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Springfield, OR

I need some help and advice about my first soil test results done at the end of my first growing season. I converted a river bottom grass pasture by tilling in cow manure, composted leaves and mint straw. All results are as ppm except pH and OM.
pH- 6.6
OM- 7.7%
P- 41
K- 408
Ca-4060
Mg- 561
S- 31.8
B- 1.7
Zn- 8.4
Mn- 63
Cu- 2.9
Fe- 152

11/16/2004 7:42:07 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Mcjim, Your test looks pretty good but we need The Base saturation numbers. Post them if you have them. PH is Right on the mark for maximum potential. OM is something we are all hoping to raise above 15%.

11/18/2004 4:30:51 PM

Springfield, OR

Kahuna3: Thanks for your reply. The base saturation wasn't done as part of my test. Is it a calculated index, or is it a measurement that just wasn't done? I took it to a local lab here in Oregon. Maybe next time I could use a lab with more appropriate information. Any suggestions? thanks, Jim

11/18/2004 5:56:27 PM

Ontario, Canada.

You can add OM and begin to start rasing it. It may be good to consider another test that encompasses CEC and Base saturation numbers. Is your soil more clay or sand? It seams to be balanced. Though it is hard to tell without the % saturation numbers.

11/18/2004 7:06:31 PM

Springfield, OR

The soil seems to be a sandy loam. After the listed soil test I have added several loads of manure, composted leaves and mint straw. I'll need another test to get CEC and Base Sat.% #s. Any thoughts about the calcium level?.

11/18/2004 7:37:28 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Mcjim, without the % saturation numbers it is hard to say positively about the Ca number. Though I suspect you may have good balanced soil.

11/19/2004 9:29:54 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

A sandy loam will exhibit lower CEC. No biggy. Keep adding Organic Materials. I would aplly a little Calcitic Limestone at pH 6.6. It's not going to go over 7.0 if we keep it under 60lbs/1000 tilled unless it's dead sand.

11/19/2004 10:15:05 AM

Ontario, Canada.

Mcjim, Steve is right target. You can raise CEC with the addition of certain soil additives such as calcined clay or vermiculite & perilite. You are going to need lots of OM materials asap to get them working all winter long. Get a good source of chopped leaves and or well rotted manure about 3 to 4" deep each and tilled in. Peatmoss works good too but the ph is low for your situation. To quickly raise your CEC you can use vermiculite, perilite or my favourite Profile which lasts forever. Then adjust with amendments. Molasess will help to kick start the beneficials in breaking down the soil additions quicker. Also consider adding Corn meal, Kelp meal and or Afalfa meal as a sources of nitrogen and minor nutrients to round out your organic supplements. Then plant a good legume cover crop some thing that can fix nitrogen, like Sweet Clover and also a secondary spring crop that is effective at extracting phosphorus from the soil to build young roots in early spring like buckwheat. More roots equals bigger pumpkins. You can be well on your way by spring planting time.

11/19/2004 1:07:18 PM