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Denver, CO

I don’t understand how this happened. I got my soil test back and my PH level jumped from 7.2 to 8.0! The kicker is all I added last year was about 6 yards of cow manure and several hundred pounds of coffee grounds. Each of these is suppose to drop the PH level, not raise it! I did add about 2 pounds hydrated lime and about 8 pounds of muriate of potash (0-0-60). Any ideas of how Ph level could have risen would be great. But in any event please help me figure out how much sulfur to add and whatever else. Thanks!

Patch size is: 50 feet by 22 feet (1100 sq ft)

PH: 8.0
Phosphorous (P) 984 lb/acre
Potassium (K) 2254 lb/acre
Calcium (Ca) 9050 lb/acre
Magnesium (Mg) 1482 lb/acre
Sulfur (S) 58 lb/acre
Zinc (Zn) 20lb/acre
Iron (Fe) 136 lb/acre
Sodium (Na) 176lb acre

Organic matter 5.6% ENR 156

CEC 26.3 meq/100g

Calculated Cation Saturation (What’s a good range for each of these figures??)
%K 10.3
% Ca 68.0
%Mg 21.6
% H 0.0

K:Mg ratio is .47

2/24/2008 4:17:01 PM

Ohio

i would do another soil test.May the lab did something wrong. Until then , i wouldnt add anything.

2/24/2008 7:34:37 PM

yep,first step ,contact the lab and express your concerns they are human and there might be a mistake

2/24/2008 7:43:59 PM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

If all you added was manure and coffee grounds then one of two things went wrong. Either the lab messed up, or the previous soil test was wrong. You should get another test done and be sure to take many small samples from the entire patch. Good luck.

2/24/2008 8:26:22 PM

Midwest

Greg, Was the outside temp cold when you took your sample? If so, this might be a factor. pH fluctuates due to temp.

2/25/2008 1:29:37 PM

Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

What is the ph of your city water in denver?
Mine is ruffly 9

2/25/2008 2:35:33 PM

sphagnum peat will lower ph-what was reason for adding lime?

2/25/2008 2:54:30 PM

Denver, CO

I added the hydrated lime because it was 60% calcium and I wanted a quick source. This may be the cause. However, I did take the sample just a day after the ground unfroze enough to dig my samples down 12 iches are so. Was this or the hydrated lime a mistake? I have no idea what are water Ph is, but I have used it for 5 years so may not be it.

2/25/2008 9:27:35 PM

Colorado

hi greg,I suspect the lime.also the organic material doesnt have to lower the ph.Last spring my test came back 7.8(after I picked myself off the ground) I put 15 lbs of elemental sulfur/1000sq. feet.It will slowly bring you back down(soil test came back 7.0 last fall)wheat ridge water is 7.6 ph yours is probably similar.

2/26/2008 12:39:21 AM

Colorado

also,don is right peat moss will bring it down.Make sure they didnt add lime to it.

2/26/2008 12:41:23 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Hydrated lime is the fastest way to illicit a pH increase but 2 lbs isn't very much. If you just pulled a sample the cold weather would impact the situation. Don't do anything else until the soil warms. Then test it again & things should have settled back down.

2/26/2008 1:32:08 AM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

I didn't know that cold weather significantly affected ph so that it would jump almost 1 point. If that is the case, wouldn't the soil test be done at room temperature and if it was wouldn't the ph return to it's actual level. I'm sure there is a logical explanation. Maybe cojoe or Steve could elaborate further, thanks.

2/26/2008 8:08:18 AM

maine USA

Is it possible that you may have spilled a too much lime in a small area and by chance also took soil from that spot for your soil test???

2/26/2008 11:57:54 AM

Denver, CO

Thanks for all the help, but this was my mistake guys.

A closer look a last year notes reveals that I put down 2 lbs per 100 sq/ft last year or about 10 pounds all together. I tested in bed area where I put even more then that and P.H. was 8.5! So i am feeling fairly certian it was the Hydrated lime, and I over did it. Here comes the sulfur!
Sorry, for the confusion I caused.

2/26/2008 8:59:17 PM

President - GPC

Greg,

Also put down Gypsum, this will help drench out the soil from what I have read. Elemental Sulphur will start to bring it down also. Peat Moss ( non adjusted), Humic Acid, and water hopefully can leach it out for you...Good Luck

3/2/2008 5:39:06 PM