Help-do-over?

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by SEAMSFASTER

Utah State University Analytical Laboratories has a wide range of options for soil tests. See:

http://www.usual.usu.edu/

From the menu on the left column, click on "Prices", then on "forms"

At this point, I think your most critical parameters are pH and Salinity. The combined test is $4.50. In heavy clay soils with poor drainage, salts tend to accumulate and crust near the surface (sodification), making the soil even less friable. High levels of calcium will likely lead to high pH through the formation of calcium carbonate.

It becomes a vicious cycle of ever increasing salinity and alkalinity. If your soil test does show high salinity, the #1 suggestion they will make is to leach the soil heavily with water. Before that will work, you'll need to make sure the beds have plenty of organic matter so the water can drain on through.

Other methods for combating salinity (specifically high sodium) include: amending with calcium sulfate (gypsum), elemental sulpur, and/or peat moss. I'm guessing you don't want to add anything that might raise the pH any higher.

Good luck!

Update. After soaking this soil for a few weeks, it has developed a crust of salt on top!
I'm scooping most of it out, will be using a small amount as bottom filler, mix with peat moss and what worked very well last year, my composted horse manure, along with some sand scraped up at the horse barn.