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Indiana

Ok this was my first soil test and need some help with the results. To see the results look for PumpkinShepherd grower diary as it should be posted there or I can email you the results in pdf or word format. I see where my ph is to high and where it says to use 10lbs per 1000 sq ft. to lower it and also organic matter will lower it. I also need to raise my OM (will compost do this? maybe dumb question). But what about salts and all the other stuff. Anyone that has done this before feel free to email me at tfriermood@earthlink.net or post on here what you think should be done for next year as my year was over at the Indiana State Fair. Thanks in advance, Todd

9/9/2004 5:35:21 PM

Ontario, Canada.

They are not up yet. Post them here for all to see and comment. Steve will take a look at it for you I'm sure.

9/9/2004 5:53:19 PM

Indiana

OM=5.2%
P1=138
K=104
Mg=280
Ca=2450
Sodium=18
PH=7.4
CEC=14.9 (meg/100g)
K=1.8%
Mg=15.6%
Ca=82.1%
Na=.5%
Sulfur=152
Zinc=15.8
Manganese=34
Iron=49
Copper=2.5
Boron=1.2
Soluble Salts=.5 (mmho/cm)

9/9/2004 6:17:00 PM

Cologne / Germany

From almost 20 values in that test, does anyone know what an AG pumpkin patch should have? And I don´t think a soil test makes much sense for "backyard gardeners" like most of us if no recommendation is coming back from the lab along with the test results. Furthermore I doubt that these "experts" know what we are looking for - I phoned and emailed alot (soil, ferts) and most of the guys at the other end of the line never understood what I was asking for. This aint no tomato contest here so that "farming establishment" with its limited and static knowledge is probably not a good source for information. Just my 2 cents.

9/10/2004 11:47:49 AM

Indiana

so no one has any suggestions??

9/10/2004 6:28:58 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

Todd...
Calcium good but could be higher for Mg:Ca ratio, I believe in moderate-to-high amounts of sulphur, so good, OM should be higher, pH maybe down a bit, bump up your potash

9/10/2004 7:42:42 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Holy cow. Most folks haven't even harvested yet! This data is just 25 hours old. LOL

I turned your PPM data into Pound/Acre data since that's the way I prefer to work it. The populated spread sheet is on it's way.

Calcium/Magnesium ratio is off. So Gyspum @ 230#/M tilled to 12" or 115#/A tilled to 6".

Potash is low for any crop but especially so for AGs. So 0-0-50 Sulfate of Potash (SOP) @ 40#/M to 12" or 20#/M to 6".

The pH is high but the Sulfur is too. So we can't lower it with S. We can bring it down slowly with Peat Moss. About 5 cubic feet per 20 sq ft tilled to 12".

The Percent Organic Matter is acceptable. But we're giant Pumpkin growers & we like manures. If you can find aged Horse manure, it will raise the %OM & the Potash at the same time. If you find some & decide to use it, we'll need to reduce the SOP.

Micro's all look fine. Don't mess with them.

Soluble Salts look normal considering. The gypsum & winter will bring Na down without issue.

Do this now, till it all in, plant a cover crop & let's test again come early March.

9/10/2004 7:54:14 PM

Indiana

lol yeah but for some it was just a state fair pumpkin and lost the others so no better time to get a jump on things then now and thanks for your help. Todd

9/10/2004 8:34:26 PM

Indiana

Steve,

First off I want to thank you for taking the time and doing this spread sheet for me. Was wondering if the lesko here in Indy will have the potash, gypsum, and sulfur? If you can do you have the product numbers so I can search them on the lesko website.

Again thanks for your time and response,

Todd

10/3/2004 2:34:42 PM