Dan O. Soil testor
 

Dan O.,
Just got back my soil sample results from Miss. State. The testor I purchased gave me a reading of 6.8 on PH. The fertility test was on the low side.
The soil sample, taken from the soil I used with the meter came back on the test as, Ph, 8.0. P-44 (Med.), K-246 (High), Magnesium, high, and Zinc, medium. They recommend only 30 lbs. per acre of P205 for the nest 3 years. They also recommended 1-1.5 pounds per acre of Boron. (If this one of the trace elements that helps plants use the Nitrogen?) The testor may not be totally accurate, but it will give me a broad picture even if it reads low. I almost couldn' t believe that it did not recommend either Nitrogen or Lime. The Clover is still holding strong through some very hot, dry weather. (But so are the grass/weeds.) What do you think?
Russ

RE: Dan O. Soil testor
 

Russ; Tell me if this is right:

------------Meter------------Soil Test
pH----------6.8---------------8.0
N------------low--------------
P------------low--------------medium
K------------low--------------high
Mg-----------low-------------high


You could have ended up liming soil that is already very basic. You would be going too high on the pH scale which is as bad as too low for many plants. The meter also would have had you adding fertilizer when you didn' t need any. Russ; I think you' ve shown that a real soil test is the only way to go.

Dan O.

RE: Dan O. Soil testor
 

Dan,
The Lime was added over a three year period. Prior to planting this plot I added some more, at a rate of less than a ton per acre.I had assumed that the prior years lime had been partly consumed. Everything was already in the soil before I got the testor. Usually the soil here has a low PH. Small part sand, mostly clay. I also put some wood ash from our fireplace insert on the plot. Another plot planted this year is completely surounded with timber, equal mix Pine and Oaks. I put lime on it at about 1 t on per acre (quarter acre plot.) I' m going to check it with the checker and see where it comes in at. I may also send part of the sample in to check again.
Russ

RE: Dan O. Soil testor
 

Russ; one thing that many people don' t know about soil pH is that a soil of pH 6.0 to 6.5 has much more available fertility than soil of pH 8.0. The only elements that are more available at pH 8.0 are calcium, magnesium and molybdenum. Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Iron, Manganese, Boron, Copper and Zinc are all the same (Nitrogen), or less available even if they are at high levels in the soil at pH 8.0. So if you don' t have to add lime, don' t do it. Legumes need a higher pH for their growth, most grain crops don' t.

Dan O.

RE: Dan O. Soil testor
 

Dan, I am not adding lime. Nor am I planning to add anything. The test sent in says that nothing is necessary. The only point I' m trying to make is that the testor and the Miss. State soil test seem to be close, if not exactly the same.The only thing low was the Phosphate, and for the quarter acre would only be 7 1/2 lbs. Not enough to be a problem. That would be a quarter bag of 0-30-0. The $30 testor, compared to the Laborotory analisys didn' t do a bad job at all. It told me that I was dang close. The lab test verified it. It' s a $30 testor.
Russ

RE: Dan O. Soil testor
 

Russ; I must have misinterpreted your results. Could you check one of my previous posts. I tried to line up the tests with the results. As I lined them up they looked very different. Maybe I misunderstood what you read on the meter.

Boron is a trace element which is lacking in some soil types. Very little is needed (too much is toxic) but alfalfa won' t grow well without it.

Dan O.

RE: Dan O. Soil testor
 

Dan, My testor gave me a reading of 6.8 PH. Fertility was less than ideal.
The soil that I sent in came back as follows:
Ph--8.0
P--44, Medium
K--246, high
CA--6284
MG--193, high
S--no reading
ZN--1.8, Medium
NA--76
CEC--16.8
Recommended Lime 0.0
Needed plant nutrients (pounds per acre)
Yr. 1 N-000 P205-30 K20-0
Yr. 2 N-000 P205-30 K20-0
Yr. 3 N-000 P205-30 K20-0
In the comments, it suggests applying 1-1.5 lbs Boron per acre (for Clover)

That' s the total of all items tested and/or listed. Maybe nest year I might add a bag of 0-20-0 to the plot. By nest year, the PH may drop some and then I should be in good shape.
Russ

RE: Dan O. Soil testor
 

Russ; I see them as very far apart depending on what you mean as " less than ideal" . If you mean medium -high it looks better. The pH is so far off that I' d have failed my chemistry labs if I made that much of an error.

Dan O.

RE: Dan O. Soil testor
 

Dan,
The bottom line; my clover plot is doing fine, even if the deer are keeping it clipped. And I am pretty sure that the PH will go down, not up.
Russ

RE: Dan O. Soil testor
 

Russ; did you make lime additions to get it up to 8.0 or is it naturally that way? Clover will love that pH but you might be in trouble if you want to switch to a grain crop.

Dan O.

RE: Dan O. Soil testor
 

Dan, The Hay field is ten acres with a 10 acre horse pasture to the south of it. The previous 2 years we had 10 ton put on it. (The pasture was done the same.) Prior to putting in t he clover plot, I split 1,000 lbs between it and 2 other plots. From the test I guess I should have put it all on the other plots. One plot, right in the center of the timber has done very well. It was a staging area when wehad Pines cut. I burned all the Pine needles, Oak leaves and the other residue. It' s doing real well, haardly any weeds (some Poke weed) and no grass. The other plot didn' t do well, lots of weeds and with a spell of hot, dry weather is almost gone. It' s in a good location but it will need a lot of work before I replant. I had planted a quarter acre of rec Clover beside the White where the test was taken. The deer have completely ate it up, I am now mowing that spot and only see a sprig here and there. Will disc and till it up and try some Austrian peas there. The local Coop has a 50 lb. bag for $15. Plan on putting down 3X13. That sound about right?
Russ

RE: Dan O. Soil testor
 

Russ; when you burn organic matter you end up with potash (K2O). This is very basic when it reacts with water, so if there was a large amount of residue you dosed with the potash on top of the lime. You' ll be able to grow pretty well any legume that you want on that plot and you shouldn' t need lime for several seasons.

Did the deer prefer the red clover over the white?

I' ve never planted peas for deer so you' ll need to get someone else' s input on that question.

Dan O.

RE: Dan O. Soil testor
 

Dan, great analysis my friend!

This exchange should demonstrate why a soil test is far preferable to a " testor" . A Testor cannot be calibrated nor can it against a known sample. There are pH testors that come with an need a buffering solution. Those that have just a probe are junk.

Also, adding lime is never an annual thing. You add lime to a test then monitor it once a year for a couple years to allow the lime to do its job.

Third you made the point on availability. Im not sure people understand the plants do not take up lime. The pH is an expresion of acid or base. That level determines how much p205 for example is available in the soil solution for plants to use.

ahhhh to go back to Soils 101 again

Oh...and for the record....soil is what we grow things in. Dirt is stuff in your carpet and under your fingernails.

RE: Dan O. Soil testor
 

Dan,
The deer walked through the White to get to the red. But now that the red is gone, they are working on the White. On the peas, My brother-in-law has planted them consistantly over the years, has tried about every deterant there is to keep the deer out. He loses over 3/4 of it to browsing. At his age (80+), he can' t run fast and the deer just stand there until he gets quite close. Only thing he hasn' t done is put up a high fence, but he' s too tight-fisted to go to the expense. My son-in-law has planted them with excellent results. Him & his wife were avid hunters, but his wife developed Crones disease (sp?). Now they are both vegetarians. Ironic, Huh?
Russ

RE: Dan O. Soil testor
 

Wooddust; Calcium is required by plants to form cell walls. A 1,000 lb. crop of alfalfa will remove 13.91 lb. of calcium and 3.55 lb. of magnesium. I admit that the majority of the lime in soils is tied up in acid-base reactions but plants still need a fair amount to grow.

I always just wanted to be a dirt farmer, now you' re telling me that I' d have to change my title to soil propagater. :D

Dan O.

RE: Dan O. Soil testor
 

Dan...thats why its a micro nutrient from a fertlity point of view....13 pounds in a half ton of hay...and these guys are talking about adding 4- 7 tons per acre...