Soil test

[Brian1985]

Hey guys here is the soil test from one of my plots. It was taken last year. I did there recommendations and will retake this year to see if it improved at all. Is this much calcium in the soil a concern? Please dont laugh at the results. Any ways to get better soil quickly?

 

[Becky]

The thing I'd be most worried about with high levels of calcium is the pH, and yours is just over 7 which is a little alkaline. I'd steer clear of lime, you don't want to make it any more alkaline. That being said, I don't know a massive amount about soil chemistry, there are others on here who are far more knowledgeable than me.

There's some useful info about soil pH here: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=239

 

[Brian1985]

The thing I'd be most worried about with high levels of calcium is the pH, and yours is just over 7 which is a little alkaline. I'd steer clear of lime, you don't want to make it any more alkaline. That being said, I don't know a massive amount about soil chemistry, there are others on here who are far more knowledgeable than me.

There's some useful info about soil pH here: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=239

Thanks for your help. Think I should try and get the ph down? Like I said I'll retest this spring and see how it compares.

 

[Becky]

Thanks for your help. Think I should try and get the ph down? Like I said I'll retest this spring and see how it compares.

It depends, what are you planning on growing?

 

[Brian1985]

I'm not sure yet but there will definitely be tomatoes peppers cucumbers zucchini. There maybe onions and green beans. Haven't decided which garden the beans and onions are going in.

 

[headfullofbees]

Hen's blood (for nitrogen)
Seaweed extract for micronutrients.
The blood is acidic and will help with pH.

 

[Brian1985]

Hen's blood (for nitrogen)
Seaweed extract for micronutrients.
The blood is acidic and will help with pH.

Where can you get the blood?

 

[DirtMechanic]

Hey I am gonna stop y'all here on the seaweed. There is a common sales pitch that needs a little more understanding.

The most powerful and compelling reason to use seaweed is not the micronutrients. The dopeheads that really brought seaweed extracts to the market for their hydroponic operations appreciate the micros but that was not the real driver.

Some seaweeds contain all-All-ALL the phytohormones. Did I say all?

 

[DirtMechanic]

Where can you get the blood?

Bloodmeal. Personally I would suggest composted cow manure instead. Bloodmeal is a high protein fertilizer where roughly 16% of the protein content is measured as nitrogen. It varies by material a little, but the soil secret is the protein and the other effects that protein has as a food source for the variety of life in the soil. The problem is that it is hot. VERY concentrated. You really do not want to overuse it as the overfeeding problems outweigh your good efforts sometimes. Fungi and other feeders come for it. So will insects. A good way to think about it is how much hamburger would you sprinkle about your plants to feed the soil?

So why is the copper so high? Fungicide?

 

[Brian1985]

No not fungicide. No idea why. I knew the soil was bad before the soil test.

 

[DirtMechanic]

@Brian1985 can you zoom in on this map and tell me which soil type you see on your land and put you location on your profile so I can find climate data effecting that soil? I am just curious and find it interesting to read about. Btw a white paper I read on Cu indicated no problem with Cu up to 5 ppm but trouble when they tried to grow at 10ppm. I am curious about the S in your soil and the relatively high pH. There was a mention of soils with high carbonates or low rainfall or both having that condition. I was asking myself how to lower pH without using S in that soil.

The bloodmeal is a good suggestion for your situation, but when I ran loam soil through a Sulfur calculator it came back saying 18lbs per 1000 sf to lower the pH to 6.5-6.8. Given the high S in your report I wondered how the heck is that supposed to work out?

 

[Brian1985]

I'm not sure on the soil type. I did have to use quite a bit of fungicide last year but the soil test was done way before the fungicide was used. I am located in a small town called cozad Nebraska. Very central part of the state.

 

[treeguy]

Dirt, Isn't the low level of Fe going to be even less available with Ph being so high? Is it possible that this is filled land? Or, brown belt land? Is there a stream nearby that is downstream from a mining area? This is a candidate for the charcoal part of Bone Char, except for the high P, otherwise charcoal sweepings if he can find it available?

For micro-elements, Menefee Humate or New Jersey Greensand is a good, long-term fix. Available at any farm supply.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Maybe this rings a bell? Does it sound right? Look like what you dig around in?

 

[Brian1985]

Not really honestly. But holdrefe is only about 45 mins southeast of me.