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central Missouri

The lab I used in the past requested that soil be thoroughly dried before submitting. So this year when I took my soil sample I dried it before sending it in to a different lab. I have since read that this lab does not want the soil to be dry.
I have a pH tester that read 7.4 at the time I took the soil sample, after a very dry winter. When I got my results back the pH was listed as 7.4. So far so good.
In the part of my patch that was not ammended this year (I'm cutting back from 6000 sq. ft. to 4000 sq. ft.) my pH now reads 6.4. It has been several months since the sample was taken. The last month here has been very warm and we've had some rain. Is that why my pH now reads 6.4 when I've done nothing to the soil in this part of the patch? Is it due to the microbes becoming active and breaking down organic matter?
Thanks, Mark

4/24/2006 2:54:42 PM

Midwest

Mark:

Yes, moisture of the soil does affect pH. It usually makes it higher. As the soil dries, the pH lowers but not that much. But, to account for the 6.4pH may be a result of more than a year of biological activity that has balanced the pH.

4/25/2006 1:38:12 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

The Calcium from the Lime also slowly leaches out of the soil.

4/25/2006 1:47:48 PM