I’m attempting to setup a flex daily schedule for St Augustine grass, but not sure how to interpret this jar soil test. I think my soil type is 50% mocha latte and 50% oreo cookie blizzard.
I took samples from my yard down to 6" in 2 zones, prepped them in separate bins (removed debris / sifted) and then filled each jar to 1/3 capacity. Then I added 1 tablespoon of dishwasher to each jar and filled with water leaving 1" at top. I shook for 5 min and then let them sit. The clarity of the water is unchanged after 24hrs. It resembles the bottom layer of muck in a pond and I can’t see any change in light if I put a flashlight directly behind the jar. The soil is all or mostly suspended in water.
USDA soil data says my area is fine sand with 0.08 water capacity at 0-6" (grass) and .11 at 0-40" (trees/shrubs). However, it’s a new development on old farmland south of Tampa FL. They built up the entire phase with trucked in fill dirt from an unknown source and then graded to address flooding. The USDA soil data for the top layer of my yard is unlikely to be accurate.
