Soil Test Results for 2011

For years we avoided soil testing but last year we finally got around to it (soil testing and Soil test results) and found our soil profile was wanting. So we took steps to remedy the situation and applied a lot of sulfur (I believe 200 pounds to around 1.5 acres worth of beds) and 500 pounds of McGeary's fertilizer (I don't remember off hand the NPK ratios, maybe 7-10-5, maybe something else) along with foliar feeding fish and kelp.

Retested the top area November 18th and got the results back yesterday and here they are with last years results below this year's. Now that we have two years of data we are beginning to see what is working and what is not. We are losing boron but that could be as much (maybe more) because of record setting rains in the spring and fall and we tested during a wet time. We are gaining Organic matter which is still low but a lot higher than last year and when it gets to where it should be (I think around 3.5%) than the boron deficiency should be remedied. But until than we will apply boron in some form. Our Potassium and Phosphorus are very low and lower than last year. Green sand and rock phosphate will be a big part of fixing those deficiencies. our sulfur is going up so we know that applying all that sulfur last spring is working for us but we need more. We are losing zinc which ain't good but both seaweed and zinc sulfate will help. Nitrogen is low too.

Looks like we will be spending some money on soil amendments in 2012.