Site History
Input Audit & Site Context
Lawn Age
Established approximately 5 years. Current sod from original builder install.
Soil Profile
Sandy Entisol — typical Martin County coastal. Very low clay fraction, near-zero water-holding capacity without organic matter.
Previous Input History
Scotts Turf Builder (32-0-10 synthetic N) — applied 4x/year by homeowner. TruGreen quarterly service including synthetic fertilizer + fungicide rotation (last application approximately 3 months ago). Ortho Weed-B-Gon herbicide spot applications — self-applied 2x in past 12 months.
Visual Observations
Moderate thatch layer (~1") in southern section. Patchy color — dark green near irrigation zones, pale in northwest corner. Roots pulling at 2.5–3" with little resistance. No earthworm castings observed anywhere on property. Water sitting briefly after irrigation in northwest corner before absorbing — mild hydrophobic layer forming. No visible insect damage but history of chinch bug treatment 2 years ago.
Irrigation Schedule
Automated system, 3x/week, 20 min per zone. Note: frequency is higher than biology requires — overwatering is suppressing fungal development (fungi do not colonize waterlogged soil).
Phase 0
What Must Stop Before Biology Can Build
The following inputs directly suppress or kill soil biology. Phase 1 applications will not work effectively if these continue. All three should be discontinued before Application 1.
Scotts Turf Builder (synthetic nitrogen — 32-0-10)
High-N synthetic fertilizers feed plants directly but kill fungal hyphae on contact through osmotic shock. They produce fast green growth while destroying the fungal network needed for biological stability. You are currently growing a lawn that requires permanent synthetic input because the biology to replace it has been eliminated.
TruGreen fungicide rotation
Fungicides do not distinguish between pathogenic fungi and beneficial species. Trichoderma, Bacillus, Gliocladium — the organisms that naturally suppress dollar spot and brown patch — are killed alongside the targets. Repeated fungicide applications are one of the primary causes of Phytophthora dominance in suppressed lawn soils.
Ortho Weed-B-Gon herbicide applications
Glyphosate-based herbicides chelate manganese and other minerals that soil microorganisms require. Collateral kill in the surrounding soil is documented — protozoa and beneficial bacterial populations drop significantly for 4–8 weeks after broadcast application. Weeds are a symptom of low biology, not the root cause — as biology builds, weed pressure decreases without herbicide.
Irrigation frequency (reduce from 3x/week to 2x/week)
Continuously wet soil suppresses the aerobic zone where fungi colonize. Fungal hyphae require wet-dry cycles to extend — constant moisture keeps them from establishing. Reducing to 2x/week immediately improves conditions for Phase 1 biology without changing your hardware. As biology builds, reduce further — biologically active lawns need significantly less irrigation.
Biology Baseline
What's in Your Soil Right Now
Results from soil samples collected from 3 locations across the lawn and analyzed under compound microscope. Values represent averages across samples.
| Organism Group | Reading | Ingham Target (Turf) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Bacteria | 18 µg/g | 200–500 µg/g | Critical |
| Active Bacteria | 0.9 µg/g | 6–25 µg/g | Critical |
| Total Fungi | 0.4 µg/g | 100–200 µg/g | Critical |
| Active Fungi | 0.02 µg/g | 10–20 µg/g | Critical |
| Flagellates | 1,840 / teaspoon | 10,000+ / teaspoon | Low |
| Amoebae | 280 / teaspoon | 5,000+ / teaspoon | Low |
| Ciliates | 12 / teaspoon | 100+ / teaspoon | Low |
| Bacterial-Feeding Nematodes | 38 / 100g | 50+ / 100g | Low-Moderate |
| Fungal-Feeding Nematodes | 0 / 100g | Present | Absent |
0.09:1
Fungi : Bacteria Ratio
The F:B ratio is the headline number. It tells us whether the biology is structured for the plant type on this site. St. Augustine turf targets approximately 1:1 — equal parts fungal and bacterial biomass. At 0.09:1, this lawn is running at less than 1/10th of its target fungal population.
Current reading: 0.09:1
→
Target: 1:1 (11× gap)
What this means in plain language: This lawn has almost no fungi. The synthetic nitrogen and fungicide history eliminated the fungal community first — bacteria are more resilient to chemical inputs. Without fungi to form hyphae bridges, soil aggregates can't form, roots can't reach deep, and the thatch layer can't break down. Every synthetic input you've added in the past 5 years has been compensating for the biology that was supposed to be doing this work.
Phase 1
Establishment Protocol — 3 Applications
About the inputs: All biological inputs are sourced from Treasure Coast Compost — worm castings, compost, and liquid extract produced locally in Martin County. No synthetic inputs. Applications are timed to morning windows with soil temperature above 60°F for maximum biological activation.
Application 1 — Foundation: Compost + Extract
Month 1 · Morning after light rain preferred
Product
TCC Finished Compost
Rate & Quantity
20 lbs / 1,000 sq ft64 lbs total
Method
Broadcast by hand across entire lawn; water in same day — 15 min irrigation
Product
TCC Aerated Liquid Extract
Rate & Quantity
1 gal / 1,000 sq ft3.2 gal concentrate, diluted 1:4
Method
Hose-end sprayer, applied immediately after compost — use within 4 hours of brewing
Application 2 — Targeted Inoculation: Castings + Extract
Month 2 · 30-day visual check included
Product
TCC Worm Castings
Rate & Quantity
10 lbs / 1,000 sq ftThatch zone + pale NW area priority — 20 lbs
Method
Broadcast by hand to weak zones; work lightly into thatch layer by raking; water in
Product
TCC Aerated Liquid Extract
Rate & Quantity
1 gal / 1,000 sq ft3.2 gal concentrate
Method
Full-lawn drench via hose-end sprayer following castings application
Application 3 — Permanence: Biochar + Extract (pre-retest)
Month 3 · 90-day re-analysis immediately follows
Product
TCC Charged Biochar
Rate & Quantity
8 lbs / 1,000 sq ft25 lbs total
Method
Broadcast full lawn; water in thoroughly — biochar must be wet within 24 hrs to activate inoculant
Product
TCC Aerated Liquid Extract
Rate & Quantity
1 gal / 1,000 sq ft3.2 gal concentrate
Method
Applied same visit, following biochar — helps activate biochar inoculant in place
Timeline
Visit Schedule — First 120 Days
Month 1 — Application 1
Foundation Inoculation
Compost broadcast + extract drench. Baseline photo documentation of full lawn from 4 corners. Jake walks property with clients — reviews what was found, what changes are expected at 30 days, and the irrigation reduction plan.
Month 2 — 30-Day Check + Application 2
Visual Assessment + Castings Inoculation
Most clients see improved color and faster recovery after mowing at 30 days. Jake photographs all 4 corners for comparison set. Targeted castings application to thatch zone and weak areas. Second extract drench full lawn. Root pull test — should show marginally deeper root mass than baseline.
Month 3 — 60-Day Check + Application 3
Biochar Foundation + Continued Assessment
Root depth check across 5 test points — looking for 3–4" depth vs. baseline 2.5". Thatch measurement. Irrigation assessment — review whether frequency should drop further. Charged biochar broadcast + extract drench. Photography set 3.
Month 4 — 90-Day Re-Analysis
Full Biology Re-Test + Written Comparison Report
Same microscope analysis as initial visit — all organism groups counted and recorded. Written comparison report delivered: initial readings vs. 90-day readings, what changed, what didn't, and adjusted Phase 2 protocol based on actual results. If F:B is above 0.4:1 and fungi are clearly visible, transition to Phase 2 monitoring schedule is confirmed.
Month 5 — 120-Day Final Assessment
Stability Confirmation + Long-Term Protocol
Visual and root assessment. Written 120-day biology summary delivered with long-term maintenance protocol — what to apply, when, and how to monitor for early signs of biology regression. Phase 2 quarterly schedule confirmed or adjusted.
90-Day Targets
What We're Working Toward
These targets represent the minimum threshold for confirming that Phase 1 has successfully initiated a biological transition. If readings at 90 days fall short of any target, protocol is adjusted before Phase 2 begins.
| Metric | Baseline (Today) | 90-Day Target | Phase 3 End Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| F:B Ratio | 0.09:1 | 0.3:1 or better | 0.9–1.2:1 |
| Total Bacteria | 18 µg/g | 80+ µg/g | 300+ µg/g |
| Total Fungi | 0.4 µg/g | 15+ µg/g; hyphae visible | 100+ µg/g |
| Protozoa (amoebae) | 280 / tsp | Emerging — 1,500+ / tsp | 5,000+ / tsp |
| Fungal-Feeding Nematodes | Absent | First observed | Present — active |
| Root depth | 2.5–3" | 4" average | 5–7" |
| Thatch depth | ~1" | Reducing — 0.5–0.75" | Minimal |
| Irrigation need | 3x / week | 2x / week | 1–2x / week |
| Synthetic inputs required | Yes — currently 4x/year | None — stopped at Phase 0 | None — biology self-sustaining |