Banding is a common practice used for P fertilizers to allow less P with equal or better results. the practice entails placing the fert. in a small band, say 1" wide a few inches below and to the side of your plants in the row. The idea is that a high enough concentration of P is present to both fill up the sites on the soil that it will be adsorbed to and leave more available to go into solution to be picked up by the crop. It can be especially effective in cold soils where temperature induced P deficiency can occur, just look at the purpling in your tomato leaves if you put them out too early. If you are incorporating P fertilizers, place them in the root zone for the crop you are planting. I.E. Lettuce in the top 6-8", onions 4-6". There is no point in putting it where the roots will never reach it.

It is also known as high calcium lime, or low magnesium lime. Trying to setup a "high brix" garden following the system at this link: http://www.tandjenterprises.com/index.html I gave up and placed an order online at groworganic.com ... I was able to find the zeolite sand needed for this method at a swimming pool supply place. I can get gypsum at the Home Depot and the iron sulfate at a small outfit here in San Diego called City Farmers Nursery. They also sell the soft rock phosphate and calcium carbonate as Oyster Shell lime but only in smaller quantity. I also read this Nourishment Home Grown book where it talks about using 5lbs of each of these in the hole dug for a tree (along with manure/compost/molasses/etc). Supposed to let it compost in the hold and then plant the tree later. Dunno ... sounds good on paper! -Mike

Along with the "regular" soil test, which will give you adequate information, you will want to know how much organic matter is in your soil and some other things that the lab does not test for and can be found with these simple soil tests, 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 drains 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 you 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.

If you are still looking, I would suggest calling Merrifield Garden Center in the Falls Church area. It's been over 11 years since I've been there, so I can't speak to their current stock, but they used to have a pretty good selection of soil amendments back when I first started gardening.