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San Diego

A new patch for me, 20 by 20 foot area (400sq ft) will be like a dream for me. This area has been used as a compost pile for 10 years, never been grown in before!!!! Mainly leaves, grass clippings, etc. My friend has graciously allowed me to use the area to grow an ag next year. The compost has never been dug in over the years, it's pretty flat right now with many partially decomposted leaves on the surface from last fall. here is my report: in ppm

Organic matter 3.3%
Nitrogen 92
Phosphorus 81
Potassium 255
Magnesium 694
Calsium 2933
Sodium 139
Sulfer 45
Zinc 8.1
Manganese 7
Iron 17
Copper 2.3
Boron 2.3
ECe 1.8 (salinity)
CEC 23.7
Ph 6.4 Buffer ph 6.7
Percent Cation Saturation
Potassium 2.7%
Magnesium 24%
Calcium 61.7%
Sodium 2.6%

My general idea, (not an expert but have some experience) Over all I was pleased with the soil being mostly balanced. I think I might not add any manure so I don't raise my salts or nock my calcium Magnesium potassium out of balance. The magnesium is a little high but ok I'm hoping. My hope is to till in the leaves and grass clippings this fall which will increase the organic matter (should be about 4 to 6 inches worth over the whole patch, and add a little lime to bring up the ph to 6.6 or 6.7 Our water ph here is 8.0, so I don't want to raise my ph to much. By the way, what is a buffer ph compared to ph? Any expert help on my test or ideas is appreciated. Thanks, Jimmy

9/20/2004 5:29:32 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Saturation Ratio Ca to Mg is 2.57% optimum is around 7 to 1
Potassium is a little low.
OM should be increased but CEC is fine.

Lime will lower your PH further!

9/21/2004 12:11:31 AM

Ontario, Canada.

Sorry, lime will raise it. I should go to bed.

9/21/2004 12:13:02 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

P is too low (add DAP), bump your potash up a bit (horse manure) Mg is too high, some would say Ca is fine but I'd add gypsum to get it higher and help with soluble salts, CEC is great, pH is fine, find a product of elementals that you can till in, horse manure for OM and potash...(big, thick fruit naturally), and plant a cover crop of clover and N will be good come Spring.

9/21/2004 6:20:59 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

PS...recheck in March

9/21/2004 6:21:44 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

There wasn't too much compost if the %OM came back at 3.3%. Did you scrape off the organic material & just sample the subsoil?

That Mg is way too high on the base saturation. K & Ca both need to come up.

9/21/2004 7:25:43 AM

San Diego

Thanks guys. I took a soil sample 6 inches deep. Anyway to get the magnesium down? Is steer manure ok for potash too or horse better? Manure will raise salts though even with gypsom, we have had very dry winters with little rain lately:(. Jimmy

9/21/2004 11:54:32 AM