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NW Ohio

I got the results of my soil test today as many recommended to be my first step in this new adventure. Here are the results, and what the company recommended I do with my 400-500 sqft patch
organic matter 3.5%
Phosphorous 76 ppm - very high
potassium 173 ppm - medium
magnesium 320 ppm medium
calcium 4050 ppm - Very High
zinc 4.1 ppm - medium
manganese 43 ppm - High
iron 48 ppm - High
copper 2.6ppm - High
boron .9 ppm - Medium
ph 8.0
cec 23.4 meq/100g
% K 1.9
% MG 11.4
% Ca 86.7

Their recommendations were to put on 3.25lbs of 0-0-40, 1.5 lbs of 18-46-0, and 1/4 lb of zinc. They said 5lbs of sulfur to bring down the ph, and 2.5 lbs of nitrogen in the spring 46-0-0.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated. thanks

10/2/2013 1:03:41 PM

Salem, Oregon

Where do you soil test with? I've used both A&L and Western Labs in Idaho. The grower who broke the 2,000 pound barrier in 2012 uses Western. 3.5% Organic matter is really low on eith soil test. Finsihed garden compost, dairy cow manure, mint straw compost are good. If you are going to be adding in any one of those, get the compost or manure compost tested. Always good to know what you're putting in

10/2/2013 3:53:13 PM

Lodi, California

I like P to be around 160 ppm, and as a rule of thumb Zn should be 1/10 p. This means that if you raised p to 160 that you should raise Zn to 16 ppm. You should also add some 0-0-50 not only to bring up K but to also bring down Ca. In a Clay soil I think its ideal to have 8% base sat k 10% base sat mg and 80% base sat Ca. By adding the rite amount of 0-0-50 you will get right to this ratio, as adding 6% base sat k to the soil will bring Ca down by 6% base sat.

10/4/2013 7:23:46 PM

Lodi, California

I also think you should raise iron to about 70-80 ppm, Cu to 7 ppm, and B to 3.5 ppm. The rule of thumb for B is 1/1000 but you do not want to exceed 4 ppm due to toxicity.

10/4/2013 7:27:31 PM

Lodi, California

Sorry should have put B/Ca = 1/1000

10/4/2013 7:29:26 PM