single spaces. A homeowner or the personal lawn of a Lawncare owner/operator, is very easy to make adjustments on the fly, test regularly, know problem areas, and adjust nutrition at the drop of a hat given any environmental stressors. Expectations however, tend to run high when hyperfocus is taking place. Many people who get their first soil reports and implement an action plan expect to see massive changes in their soil profile into short of time. In some cases this leads to frustration and disappointment.

This is why I say the quest for perfect soil is fleeting. The earth took billions of years to create the soil that we currently grow our lawns and gardens in, it was no small feat. It took epic disasters, total destruction, complete annihilation, fires, floods and erosion, extinction of entire species… just so you can have that dreamy, green lawn that everyone envies. The role of the earth’s timeline in the creation of the soil which we get to borrow while we’re here, is a method that should be taken inside of your own lawn care journey; Time. Time is what you need in order to create better and better soil. Our standard model of “throw everything at it and hope” doesn’t hold water any longer. Rome wasn’t built in a day, keep that in mind.

When I look at a person’s soil test, I break down everything into missing pounds for that person. Each nutrient has value and that value is as important as the last. At minimum I will always give a person a two-year timeframe to correct deficiencies with both spacing, timing, and a measured amount of nutrients to correct what is lacking in the soil. For some that’s too long, more often than not, people enjoy having a longer road map which gives them something to look forward to over time. This is the approach I took on my own property, I plan on being here for a while and I’m not in a rush to massively move the needle on anything that could potentially be deficient. This level of care has caused a pretty good balance of soil nutrients that now allows me to use minimal inputs to achieve incredible results.

It’s important to note that the nutrients listed on your soil test, while they are all of extreme value, there’s rarely a suggestion on how to improve the overall tilth and actual fertility of your soil. When we get nutrients into balance, everything functions more efficiently but, you must continue to apply those nutrients in measured amounts in order to maintain the availability of nutrients in the soil. What is always missing is how to build up organic matter and have a higher functioning soil. Soil life is vitally important and it doesn’t live on the salt-based nutrients that we feed our lawns on a daily basis. It lives on the organic matter that gets returned to the soil, the roots growing and decaying underground, any sort of compostable material that is applied, like leaves and clippings… This is too often the piece that’s missing from the soil test and a truly robust fertility program.

Perhaps now you see why I titled this article the “quest” for perfect soil. Just like the quest for the city of gold, The fountain of youth, and perhaps the holy Grail, this is a journey of time, energy, and adventure. It is truly not about perfect soil when dealing with your lawn, your grass will look great all through this adventure, what you will notice is as you get things in balance there is less disease, less water needed, and a more sustainable system that ultimately requires less work from the adventurer.

If I could leave you with one thing it would be this, there is perfection in a laboratory, and there is perfection in the eye of the beholder. Over time you will see, you will know, and you will understand everything that your ground is asking for if you just pay attention to the tiny details. So enjoy the ride, gather as much information as possible, make good and steady choices with the nutrients and soil amendments you apply and have fun in your lawn care journey. 

Lawncology YouTube Channel

Lawncology® YouTube (13:47) “Soil Test Readings, The B.A.B.E Principal”

What’s up everybody! Back from my week in Florida playing with my kids and teaching CEU’s for the FPMA. It was fun to be back in the teaching saddle and running through some of my favorite topics in a classroom. This particular lesson was about easily interpreting soil tests and seeing where improvements can be made with simple observations. The tests you see here in this study were from ….