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President - GPC

Organic Matter 6.3
Nitrogen
Phosphorus (P1) 201
Phosphorus (p2) 202

Nuetral Ammonium Acetate (Exchangable)
Potassium 1861
Magnesium 486
Calcium 2425
Sodium 145
Sulfur 47
Zinc 11.9
Manganesse 8
Iron 29
Copper 1.7
Boron 2.0

Percent Cation Saturation
Potassium 22.1
Magnesium 18.7
Calcium 56.3
Sodium 2.9

ECe

CEC 21.6

Ph 7.8 wow high?

Nitrate - N (Fia)
surface ppm 25 lbs 45 depth 0-6 Total 45

What do yall think? In the fall, right after pulling the plants, What should I add, I think PH is way high, was only 7.1 in the spring but had a few samples outside of just the wiz patch and in a garden established a bit longer.

11/16/2006 5:35:43 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

Your Potassium is SUPER HIGH. Your soil test shows your soil is way out of balance. Pumpkins will mature way to early. Mine at one time was a little over 700. Ron Wallace told me the best think to do is try and get my potassium way down to in the hundreds(100). I finally put 18 dump truck load of new soil in my patch this fall....

11/16/2006 6:23:42 PM

Colorado

my K is 1861... is this a colorado thing? anything to fix it other than 18 truck loads of the good stuff?

11/16/2006 8:26:17 PM

Colorado

Wiz- I have you beat on Calcium... mine is 15846... LOL!

11/16/2006 8:27:48 PM

President - GPC

Well I wont be trucking in 30 dump truck loads of dirt....dont know how the potassium got that high....last year in the fall it tested to be 783 ppm. Same thing with PH in the spring it was 7.1, fall 7.8? I added sheep and peat in the spring, coffee grounds, and the Agro-K + the compost tea......routine, nothing else..... so Im wondering......I had the best lettuce I ever grew....Maybe the hailstones had something to do with it.,.....lol......Pete dunno on your Calcium....15846???

11/17/2006 9:04:20 AM

President - GPC

Just wait till you see the Jareds nursery test.....Will be interesting as a lot of this dirt came from dregging out the pond, dark but hard as concrete.......

11/17/2006 9:05:58 AM

SF Bay Area, California

K is way high and Calcium is low. Try spreading 10 pounds of gypsum per 100 square feet and tilling it in this fall. This will help balance your soil a little better. You can repeat this in the spring and again next fall until the Calcium Cation Saturation is in the range of 70 to 80%

11/17/2006 9:26:30 AM

President - GPC

Very strange how mine and petes calcium is exactly the same, especially since mine in the spring was 783, Im suspecting something is wrong here....Im almost wanting to try a different testing facility just to see.......Comments?

11/17/2006 11:33:33 AM

President - GPC

I have found much information and not too much that says its bad.....although too much of anything is bad....I believe that if this reading is true it came from the manure added..........
Role in Plant Growth
The exact function of K in plant growth has not been clearly defined. Potassium is associated with movement of water, nutrients, and carbohydrates in plant tissue. If K is deficient or not supplied in adequate amounts, growth is stunted and yields are reduced. Various research efforts have shown that potassium

stimulates early growth,
increases protein production,
improves the efficiency of water use,
is vital for stand persistence, longevity, and winter hardiness of alfalfa, and
improves resistance to diseases and insects.
These roles or functions are general; but all are important to profitable crop production.


Potassium in Soils
The total K content of soils frequently exceeds 20,000 ppm (parts per million). Nearly all of this is in the structural component of soil minerals and is not available for plant growth. Because of large differences in soil parent materials and the effect of weathering of these materials in the United States, the amount of K supplied by soils varies. Therefore, the need for K in a fertilizer program varies across the United States.

Three forms of K (unavailable, slowly available or fixed, readily available or exchangeable) exist in soils

11/17/2006 12:18:22 PM

President - GPC

What does this all mean? Dunno, but Im learning one heck of alot......

11/17/2006 12:19:35 PM

I questioned a soil test a few times,,, my lab reruns the tests at no charge and actually admits if they made a mistake,,we're all human after all.

Good luck

11/17/2006 12:33:01 PM

President - GPC

Also to note is I have never seen more worms ever in my soil that I did this year.......easily 4-10 per shovel full many babies......

11/17/2006 12:43:24 PM

Central Ca

Hey Wiz, This is Kevin. You sent me some fantastic seeds. I usually go to one of my University Botanists or a local farmer. That works for me cuz they dumb it down. Thanks again. I hope I'll make you proud.

11/17/2006 1:02:45 PM

President - GPC

Hey Kevin, You grow em big, I am glad you love em, beside from my patches.....they came from some very nice people on BP and Im happy to help another grower out. Keep in touch, Good Luck and GROW'EM BIG.

11/17/2006 1:36:42 PM

Pocatello (cliffwarren@yahoo.com)

Wiz, What was your ECe number (salts)? Also, where did you get this test done?

11/17/2006 3:28:47 PM

President - GPC

Did not have a ECe number but a soluble salts 1:1 mmhos/cm .7
Excess Lime rate of L (Low)
Test done at Midwest Labs NE.

11/17/2006 4:06:42 PM

Pocatello (cliffwarren@yahoo.com)

Ah, ok. Last time I tested, my ECe was waaay high, so I was thinking about it. Yours looks good. All this talk about tests just prompted me to order a test. It's been too long. Our soils up here are similar to yours there, so hopefully we can compare notes.

11/17/2006 4:26:46 PM

President - GPC

Just wondering how Ph could change that fast from Spring to fall, and Potassium levels too a second test may be in order. I read that Gypsum may be bad for mychorzoidal fungi, and not be an effective fix. Eventually I will get that Jedi Knight type of advice on how to grow em Big.......lol. But Ph does need to come down and probably the first thing to concentrate on......well see......

11/17/2006 4:28:59 PM

President - GPC

Yo, another thing.....I hear about folks....add poop, add manure......I added 2 yards of sheep and peat....supposed to be a bit higher in N than cow....What they feed these sheep? I did not add any chems....some coffee.....3-400 lbs pure Starbuck, and lots of leaves. I got worms.
Now my Ph went up .7??? and Potassium up 1100 ppm? WT./F...?
If this is true, my advice is to know what you are adding,,,,Im going to get a second test....something doesnt make sense......its not like I added major materials to affect change.....we will see.
Grow em BIG

11/17/2006 9:08:49 PM

San Diego

depends on your soil. here is san diego, our clay soil holds onto stuff like you wouldn't believe. I put in 2 yards of aged manure and my salts went way up and so did the ph. Many growers will tell you manure lowers ph, not where I live, it has raised it every year I put it in. I went from 6.4 to 7.1 just from the manure I added. Re-test, and put in sulfer asap to lower the ph over the winter time. If your potash is that high, don't put anything else in this winter besides gypsom. Hopefully it will each in the winter. Jim

11/17/2006 10:20:07 PM

San Diego

leach :)

11/17/2006 10:20:41 PM

President - GPC

Duster, Yes I beleive that the manure has altered this test, Thinking thats what this Colorado clay is all about, I am wanting to add sulphur vice the gypsum due to what Im reading about gypsum being bad for mychrodzodial fungi/ temporary and the ability of that fungi to regulate bad toxins plant absorbtion. I'm leaning on altering my PH slowly that way, increase the OM differently that simply Over dosing with manure hopefully that will keep my salts down too, more leaves, alfalfa pellets for N, Oyster shell for Calcium input, guess more study on the coffee but I do like the worm count. Perhaps Colorado soil is just as restricting as the hail, but I dont give up....and will go slow but sure, eventually Ill get what Im after.....WizardJedi knight type training might help too....lol
Growem BIG......use the force

11/18/2006 11:01:13 AM

Mocksville, NC

Gypsum is not bad for mycorrizea, add the gypsum (calcium-sulfur) thats it. It will leach out the salts, most likely you used commercial ferts, end products are complete salt after the NPK is used by plant. Manure will bring your salts up. Gypsum needed will not alter your PH. For lowering your PH use Organic elamental sulfer to bring down to 7.3 it will lower during the season,a little more add 1/2 pound per 1000ft2. Also if you plant alfalfa now they are heavy feeders of k, just remember to cut, and remove in the spring before it goes to seed, The reason you had good worm count is you ph was close to 7.5 worms love it there i used to be a bait farmer, thats how i know. My 2 cents worth

11/18/2006 12:52:51 PM

Mocksville, NC

Also i never guess my cousin Robert, and his wife lori are PHD,'s, in Botany also Robert is a mycorrizea scientist and they teach at Nothern Colorado Univeristy. Just type in your browser Reinsvold and hit go all of them are related to me. Roger Reinsvold.

11/18/2006 1:12:53 PM

President - GPC

Cool, I went to the local feed store and found a gold mine of organic stuff to use. Check it out:

Alfalfa Pellets Sun dried and 100% noxious weed seed free, 50# - $8.49 can be used for a source of N and OM increaser

100% oyster shell, for CA increasing, slow but sure...12.99- 50#

Wheat Bran Red Flakey - 8.99 50# for OM and Ph down.

SUn Cured Beet Pup or Beet Pulp SHreads- 50 # 9.99- More N and sugar.....

I am wanting to use elemental sulphur at 1# per 100 sf to bring down a point.....

Maybe some canadian peat moss but I think with all the pelleted stuff and wheat chaf should be enough for now. All organic and the worms ought to love it too.....The wind blew lots of pine needles into the kin patch so rototilling this all under to a depth of 6-10" then watering ought to be what the DR ordered ehh? Hard part is how much? Will wait to here what the knowledge level says b4 I proceed.

11/18/2006 4:07:58 PM

President - GPC

Once I can get my soil in line then perhaps I can spend the bucks on the seeds.......until then I figure $$$ better spent going this route.......
Grow em BIG

11/18/2006 4:18:28 PM

President - GPC

Once I can get my soil in line then perhaps I can spend the bucks on the seeds.......until then I figure $$$ better spent going this route.......
Grow em BIG

11/18/2006 4:18:29 PM

Mocksville, NC

your right Wiz the soil! just not to deep yu'll destroy What the worms are doing,,and yull end up with Oxygen depleation come mid summer all else you said was right on great luck Lisa Wentzell grew her 1190 at 7.5 she said the patches that were lower didnt do as well for her, your choice to add that much sufer, do what works for you, all our soils are different. the alfafa will contain K also

11/18/2006 9:43:55 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

Oyster shells are bad news for pH. They will raise it. There great for calcium. This is the mistake I made a few years ago. Good thing Dwaine (docgipe) told me to stop using them.

11/19/2006 12:03:26 AM

President - GPC

Thanks, after reading a whole bunch more I have found that yes the manure definetly raised my potassium, guess the gypsum is in for the calcium and some sulphur for the Ph. I found that several things I wanted to do will also increase the potassium and I think I have enough of that so its pine needles, nuetral peat moss,....guess this is rocket science.....lol

11/19/2006 11:11:10 AM

President - GPC

Composition of Organic Fertilizers Material
% Nitrogen % Phos. % Potassium
Alfalfa meal 2.5 0.5 2.1
Bone meal (raw) 3.5 21.0 0.2
Bone meal (steamed) 2.0 21.0 0.2
Chicken manure (pure, fresh) 2.6 1.25 0.75
Cottonseed meal 7.0 3.0 2.0
Blood meal 12.0 3.0 --
Fish meal 8.0 7.0 --
Greensand -- 1.5 7.0
Hoof and Horn 12.5 2.0 --
Kelp meal 1.5 0.75 4.9
Peanut meal 3.6 0.7 0.5
Tankage 11.0 5.0 --

This is from what I found to be an excellent source of information on organic composting by Steve Solomon.
With everything you add there are positives and negatives....hopefully this makes the choices a lil easier.
If one didnt want more K then need to be carefull......
Grow'em BIG

11/19/2006 11:31:26 AM

Pocatello (cliffwarren@yahoo.com)

Yes, last year I put on sooo much manure... this year I'm really taking it easy. Doing some coffee and getting a new test, take it from there.

11/19/2006 11:52:19 AM

President - GPC

Im thinking Gypsum is one of the better things I need to adjust here.....any thoughts?

11/19/2006 7:35:05 PM