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Rhode Island

SOIL TEXTURE - made up of sand,silt and clay.all phsycial and chemical reactions are associated with these particles in your garden.medium textured soils made up of loams, compost and sand are best for drainage and plant root health.heavy clay soils hold more water and can can promote diseasesespecially during wet conditions.

WHAT DO I ADD TO MY SOIL ? - let your4 soil test lab determine this.

SOIL PH - measures the soils acidity.best if kept between 6.5 and 7.2
RAISE PH - raise by using limestone. if soil test shows high magnesium levels us a calcium limestone. if high in calcium? use a dolomitic limestone.soil test results will advise quantity of lime per 1,000 sq ft.
LOWER PH - add 20 pounds of garden sulpher per 1,000 sq ft for each single point you want to lower ph.

CEC - cation exchange capacity is the soils ability to retain and supply nutrients . most of this capacity in soils lies in the amount of organic matter. a cec between 15 -25 is usually the norm for giant pumpkins

BASE SATURATION - is a measure of the proportion of the total cec in your soil occupied by the nutrients potassium, magnesium and calcium.giant pumpkins have been found to have an available base saturation of potassium- 4-8%, magnesium 10-15%, and calcium 70-75%.

1/22/2010 9:17:58 AM

Ireland

Good advice Pap , just what I was looking for
Micheal

1/22/2010 10:04:14 AM

Cedar Lake, IN.

Thanks Pap!!!!

1/22/2010 5:37:55 PM

South Hero, VT

Excellent!!! This is just what I wanted to know. Is the beginning of March too late to add amendments?

1/22/2010 6:51:53 PM

Rhode Island

wait and add ammendments once the soil can be worked. if not it may just was away
we test and add in the fall but follow up with a test in the early spring --- will add again then if results indicate.

1/23/2010 8:19:58 AM