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In the shade - PDX, OR

I got my first-ever soil analysis back last week and I need some help with the interpretation. I know that it is best to have a balanced profile when it comes to all elements.
I have 3 specific areas of questions.

1) I am low-to-medium in 4 of the 13 elements tested.
They are:
Calcium 2271 ppm.
Sodium 111 ppm.
Sulfur 21 ppm.
Manganese 11 ppm
What can I do / add to get these to balance out?

2) What does the % cation saturation tell you?
IT looks as if there is no balance here...
Potassium (K) 8.3%
Magnesium (Mg) 22.2%
Calcium (Ca) 58.1 %
Sodium (Na) 2.5%


3) What does 100 score mean? My pH is 6.4 and I'll need to add some lime to get this closer to 6.5 ~ 6.8. Does this mean pounds of lime?
The analysis says 115.


Thanks - I really appreciate the help.
Ceis

3/1/2003 1:53:34 AM

Caceres, mid west of Spain

Your soil doesn't look any bad to me Ceis. I would add some lime and that's all, referring to the chemical analysis,of course. You can improve your soil condition with other stuff, organics, water retemption gels, beneficial fungi...
I would add about 20-30 pounds of lime per 1000 sq ft if your soil is sandy, and 40-50 if it is clay. And as soon as possible. Then, at planting time, 4-5 pounds of Calcium Nitrate per 1000 sq ft would be nice.
What do you think Steve? adjust the amounts, I am not good with the american units and you are the expert.
Don

3/1/2003 3:21:35 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

Hey Ceis, Don't ya love that first soil test! HUH? Especially the cation exchange numbers...I'm looking for some articles I got sent from g1t but don't think they made the move to the new computer. I still mumble about cation exchange...

Andy Wolfe is collecting all the soil reports he can and if you forward it to him he will send you other reports from growers to compare with...Grow em big! Chuck

3/1/2003 9:22:05 AM

Indiana

I'd add some peletized gypsum. That will up your calcium without uping the pH. It would also up the Sulfur which is low. The pH is close enough that I would add a peletized lime to raise it fairly quick...and you dont need much even at that. Bob Wells and Andy Wolf are the ones I have seen giving good recomendations.

Tom Beachy

3/1/2003 11:00:53 AM

[email protected]

Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) can be loosely interpretted as a soils ability to "give up nutrients" a the plant. You get 2 sets of nutrient analysis on the test result. One is the actual chemical percentage of the soil in total. The other is the "exchangeable nutrient". In other words, the soil cations are those holding some of the totalo nutrient in a state where plants can utilize them.

Carlos is correct about the lime. You're not dangerously low in Ph. But bringing up a little would be good. And the lime (calcium carbonate) will also deliver some much needed Calcium.

Gypsum (calcium sulphate) will add more calcium & help deliver the sulfur that your soil needs.

Can you fax those results to me? The dedicate fax line here in my office is 203-378-7087. It's easier to interpret results when the paper, name of lab, test method, etc, is in hand.

Steve

3/1/2003 11:05:30 AM

Montoursville, PA

Ceis You are getting a range of opinion that is pretty good. Based on common knowlege I have gathered a PH of 7 is the target and not to worry if you ease above 7 by a tenth or two.

Portland gardeners are already bouncing into action. Your area's weather supports excellent composting. Sources of manure are where you find them. You can hardly if ever get to much compost. With whatever else you do bring in manure and vegative mixes to build compost at all times. Ask neighbors for their grass clippings. I'm a firm believer in ample use of peat moss in the early stages of bringing a patch up in humis content. I put five larger peat bales into my already good garden soil last fall plus five yards of manure and five yards of mushroom waste. And then came the leaves from three properties. I did that and more to a 1000sq foot patch. I used eight pounds of Ironite last fall and will use eight more this spring.

Look at your patch and shoot for better every year. Within one to three years you should be able to say you are approaching as good a patch as it is possible to create. Along the way you will find and consider other ideas to make it even better. It is a growing and learning process.

3/1/2003 11:26:51 PM

In the shade - PDX, OR

Thanks ALL.

I appreciate the feedback and info.
Andy, Bob and Steve have a PDF'd copy on the way.

Hey Doc - I hadn't really thought about the peat moss too much. 3 or 4 bales would probably be a good addition. Will till this in - maybe tomorrow. You are right the gardening conditions here in the PNW have been quite good. I got a couple of hours of work in outside on Saturday.
I know of a good source of free horse manure, and will get another load soon to compost. Just have to find the time to get it done.

Cheers
CEIS

3/2/2003 3:52:13 AM

Utah

I recieved a nice sheet from UMASS with my soil resutls explaning each result. I'll try to type it in during the next few days and post it or submit it to the "how to"
section.

3/3/2003 2:01:06 PM

Utah

here it is online (much easier than typing it in):

http://www.umass.edu/plsoils/soiltest/interp1.htm

It is a great source of general information but remember
that it is based on their tests and their #'s .

3/3/2003 2:11:17 PM

[email protected]

Erick,

Sorry this has taken so long. It's been getting busy with work here. (about time)

A&L is calling for 115 lbs of Lime per 1000 (#/M here after).
With the 6.4 pH, I don't see this as ideal. Half that rate. Then apply at least 150#/M of Gypsum. The Lime will lift pH & supply some calcium. The Gypsum will correct the balance of the Calcium need. They may be trying to deliver the calcium with the Lime at the expense of raising the pH a little more than ideal. Easier on you I agree, but the right thing isn't all that hard to do.

Sodium is low & that's a good thing. Let's keep it that way. Cholrides are bad for plant roots.

Sulfur was a little low. The Gypsum will correct that too. Lime won't.

I didn't see results for percent organic matter. Was it tested?

Steve

3/5/2003 6:23:27 PM

Montoursville, PA

Looks to me like Steve is right on. You likely will not hit PH7 in this short of a time period but go for it. Test again this fall and adjust again for PH.

In Pennsylvania the humis test is expensive. I would just keep pounding away with manures and the elements of good compost. In the fall you can add the elements and not worry about a thing. In the spring I like to use half made or better compost.

The humis level of 10% is usually desirable but quite some distance out for most of us. Some day you might check just for the heck of it but there is hardly such a thing as to much humis.

I have been working hard at humis content for years. Mine is still under 10% by a couple of percentage points. All I do is hope for a half a percentage point of humis gain in a given year. I pounded my patch last summer and fall with loads and loads of manure and humis. I would hope that maybe I will arrive in the 10% arena by the end of this year. I may pay for a humis test next spring not that I think it will be of any special value.

I just keep looking for the good stuff. Just today I think I landed the positive end of a coffee ground deal. A place that uses twenty pounds of coffee a day said I could have the grounds if I did not mind the filters. Filters are paper. They will compost fine.

3/5/2003 7:26:20 PM

Montoursville, PA

Looks to me like Steve is right on. You likely will not hit PH7 in this short of a time period but go for it. Test again this fall and adjust again for PH.

In Pennsylvania the humis test is expensive. I would just keep pounding away with manures and the elements of good compost. In the fall you can add the elements and not worry about a thing. In the spring I like to use half made or better compost.

The humis level of 10% is usually desirable but quite some distance out for most of us. Some day you might check just for the heck of it but there is hardly such a thing as to much humis.

I have been working hard at humis content for years. Mine is still under 10% by a couple of percentage points. All I do is hope for a half a percentage point of humis gain in a given year. I pounded my patch last summer and fall with loads and loads of manure and humis. I would hope that maybe I will arrive in the 10% arena by the end of this year. I may pay for a humis test next spring not that I think it will be of any special value.

I just keep looking for the good stuff. Just today I think I landed the positive end of a coffee ground deal. A place that uses twenty pounds of coffee a day said I could have the grounds if I did not mind the filters. Filters are paper. They will compost fine.

3/5/2003 7:26:29 PM

Montoursville, PA

Sorry I did that. My gorsh I suspect my jitterey hands did it somehow.

3/5/2003 7:29:14 PM

In the shade - PDX, OR

Thanks guys I appreciate the help and info.
Doc - I'm shooting for the "ideal" 6.8 pH

OM was @ 14.5 and there are still a lot of partially docomposed leaves to be tilled under. There wase a great deal of leaves / manure / compost added.

Steve - will fax you a full report tomorrow.
Thanks again.

3/5/2003 8:26:19 PM

churchville, ny

Has anyone ever tested the pH of rotted manure? of maple leaves?. My pH has been 7.6 even though I have used leaves and added small amounts of sulfur-I am trying to get it to 7.1-7.2 Thanks Tom

3/9/2003 7:44:33 PM