Questions on Soil Test Results

12 years ago

I posted this over in the tomato forum, but was referred here. This is my post from that forum....

Sent out my soil samples, priority mail, on Feb 29 and the results were in the mail today. PH is high, but phosphorus and potassium are above optimum so not sure how I should fertilize for tomatoes and veggies, I had planned on using plant-tone and tomato-tone. These are raised beds, 3 years old, I garden organically.

Ph 6.6

Calcium > 4000 lbs per acre

Magnesium> 500 lbs per acre

Phosphorus> 100 lbs per acre

Potassium > 600 lbs per acre

Boron .80 range s/b .1-2.0

Iron 2.80 range s/b 1.0-4.0

Manganese 5.8 range s/b .1-20

Zinc 2.6 range s/b .1-70

Aluminum 20 range s/b 10-300

They recommend 2 lbs Nitrogen per 1000 sq ft with a side dressing of 3 lbs of 10-6-4. Organic content is high and they recommend no compost or wood ashes for "some time", guess my fireplace dumpings will have to find another home next winter....

I will be growing tomatoes, beets, squash, beans, broccoli, lettuce, herbs to name a few. There are already shallots and garlic planted from the fall.

Thanks in advance for any responses!!!

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Comments (5)

wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana
12 years ago
My, I did a double take as the top 4 items are identical to those of 'sue,ct6'.

My suggestion is to use a moderate amount of Plant Tone which is 5-3-3. Beets like sweet soil so I would sprinkle a light dressing of wood ashes in that row.

I hope you can get a less confusing summary than sue did.
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sandra_zone6
Original Author
12 years ago
Yes, I noticed that after I posted here. Wonder why? Is it skewed soil testing from UCONN? I may search out another testing lab to run another test.
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A 6.1 pH in a soil that fizzes (free calcium/Magnesium carbonate). No anomaly that would produce that comes to mind. Don't bother with a AA test. It's not going to be beneficial this year. We'll assume that all the soil is 8.4 pH and you can retest next year with AA. I don't like making recommendations at the 3-6" level for turf but here goes: Everything in your soil is not only above minimum levels, but decently into sufficient and some even at optimal levels EXCEPT Phosphorous which is detrimentally deficient ( your turf probably did well the first couple of years because sod farms pound their turf with P and you used up the residual that was present). In fact. P is well below critical. Potassium (K) and Boron are also a bit low. but we only need to keep an eye on B and kick K up. It's Phosphorous though, big time. The clay is going to be a real PITA. Edited: Before we go forward: Are you willing/can you afford to aerate twice this year? Can you find/want to pay for Triple fertilizer (10-10-10, 12-12-12, etc) ? Can you find/want to pay for Triplesuper Phosphate ? Can you find/want to pay for Sulfate of Potash/Potassium Sulfate/Sop? Can you find/want to pay for Milorganite (5-4-0) ?
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this has been an odd thread to watch develop. dustin, you gotta settle down. You can garden for years and just barely scratch the surface of knowing what you are doing, and really, all you learn is how to manage the conditions you have. you can know a lot about how to grow...but know very little about how to grow in a new situation, a new set of conditions. The original post is about high levels of certain nutrients. Original Poster later states that these nutrients exist in multiple forms, and not all forms are as available to the plant as others. Then later, laments the fact that he has toxic levels of these nutrients...but no indication of which of multiple forms are present. It's like there are two different people posting. Or that this whole thing is a rabbit hole. Normally, for beginners, my advice is water, weed, keep a journal. Learn. The success of gardening in the first few years is only to a small degree measured by the produce. It's really about the learning, but you don't realize that until later. My advice here is, get a crash course in learning to diagnose plant problems by sight. Ortho problem solver is a good place to start, the big one. Then...despite the lament of too much of whatever...have you tried fertilizer* when your plants have shown signs of distress? Not a lot, just a little, just to see what the response would be? Sounds strange when your soil test says you have a lot...but you can die of thirst in the ocean. Just because you have it does not mean you have proper amounts of the right form...and as long as you don't get a proper soil test, you will never know. *I'm not offering legal advice. Disclaimer not needed, but will be provided anyway. Can't wait to hear the distress that will be created because I recommended a book with ortho in the title. Your complaint about your compost measuring high is kinda like complaining that your mattress is too soft because you have soft sheets. You are stuck on half the story, and you're constantly hitting repeat.
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fortyonenorth
12 years ago
I did a double take as the top 4 items are identical to those of 'sue,ct6'
Maybe they only extract to a certain point - hence the 'greater than 4000 lb.,' 'greater than 500 lb.' etc.

Sandra - I'm surprised they consider a pH of 6.6. "high" - I'd say it's darn near ideal. In terms of their advice, I think it's sound and you'd do well do follow it. If you want to use TTone, broadcast a bit of extra nitrogen - say 3 lbs. instead of 2 lbs. - and then side dress with Tomato Tone as directed on the package.
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sandra_zone6
Original Author
12 years ago
I sent in two samples; one from the beds where the tomato plants will be set, one from a mix of the remaining beds. The tomato beds came out with a ph of 6.6 and the other beds as 7.1. When I mailed them in I identified my beds as residential veggie gardens with a note on what I was growing in each sample and that I use organics.

There is a handwritten note written on one of the computer results that vegies normally like PH as 6.0 - 6.8 and to discontinue use of lime or wood ash (I dump my fire place ashes in my garden after they are cooled for 2 - 3 weeks and I burn pretty much 24/7 during a normal winter) and to not add any compost or manure for "some time".

Looks like based on what you are telling me, I am not in terrible shape, I will just keep an eye on what I add this year and will follow their recommendations to add extra nitrogen. Guess I better get working in that soil! Yeah!!!

Thanks so much for taking the time to read and respond!!
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Kimmsr
12 years ago
A soil pH of 6.6 is within the optimal range of 6.2 to 6.8 that most plants need and where most all soil nutrients are most readily available.
The 2 pounds of N per 1,000 square feet and 3 pounds of the other stuff, are fairly infitisimal amounts and are what they recommend as a matter of course. There is probably no need for any more "fertilizer" of any kind, unless you like to just throw money away.
Most of these soil test labs think any level of organic matter above 5 percent is high while 6 to 8 percent is considered good by many of us organic gardeners,
Perhaps these simple soil tests can be of some help.
1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top.

2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drainsÃ¯Â¿Â½ too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up.

3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart.

4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell.

5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy.
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wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana

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wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana

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