My soil sample results

daylilydude · April 3, 2009

Ok all, I sent a soil sample out of that topsoil that i had bought for my raised beds to the MSU Extension Service and i just recieved the results back and they are as follows:

Soil PH is 8.1
Phosphorus level is 167 lbs/acre (VERY HIGH)
Potassium level is 355 lbs./acre (HIGH)
Magnesium level is 732lbs./ acre (VERY HIGH)
Zinc level is 57.2 lbs./ acre (VERY HIGH)
Calcium level is 7150 lbs./acre
Total Soluble Salts is 0.5 (MEDIUM)
Organic Material is (Adequate)
Their suggestion is to apply a sidedress of Nitrogen (34-0-0) 4 to 6 weeks after planting, apply in a band 4 to 6 inches from the base of the plants.

dice · April 3, 2009

pH seems rather high. I would wonder how much of that
phosphorus is actually water-soluble at that pH (probably
lots of insoluble calcium phosphates in it). Adding sulfur
would bring it down in the short term. One longer term fix
might be to plow or till in red lava rock. (I remember
alanstrangefruit reporting a couple of years ago that doing
that had dropped the pH in his fields the next year by a point
or two.)

A good article on calcium and magnesium management
in soils:

http://www.soilfirst.com/tnm_12_1997.htm

April 3, 2009	#1
daylilydude Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Iuka, Mississippi Zone 7b Posts: 482	My soil sample results Ok all, I sent a soil sample out of that topsoil that i had bought for my raised beds to the MSU Extension Service and i just recieved the results back and they are as follows: Soil PH is 8.1 Phosphorus level is 167 lbs/acre (VERY HIGH) Potassium level is 355 lbs./acre (HIGH) Magnesium level is 732lbs./ acre (VERY HIGH) Zinc level is 57.2 lbs./ acre (VERY HIGH) Calcium level is 7150 lbs./acre Total Soluble Salts is 0.5 (MEDIUM) Organic Material is (Adequate) Their suggestion is to apply a sidedress of Nitrogen (34-0-0) 4 to 6 weeks after planting, apply in a band 4 to 6 inches from the base of the plants. __________________ Richard

April 3, 2009	#2
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	pH seems rather high. I would wonder how much of that phosphorus is actually water-soluble at that pH (probably lots of insoluble calcium phosphates in it). Adding sulfur would bring it down in the short term. One longer term fix might be to plow or till in red lava rock. (I remember alanstrangefruit reporting a couple of years ago that doing that had dropped the pH in his fields the next year by a point or two.) A good article on calcium and magnesium management in soils: http://www.soilfirst.com/tnm_12_1997.htm __________________ -- alias