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Marshfield, Ma, USA

These are the results of my soil test.What do yu feel should be added to the soil to correct any deficiencies? What do you feel the soil is lacking and what can I do to correct it in the short time before the growing season commences.

Despite spreading over 300 pounds of gypsum and two hundred pounds of lime last fall in a 2400 sf area, the calcium levels have not moved much from last year. Why would that be?

Nitrogen level seems low.

Ph 7.0
Phos 104 ppm
potassium 238 ppm
calcium 1819 ppm
magnesium 263 ppm
cation exchange cap 15.4
per cent base saturation k = 5.2 mg =18.2 ca = 76.8
nitrogen 4 ppm
organic matter 15 %

all comments appreciated

Thanks

Ed

4/17/2005 9:22:56 PM

Canada

Did you add any manure or anything else?

what were your numbers in the fall? and what kinda of lime did you put on?

Dave

4/17/2005 9:28:07 PM

Picton,ON (j.vincent@xplornet.ca)

I think youve got a pretty good soil test here. It would be nice to raise the Calcium some more. How big an area is your patch? You may just need to add some more gypsom. I wouldn't use lime as your PH is high enough now!

4/17/2005 9:38:37 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I wouldn't lose any sleep over this soil test report.

4/17/2005 10:04:57 PM

Southeast

In contrast to Tremor I would increase the baseline K to start with its too low.Any comments Steve. David

4/18/2005 1:03:21 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

476 Pounds per Acre is far from deficient though it might be "sub-optimum". That said, the Calcium could be doubled & still be under some top growers.

Much of this depends on in-season fertility practices. Growing in dead sand is possible if daily foliar ferts are utilized. Likewise hydroponics.

With only 2 weeks to go we probably would like to bring K & Ca up a bit. I stand corrected.

4 lbs of 0-0-50 SOP/M
100 more lbs Gypsum/M

4/18/2005 10:40:30 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

I agree with David G. bumping up the P wouldn't hurt any either...(but this is from someone with compost fertilizer that is so high it blows up all my fruit!)

4/19/2005 5:10:07 AM

Marshfield, Ma, USA

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Steve, your recommended four pounds of 0-0-50 and 100 pounds of gypsum is for 2400sf?

last season my PH was at 6.4. The application of 100 pounds of dolomitic, and 100 pounds of pellitized lime raised it to the more desireable level of 7.0. Unfortunatly, the calcium ppm level remains virtually unchanged from the soli tests taken in March and September. Over three hundred pounds of gypsum have been dumped into this patch since last march.

Southern, what is a desireable level for P ?

Ed

4/19/2005 7:04:40 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

Ed...If it were me, I'd like to see it at 150-160 ppm, the K at 300+

4/20/2005 8:13:10 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

Okay now I gotta ask the question...Andy,Steve I've been looking at all these soil sample and Lbs/acre or PPM..seems to me the CEC % are more important...soil saturation of available nutrients.ie overkill..do not necessarily equal poor growing conditions if The CEC is still good..now I do not have the ability to look through all the databases to see if the following years CEC changes because we "Killed" the soil with calcium or the CEC stayed the same with way to much calcium in the PPM ...I guess what I'm saying is if I get outta whack with PPM doesn't kill my CEC ratios.

4/20/2005 7:19:51 PM