The MLSN guidelines are by definition the MINIMUM levels of Sustainable Nutrition. This means that the soil nutrient levels should be above the guideline to have healthy turfgrass. As the MLSN is much lower than conventional guidelines, you will more than likely have higher amounts of nutrient in the soil if you are using different nutrient guidelines. Therefore, if you are using a different guidelines AND have more than the MLSN guidelines in your soil you are also within the recommendations of the MLSN and technically a user of the MLSN.
If your soil tests are higher than these figures you are using the MLSN |
There is no maximum or ideal amount for the MLSN, just the level where you should not go below.
What is different with the MLSN to most other guidelines is the philosophy surrounding the guidelines. This includes maximizing the nutrients already contained in your soils. You do not have to do this to be a user of the MLSN. You just need to have soil test levels above the guideline.
The philosophy of using the nutrients contained in the soil are important to the MLSN because if you are near the guideline at the time of testing, you will likely drop below the guideline unless more nutrient is supplied as the grass grows. All the complicated math and nutrient ratios are there to ensure that you don't go below the guideline.
As one of the earliest adopters of the MLSN and someone who has experimented and often gone below the guidelines I might actually be one of the few people in the world who technically doesn't use the MLSN!