You should probably add some sulfur to bring down the high pH in both areas but it is not particularly fast acting. And adding compost to Garden #2 will be of benefit in that area.

Where did you get the soil you filled the raised bed with? When was it filled and have you amended it at all and if so, with what?

Are those the only soil test results you have? What about Ca, Mg, organic matter content?

Where are you located? 8.4 pH is very high, either you are in an arid place with high levels of limestone in the soil, or it's been over-limed. The very high pH is probably at least partially to blame for the low availability of phosphorus.

Wherever you got the soil tested should be able to give you figures for what and how much to add for pH adjustment and fertilizer based on the results.

Thanks, all! :) glib, the units are indeed ppm. toxcrusadr, we have a lot of limestone in the area, so maybe that contributes? They didn't give me any other results. :(

I'm still fairly new at this, but I also have a soil with a relatively high PH, and have done a bit of learning on at least that aspect of soil preparation. Mine was something like 7.8 when tested. I was researching how to lower the PH, and found a test for free lime, which you seem likely to have. If that is something the you wish to change, as opposed to just growing plants adapted for alkaline soil, then read on.

If you take a scoop of dry soil, and put it in a cup with vinegar, then fizzing will show that you have 'free lime.' Most places I have read simply say this is not fixable, but there was one site that gave instructions. They take into consideration the type of soil you have (clay, loam, etc) and recommend adding a certain amount of sulfur per acre to lower the PH by a specific amount.

I'll link to the site for you, but the gist of it is that you are looking at adding huge amounts of sulfur, and somehow getting them turned in extremely deep. In my case, with ~1000 sq. ft. I am looking at about 200lbs. Seems kind of insane.

I don't guarantee the accuracy of this source, although it is from a university, and I am certainly going to do more research before making such a drastic action, but I figure it at least gives you something to look at.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/agf-fact/0507.html

Who did that "soil test"? Your Kansas State University does a much better test that does include, besides pH, the ratio of Calcium to Magnesium, the C.E.C. (Cation Exchange Capacity), and amount of organic matter in the soil.

What you need to know is the soils pH. Most all nutrients are most readily available with a soil pH in the 6.0 to 7.0 range, although some plants have evolved needing a lower soil pH. The ratio of Calcium to Magnesium influences soil pH. The C.E.C. is a measure of the soil ability to hold on to both moisture and nutrients and release them so plants can utilize them. The C.E.C. should be in the upper teens to low twenties and sandy soils tend to have very low numbers while clay soils tend to have much higher numbers. Organic matter tends to have numbers in the upper teens to lower twenties.

How much organic matter is in the soil. Whether your soil is sand or clay you should work toward an amount of organic matter in the soil between 6 and 8 percent. In addition to helping sandy soils hold on to both moisture and nutrients and helping clay soils release the moisture and nutrients and open up the clay so drainage improves the organic material added to soil feeds the Soil Food Web that feed the plants growing in that soil.

In addition to having a good reliable soil test done, preferably by your Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service, perhaps these simple soil tests may be of some help.

1) Soil test for organic
material. 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.
For example, 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 your soil will smell, to a point. Too much organic matter
can be bad as well.

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.

kimmq is kimmsr

It is what it is, Tamara. Here too the mother rock is limestone, and I like you have very low P and high pH in the native soil. The raised bed soil has become too rich, due to either fertilizer or too much compost, just like in my beds. I amend solely with leaves, which are relatively low in nutrients, and fertilize with urea, which is pure N. You still need the organic matter every year to keep good nutrient availability, it is really the only counter to high pH.

The ground garden needs massive amounts of organic matter to counteract the high pH. That will also bring up the P. You could do it relatively quickly by covering with large amounts of wood chips (that will keep the garden weed free for a few years). I am often able to score dump trucks of chips for free, so I would put 8 inches or more. Then you will be able to plant only seedlings or large seeds in there (garlic, onion, potato, beans), while you plant small seeded veggies in the beds. After a few years you should be able to plant anything anywhere. You may want to fertilize with P in the first year only.

Compost will definitely improve things over time. It not only adjusts pH toward neutral, but helps ensure nutrients are available at whatever pH the soil naturally wants to be at.

All you people rock! I'm all about dah ph. (Sorry,). Finally solved my hi ph after reading for days , my eyes are XX. Must find SAW dust now, anyanyone have any worms?

I think it's possible to worry too much about pH. As I understand it, the reason that we want slightly acid soil is to make trace minerals (think; metals) chemically available. Your garden can easily tolerate higher pH if your soil is well buffered with organic material. The buffering mediates chemical availability of metals.

And I worry about adding sulfur to soil because sulfur inhibits the growth of michorrhizal fungi.

The reason a gardener would want a soil with a soil pH in the 6.0 to 7.0 range is because most all nutrients are most readily available in that range, and most all plants grow best in that range.

A soil pH of 7.7 is not too bad, but a soil pH of 8.4 is. However, if the soil has adequate amounts of organic matter (not listed) the amount of sulfur needed to lower the soil pH of garden 2 would not adversely affect any mycorrhizal fungi that may be present, even though sulfur is known to be an anti fungal. However, there are studies that seem to indicate that sulfur enhances to ability of mycorrhizal fungi to do what it does.

kimmq is kimmsr