Soil tests and recommendations for new planting beds and old planting beds

I mailed two samples to the soil lab at U Mass. The first is the area that was lawn that we grubbed off the sod to establish two new planting beds. The second is the old beds where we had been growing vegetables for ten years.

The data indicates that our soil is naturally high in calcium and magnesium. These "new" beds are acidic at ph 5.5. The data from the old beds (will) show that they are quite high in calcium and magnesium and that the ph (acidity) is a bit on the alkaline side. That indicates that we have been over-liming the soil. We put on powdered lime and dolomitic lime; dolomitic lime has a significant magnesium content. Don't be afraid to lime your soil, though: calcium is an important nutrient for plant growth and is a nutrient that you want to consume in your produce.

Another piece of data that was notable was that the organic content was about the same between the new beds and the old beds that we had been placing manure and leaf and grass compost into for years. I would have expected the old beds to be much higher than the new beds.

I paid extra for the test of "organic content". The combined nutrient test plus organic content test costs $17.00.

U Mass lab recommends wood ash to add potassium. I don't have any available, so I going to add greensand to the new beds. I had added greensand to the old beds and got the potassium level to a high level. I also add potassium via the seed meal that I use for fertilizer--coffee grounds from Starbucks and/or soybean seedmeal I bought at the "farm coop".

Here is the sample from the "NEW" beds. It took me some time to scan the paper report and then to fix all the formatting problems. I will put up the data for the old beds soon, unless I get the urge to go out and play in the garden.

If anybody knows how to interpret ph and "Buffer ph", please comment.

03/11/09
SOIL ANALYSIS REPORT FOR HOME GARDENS
SOIL AND PLANT TISSUE TESTING LAB WEST EXPERIMENT STATION UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST, MA 01003
LAB NUMBER: S090306-102 BAG NUMBER: 81799
5.52 g/5cc

SOIL WEIGHT: CROP: VEG

SAMPLE ID: NEW
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOME GARDENS:
SOIL PH ADJUSTMENT:
INCORPORATE 12 Ibs of ground limestone per 100 sq ft as
early as possible prior to planting. Avoid mixing in lime when the soil
is very wet.

FERTILIZER:
** VEGETABLES: Apply 4-5 Ibs 5-10-5 per 100 sq ft in early spring. OR, ORGANIC FERTILIZER:
If you prefer INSTEAD to provide nutrients from organic sources, apply the following materials per 100 sq ft prior to planting:
NITROGEN: 1-2 bushels well-rotted manure PLUS 1 Ib dried blood PHOSPHORUS: 6 Ibs steamed bone meal OR 16 Ibs rock phosphate POTASSIUM: 5 Ibs wood ash
** ANNUAL FLOWERS: Apply 2.0 Ibs 5-10-5 per 100 sq ft in early spring. Alternatively you may use one-half the ORGANIC recommendation given above.
** ROSE BUSHES: Apply 5 tablespoons of 5-10-5 per bush in early June and early August. None after August 15.
Avoid overfertilizing which can cause plant toxicity and can contribute to insect and disease problems.

SOIL pH BUFFER pH
5.5 6 .6
NITROGEN: NO3-N = 27 ppm
ORGANIC MATTER: 6.7 % (Desirable range 4-10%)
Very High
NUTRIENT_LEVELS:_PPM 5~ Potassium (K) 105 Calcium (Ca) 1132 Magnesium (Mg) 144
CATION EXCH CAP 10.3 Meq/lOOg
_____________ LOW___________MEDIUM ____________HIGH___________VERY HIGH
Phosphorus (P) 5 --- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Potassium (K) 105 -- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Calcium (Ca) 1132 -- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Magnesium (Mg) 144 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


MICRONUTRIENT LEVELS ALL NORMAL
PERCENT BASE SATURATION K= 2.4 Mg=10.5 Ca=50.3
EXTRACTABLE ALUMINUM: 32 ppm (Soil range: 10-250 ppm)
SOLUBLE SALTS: 0.24 dS/M (Soil Range: 0.08-0.50 dS/M)
The lead level in this soil is low.

VISIT www.umass.edu/plsoils/soiltest FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON SOIL TESTING AT UMASS. TO CONTACT THE LAB: EMAIL soiltest@psis.umass.edu PHONE (413-545-2311).
SOIL ANALYSIS REPORT FOR RESEARCH
SOIL AND PLANT TISSUE TESTING LAB WEST EXPERIMENT STATION UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST, MA 01003


03/12/09
LAB NUMBER: S090306-102 BAG NUMBER: 81799
SOIL WEIGHT: 5.52 g/5cc COMMENTS:
SAMPLE ID: NEW
SOIL TYPE: blank
SOIL PH 5.5 BUFFER PH 6.6
NUTRIENT_LEVELS:_PPM_ PHOSPHORUS (P) 5 POTASSIUM (K) 105 CALCIUM (CA) 1132 MAGNESIUM (MG) 144 NITRATE (NO3-N) 27
CATION EXCH CAP 10.3 MEQ/100G
ANALYSIS REPORT
ALUMINUM (AL): ORGANIC MATTER:
32 PPM (Soil Range: 10-300) 6.7 %. Desirable range 4-8%.

________________LOW________MEDIUM ________HIGH________VERY HIGH
PHOSPHORUS (P) 5 xxx
POTASSIUM (K) 105 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
CALCIUM (CA) 1132 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
MAGNESIUM (MG) 144 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
NITRATE (NO3-N) 27 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

PERCENT BASE SATURATION K= 2.4 MG=10.5 CA=50.3
SOLUBLE SALTS 0.24 dS/M (Soil Range: 0.08-0.50)

MICRONUTRIENT PPM SOIL RANGE

Boron (B) 0.3 0.1-2.0
Manganese (Mn) 18.6 3-20
Zinc (Zn) 3.2 0.1- 70
Copper (Cu) 0.2 0.3-8.0
Iron (Fe) 2.6 1.0-40
Sulfur (S) 20.3 1.0- 40

EXTRACTED LEAD (PB) 4 PPM.
EXTRACTED CADMIUM (CD) 0.1 PPM.
EXTRACTED NICKEL (NI) 0.1 PPM.
ESTIMATED TOTAL LEAD IS 71 PPM.
EXTRACTED CHROMIUM (CR) 0.0 PPM.

COMPUTER PROGRAM & RECOMMENDATIONS BY DEPT OF PLANT & SOIL SCI UMASS-AMHERST.

Nitrogen (Nitrate) is a low value of 10 PPM, compared to the new soil at 27 PPM. That nutrient must have been consumed by the garden plants or washed out of the beds into the water table.

All of the other main nutrients, Phosphorous and Potassium are high. Note that there is a lot of sulfur in these beds. I have been adding it as elemental sulfur to reduce the ph and in gypsum in my fertilization/liming process.

The organic content is merely 6.9%, compared with 6.7% in the new beds. The topsoil in this soil is very low and county soil reports label this outwash plain as "low organic content". Perhaps I did not sample "deep enough" and am measuring a lot of grass roots.

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03/11/09
SOIL ANALYSIS REPORT FOR HOME GARDENS
SOIL AND PLANT TISSUE TESTING LAB WEST EXPERIMENT STATION UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST, MA 01003

LAB NUMBER: S090306-101 BAG NUMBER: 81799
SOIL WEIGHT: 5.30 g/5cc CROP: VEG

SAMPLE ID: OLD

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOME GARDENS:
SOIL PH ADJUSTMENT:
Your soil pH is slightly higher than desired for most vegetables. Cole crops may prefer the current pH since they are more resistant clubroot infection under slightly alkaline conditions. Take care, however, not to incorporate any amendment that would further raise soil pH.

FERTILIZER:
** Your soil contains sufficient levels of potassium and phosphorus. You may apply the standard recommendations below, or you may provide sufficient nitrogen by using alternate sources to provide about 1/4 Ib nitrogen per 100 sq ft.
** VEGETABLES: Apply 2-3 Ibs 10-10-10 per 100 sq ft in early spring.
** ANNUAL FLOWERS: Apply 1.0 Ibs 10-10-10 per 100 sq ft in early spring. Alternatively you may use one-half the ORGANIC recommendation given above.
** ROSE BUSHES: Apply 3 tablespoons of 10-10-10 per bush in early June and early August. None after August 15.
Avoid overfertilizing which can cause plant toxicity and can contribute to insect and disease problems.

SOIL pH 7.4 BUFFER pH 7.3
NITROGEN: NO3-N = 10 ppm
ORGANIC MATTER: 6.9 % (Desirable range 4-10%)

NUTRIENT_LEVELS:_PPM_ Phosphorus (P) 27 Potassium (K) 176 Calcium (Ca) 2824 Magnesium (Mg) 412
______________ LOW___________MEDIUM ____________HIGH___________VERY HIGH
Phosphorus (P) 27 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Potassium (K) 176 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Calcium (Ca) 2824 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Magnesium (Mg) 412 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

CATION EXCH CAP 17.0 Meq/100g
PERCENT BASE SATURATION K= 2.6 Mg=18.8 Ca=78.8
MICRONUTRIENT LEVELS ALL NORMAL
EXTRACTABLE ALUMINUM: 6 ppm (Soil range: 10-250 ppm)
SOLUBLE SALTS: 0.23 dS/M (Soil Range: 0.08-0.50 dS/M)
The lead level in this soil is low.

VISIT www.umass.edu/plsoils/soiltest FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON SOIL TESTING AT UMASS. TO CONTACT THE LAB: EMAIL soiltest@psis.umass.edu PHONE (413-545-2311).

03/12/09
SOIL ANALYSIS REPORT FOR RESEARCH
SOIL AND PLANT TISSUE TESTING LAB WEST EXPERIMENT STATION UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST, MA 01003
LAB NUMBER: S090306-101 BAG NUMBER: 81799

SOIL WEIGHT: 5.30 g/5cc COMMENTS:

ANALYSIS REPORT

SAMPLE ID: OLD
SOIL TYPE: BLANK
SOIL PH 7.4
BUFFER PH 7.3
NUTRIENT_LEVELS:_PPM_ PHOSPHORUS (P) 27 POTASSIUM (K) 176 CALCIUM (CA) 2824 MAGNESIUM (MG) 412 NITRATE (NO3-N) 10

______________________LOW________MEDIUM ________HIGH________VERY HIGH
PHOSPHORUS (P) 27 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
POTASSIUM (K)176 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
CALCIUM (CA) 2824 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
MAGNESIUM (MG) 214 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
NITRATE (NO3-N) 10 XXXXXX

CATION EXCH CAP 17.0 MEQ/100G

ALUMINUM (AL): 6 PPM (Soil Range: 10-300)
ORGANIC MATTER:6.9 %. Desirable range 4-8
PERCENT BASE SATURATION: K= 2.6 MG=18.8 CA=78.8
SOLUBLE SALTS: 0.23 dS/M (Soil Range: 0.08-0.50

MICRONUTRIENT
MICRONUTRIENT PPM SOIL RANGE

Boron (B) 0.8 0.1-2
Manganese (Mn) 8.9 3-20
Zinc (Zn) 4.4 0.1-70
Copper (Cu) 0.2 0.3 -8.0
Iron (Fe) 0.8 1.0- 40
Sulfur (S) 48.2 1.0- 40

EXTRACTED LEAD (PB) 1 PPM
ESTIMATED TOTAL LEAD IS 35 PPM.

EXTRACTED NICKEL (NI) IS 0.1 PPM.
EXTRACTED CADMIUM (CD) IS 0.1 PPM.
EXTRACTED CHROMIUM (CR) IS 0.0 PPM