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My soil test results

P-NUT

Active member
Veteran
I made a new batch using a local peaty type material I dug from a swamp instead of spagnum peat. Its composed of rotted leaves and dead and long ago rotted away palms. Looks like rich black dirt. Made my mix just like I would if using peat. Heres what my limited ag extention test told me....
P 405 ppm
K 920ppm
Mg 625ppm
Ca 5940ppm
Cu 2.70ppm
Mn 14.5ppm
Zn 42ppm

Ph 6.8

So what do you guys think?
 

PaulieWaulie

Member
Veteran
Not sure if I have anything to contribute of substance but I do have some questions haha

Does that calcium ppm seem kind of high ?

Also, when you say your test is limited what does it not provide for data? For example I don't see any N ?

This includes all your usual amendments added to the mix Im assuming since you said you mixed just as if using peat.

Did you per chance get it tested with the peat mix to compare the two ?

Other than those questions, I would only say if its really composted and looks like black dirt it will be rich in bacteria, and shouldn't cause any imbalance or burn the plants. Might just have slightly different characteristics for CEC, porosity, water holding properties etc. But you can adjust your perlite or whatever you use for porosity air aggregate.

Im also making a mix using things from my backyard so like your thinking.
 

P-NUT

Active member
Veteran
Limited as in it doesnt have nitrogen sulfur or boron.
I never got a peat mix tested. My mix is 25% aeration 25% homemade castings and 50 % peat. The area where I collected is high in calcium but I believe thats a good thing. I put in the usual amendments.
 

2dialed

New member
I also recently did a soil test from logan labs on a reddish brown clay loam that I amended with lime, gypsum, and soft rock phosphate. this is on soil that was dug down 2 ft and 40in wide then sifted though 1/2in hardware mesh to take out the bigger rocks. I felt that there was no top soil and it was all subsoil and did not segregate the top 12in of soil from the bottom soil.
sample depth 6in
total exchange capacity 13
ph 7
organic matter percent 4.21
sulfur ppm 22
mehlich 111 phosphorus 949 (P2 05) lbs per acre
calcium 3576 lbs per acre
magnesium 641 lbs per acre
potassium 488 lbs per acre
sodium 90 lbs per acre
base saturation
calcium 68.74 %
magnesium 20.54 %
potassium 4.81%
sodium 1.51 %
other bases (variable) 4.40 %
exchangeable hydrogen 0.00 %
boron 0.81 ppm
iron 154 ppm
manganese 251 ppm
copper 5.39 ppm
zinc 20.91 ppm
aluminum 406 ppm
ammonium 0.2 ppm
nitrate 40.3 ppm

I like the Albrecht/ reams style balance so i'm low in Sulphur 22ppm could be 200ppm a little high on magnesium 20.54% should be closer to 12% for clay. on the manganese it's way high at 251ppm should be 1/2 of iron which is 154ppm so manganese should be 77ppm. I only have 2 plants in this row with no problems but I have bush beans in this same row that looks like they have a iron deficiency, maybe because of manganese excess. so I applied some Sulphur and soaked it in pretty good hoping to leach out some manganese . I have also applied some chelated iron zinc as a folair spray to the beans and it helped on the new growth. I have a feeling that because I mixed the bottom foot of soil with the top that I may have created the manganese excess. if I could raise my total exchange capacity to 25 or 30 I could go higher on iron so i'm gonna apply some biochar as well
 

MJPassion

Observer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
2dialed,
Calcium sulfate is far less detrimental to your soil life than straight sulfur.

Plus it will adjust your Ca/Mg ratio toward better balance while precipitating your excess heavy metals all w one amendment.

Damn... I think I'm starting to get it now too...
Woot! Woot!
 

MJPassion

Observer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
P-NUT
add some Azobacter to your soil & some vegetarian animal crap.

Most of your plants N needs are harvested from the air. The Azos help in that regard.

Sulfur should come from the addition of crap as well.
Boron from borax.
 

KIS

Active member
I also recently did a soil test from logan labs on a reddish brown clay loam that I amended with lime, gypsum, and soft rock phosphate. this is on soil that was dug down 2 ft and 40in wide then sifted though 1/2in hardware mesh to take out the bigger rocks. I felt that there was no top soil and it was all subsoil and did not segregate the top 12in of soil from the bottom soil.
sample depth 6in
total exchange capacity 13
ph 7
organic matter percent 4.21
sulfur ppm 22
mehlich 111 phosphorus 949 (P2 05) lbs per acre
calcium 3576 lbs per acre
magnesium 641 lbs per acre
potassium 488 lbs per acre
sodium 90 lbs per acre
base saturation
calcium 68.74 %
magnesium 20.54 %
potassium 4.81%
sodium 1.51 %
other bases (variable) 4.40 %
exchangeable hydrogen 0.00 %
boron 0.81 ppm
iron 154 ppm
manganese 251 ppm
copper 5.39 ppm
zinc 20.91 ppm
aluminum 406 ppm
ammonium 0.2 ppm
nitrate 40.3 ppm

I like the Albrecht/ reams style balance so i'm low in Sulphur 22ppm could be 200ppm a little high on magnesium 20.54% should be closer to 12% for clay. on the manganese it's way high at 251ppm should be 1/2 of iron which is 154ppm so manganese should be 77ppm. I only have 2 plants in this row with no problems but I have bush beans in this same row that looks like they have a iron deficiency, maybe because of manganese excess. so I applied some Sulphur and soaked it in pretty good hoping to leach out some manganese . I have also applied some chelated iron zinc as a folair spray to the beans and it helped on the new growth. I have a feeling that because I mixed the bottom foot of soil with the top that I may have created the manganese excess. if I could raise my total exchange capacity to 25 or 30 I could go higher on iron so i'm gonna apply some biochar as well

I would raise K to almost double what you're getting based on cannabis. That's been my experience at least.
 

h.h.

Active member
Veteran
Wood ash soaked in water that has been allowed to partially evaporate. Salts will dissipate out (salt rings) with K being one of the last of the salts that remains in the water. Siphon or drain from the bottom or just pour carefully.
 

P-NUT

Active member
Veteran
P-NUT
add some Azobacter to your soil & some vegetarian animal crap.

Most of your plants N needs are harvested from the air. The Azos help in that regard.

Sulfur should come from the addition of crap as well.
Boron from borax.


My castings are homemade with cowshit as the bedding/food. So I guess I should be good on sulfur. My nitrogen should be good but the local county ext office doesnt test N unless you do a commercial producers test and I didnt want to because I know too many people in that dept. personally and dont want to raise any eyebrows. Ive known the lifestock ext agent since I was in diapers.
 

KIS

Active member
My castings are homemade with cowshit as the bedding/food. So I guess I should be good on sulfur. My nitrogen should be good but the local county ext office doesnt test N unless you do a commercial producers test and I didnt want to because I know too many people in that dept. personally and dont want to raise any eyebrows. Ive known the lifestock ext agent since I was in diapers.
They don't test N cause it leaches so qucikly through the soil. For traditional Ag it is not a useful measure.
 

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