Russ otten

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

Dan O.

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.

Russ otten

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

Dan O.

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.

Russ otten

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

Dan O.

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.

Russ otten

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

Dan O.

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.

Russ otten

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

Dan O.

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.