Soil Testing in Maryland and Virginia
Healthy soil is the key foundation to maintaining a healthy lawn.
Soil testing is an effective way to tell us about the health of the soil. It is recommended by the University of Maryland to be taken every three years as a regular part of your lawn maintenance. For new customers with MRW Lawns, we include soil testing in your first year of service to assess the current condition of your lawn’s soil and address any additional enhancements we can tailor to your lawn care program.
The Value in Soil Testing
These important pieces of data that we obtain from your soil test help us further improve your lawn’s overall health and boost the effectiveness of your lawn care program.
Soil pH
The term pH is used to express the acidity or alkalinity of the soil. It is measured on a 0-14 scale. A pH of 7.0 is neutral, while values below 7.0 are acid and values above 7.0 are alkaline. The pH is important because it affects the availability of nutrients in the soil that are essential for plant growth. The availability of most nutrients is best at a pH of 6.2-6.8. Most turfgrasses grow best in soils of pH 6.1 to 6.9.
Buffer pH
If the soil pH is below 7.0, the lab performs a second test. While soil pH measures active acidity or alkalinity, the buffer pH measures total soil acidity, and determines the actual lime requirement. The lower the buffer pH, the more the soil will resist a change in pH. Therefore, more lime will be required to raise the pH to the desirable level. The acceptable buffer pH index range is 6.8-7.0.
Lime
Lime is applied to raise a soil with a pH deficiency. MRW Lawns, Inc. applies lime at no more than 50 pounds per 1000 sq. ft. at one time. For example, if your lawn needs 75 pounds per 1000 sq. ft., we would do two applications. The first would be at 50 pounds per 1000 sq. ft. and also a second application at 25 pounds per 1000 sq. ft.
Phosphorus and Potassium Levels
Phosphorus and Potassium are primary plant nutrients that are needed in relatively large amounts for good plant growth. These levels express the fraction of the nutrients that are readily available for the grass plants to use.
Fertilization
The annual nutrient recommendations for your lawn can be found at the bottom of the soil test report attached.
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