Soil Preparation and Analysis
|
Subject: Would Someone Please Comment On My Test Results?
|
|
From
|
Location
|
Message
|
Date Posted
|
JMattW |
Omaha, NE (N41-15-42 )
|
I unfortunately didn't get my soil tested last fall. Got too busy with work. Just got it tested this week and was hoping someone would give advice. I tested each planting hole. here are the results:
SW ---------- OM:6% P1:220ppm P2:224ppm K:2451ppm Mg:673ppm Ca:2963ppm Na:328ppm pH:7.4
CEC:28.1 %K:22.4 %Mg:20.0 %Ca:52.5 %H:0 %Na:5.1
S: 999+ppm Zn:11.6ppm Mn:14ppm Fe:36ppm Cu:1.8ppm B: 2.4ppm Soluble Salts 3.7mmhos/cm
|
2/9/2005 1:49:21 PM
|
JMattW |
Omaha, NE (N41-15-42 )
|
NW ________ OM:4.9% P1:226ppm P2:251ppm K:3392ppm Mg:796ppm Ca:2329ppm Na:365ppm pH:7.0
CEC:28.6 %K:30.4 %Mg:23.2 %Ca:40.9 %H:0 %Na:5.5
S:999+ppm Zn:11.9ppm Mn:14ppm Fe:29ppm Cu:1.8ppm B:1.8ppm Soluble Salts 5.6 mmhos/cm
|
2/9/2005 1:49:35 PM
|
JMattW |
Omaha, NE (N41-15-42 )
|
SE _________ OM:5.4% P1:175 P2:187 K:3792ppm Mg:941ppm Ca:3852ppm Na:440ppm pH 7.7
CEC: 38.7 %K:25.1 %Mg:20.3 %Ca:49.7 %H:0 %Na:4.9
S: 999+ppm Zn:14.3ppm Mn:28ppm Fe:40ppm Cu:2.3ppm B:2.0ppm Soluble Salts 5.0 mmhos/cm
|
2/9/2005 1:49:50 PM
|
JMattW |
Omaha, NE (N41-15-42 )
|
SW ___________ OG:6.6% P1:232ppm P2:247ppm K:2626ppm Mg:735ppm Ca:6892ppm Na:264ppm pH:7.1
CEC:48.5 %K:13.9 %Mg:12.6 %Ca:71.1 %H:0 %Na2.4
S:999+ppm Zn:17.2ppm Mn:22ppm Fe:42ppm Cu:2.3ppm B:3ppm Soluble Salts 3.9 mmhos/cm
|
2/9/2005 1:49:58 PM
|
JMattW |
Omaha, NE (N41-15-42 )
|
The high sulfer is from the gypsum I put down in October. I've put down about 800lbs of coffee grounds and have another probably 1500 lbs I was waiting to put on the patch until after the soil test. From the pH levels and the OG matter, I'm thinking I should put it all on. It seems to me that the SW spot is clearly in the best shape, but does anyone have any recommendations for getting things more in balance. I'm also curious if watering will leach the salts or if I need to do something else to get rid of the salts.
|
2/9/2005 1:54:04 PM
|
Brooks B |
Ohio
|
Jmatt, I dont know much about soil, but look at the diffrence in your CA in your other 2 growing spots, I wonder if thats a big deal?
|
2/9/2005 4:21:35 PM
|
Alexsdad |
Garden State Pumpkins
|
Again we look for the definitive ratio of mg/ca/k ...is there really one out there ...I see the same posts way to many times... ok we all need to get the OM up..we all need the micros...but everyone questions this ratio...when is it out of whack?...at what % 's does one start tying up the other and is it soil dependent....sandy/loam/clay...stuff that leaches is ok but getting into items that don't and last a long time could ruin a patch forever....I mean it okay if you can move a patch to the south forty...bt backyarders have to be real careful and slow to adjust to much...you got one spot and one shot at this so go slow.
|
2/9/2005 6:06:00 PM
|
HotPumpkin (Ben) |
Phoenix, AZ
|
There are lots of things that others with more experience can comment on, but on a few things I have researched extensively, I will give my opinion.
Your salts, if you can, you need to get them below 2.5. With cucurbits, generally above 2.5 and you start getting reductions in yield. As a rule, 6" of good water will leach 50% of your salts below 12" of soil, 12" water gets 80%. With your sulfur so high, this will be great to also leach out some of that sodium which is the easiest of the cations to leach.
I know everyone will say get your Ph to 6.8 and you really should to get more of those micros available to your plant. the alkalinity in my soil tie up my micros very well.
Alexdad, I agree. is there going to be a problem here with so much potassium or will there be a new record set?
Ben
|
2/9/2005 7:09:28 PM
|
Tremor |
Ctpumpkin@optonline.net
|
Ben & I have gone around about this & he's starting to understand how I feel.
I put very little stock in the Albrecht ratio theories that were developed in the 1950s. We have proven time after time that as long as the plant's minimum nutrient needs have been met by the soil's supply capacity, the ratios can be tweaked & changed (within a degree of reason) all over the place with no impact on crop yield or health.
I'm not suggesting that we never pay attention to ratios. There is no harm in meeting the minumums with an eye toward moving the ratios to "an ideal". But with a report like this, I wouldn't be losing any sleep over it.
I have soil test results for some hitters from ou lab & the ratio theory is literally shot full of holes by these reports.
I would focus on tilling in fall applied Maple leaves & aged manures to build organic matter. Coffee grounds do build fat earthworms & supply lots of potassium (see test results). But the amount needed to build OM isn't realistic.
|
2/9/2005 9:10:46 PM
|
JMattW |
Omaha, NE (N41-15-42 )
|
What should I use to lower the pH in the areas where it is the highest?
Thanks,
Matt
|
2/10/2005 8:00:10 AM
|
Tremor |
Ctpumpkin@optonline.net
|
Peat Moss would be slow & gradual if you can find the "non-pH adjusted" kind.
Straight 80-90% Elemental sulfer is the quickest way & don't get too nervous about soil sulfur levels. It would be a very rare occasion to see sulfur toxicity.
If you use sufur, keep the rates at 3-5 lbs per 1000 & move things in small steps.
Some really big fruit have been grown in high pH soils. Jack LaRue had a thousand+ pounder come off a pH of like 7.6 I think. So I would use a Peat/manure blend & let it fall slowly & naturally.
|
2/10/2005 8:17:10 AM
|
Total Posts: 11 |
Current Server Time: 9/2/2024 11:14:30 PM |