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Winston Salem NC

I Just got my soil test results back from the NC Coop. This is a baseline for next seasons plantings, I have a Prizewinner Plant (1 around 107lbs) and some field pumpkins planted on the lower end. I know the PH is REALLY LOW and that will have to be addressed, and the organic matter is low and part of that is sitting at the top of the patch already (100 yards of horse manure and compost) that will be worked in this fall. My patch is 50x100 so its decently sized.

Recommendations
Lime N P2O5 K2O Mg S Cu Zn B Mn
0 90-120 lb 0 0-20 0 0 0 0 0
per 1000sq.ft per 1000

Soil Class: Mineral
HM% .36
W/V 1.26
CEC 9.6
BS% 90
Ac 1.0
pH 6.2
P-I 76
K-I 122
Ca% 65.0
Mg% 18.0
Mn-I 419
Mn-Al 258
Zn-I 651
Zn-AI 651
Cu-I 258
S-I 43
SS-I
NO3N
NH4N
Na 0.2

Ok so how bad does it suck? And any explinations on why would be good so I can learn what to look for in future tests. Thanks in advance.
Rick

9/10/2008 12:20:20 AM

South East

The lime in the recommandations is right. 6,2 to is low but not ridiculous, if you can get up to closer to 7.0 then any progress is welcome. Lime wil do the trick. If your soil is clay then consider calcitic lime, you dont need the mg out of dolomitic lime then. If hm% is the same as organic matter then you need to get that up.(Compost, manure) Phosphorus needs to go up, (bonemeal), pottasium to (sulfur of potash.) Calcium and mg% look not bad. But getting calium 10% up and mg % a bit down would be better. So adding Calcium would be a good idea to.(gypsum, or cal-sul wich boosts your sulphur levels to).Adding one nutrient, changes the ratio of all the others to though, dont forget that. I dont see a nitrogen nr. But adding some slow release nitrogen in the spring normaly cant hurt.Depends on your soil, sand or clay?(calcium nitrate could help calcium and nitrogen for you, bloodmeal for nitro alone). Micronutriets are pretty high and seem ok.
Consider adding ammendments like kelpmeal, and humic acid to, but thats more for early spring.
These are just my to cents, but i,m no expert.
Good luck.

9/10/2008 8:15:20 AM