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Lab soil test results
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Lab soil test results
This is the soil I’ve been creating for 4 years. I no very little about interpretation. Any thoughts or suggestions are desired.
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This discussion was modified 2 months ago by
growgreenmo.
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This discussion was modified 2 months ago by
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21 Replies
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Never mind , I can’t load a focused pic.
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Try 1 more pic.
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I know nothing about soil test but thought I’d try for fun haha
I would say you’re looking at ratios really so for example ….your cal mag should ideally be ratio of 3/1 or 4/1 and a pH of 6.0/6.5 I think? so as far as cal mag you have too much calcium possibly and I’m comparison to NPK you have loads of calcium and magnesium..and your soil pH is a little bit too alkaline. And you do the same for NPK…etc and do research on what is a good amount of organic matter and whatever else they tested for
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https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/8691-what-is-my-soil-test-report-telling-me
no-tillfarmer.com
What is My Soil Test Report Telling Me?
Information on soil tests are essential to understanding the condition of the soil and how to determine nutrient recommendations, says field agronomy manager John Leif.
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Sodium is high too.
I read The Intelligent Gardener by Steve Solomon and found it very helpful. He has worksheets to help you interpret your test results. I can’t gleen much by looking at a test but with the help of his worksheets I’ve been managing my soil fertility for years now.
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Yes , I’m aware of sodium issue. That was last years results. Here are this year’s and I have lowered the sodium. No micro results.
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Nice! Did you figure out where it was coming from? Water or the original mix maybe?
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I believe the sodium is a result of manure I have used.
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Your soil is healthy. A sodium percentage of less than 15% is considered to be healthy soil. Also your cation exchange capacity is 30% which is good.
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15% seems high to me but I’ve never tried it…
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I like to see <2%
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Sodium is contributed from composting and clay. If your soil lacks clay then it is probably from what you are composting. Manure, old plants, etc will result in higher sodium levels. I like to see less than 3% but you can grow in up to 15% without being Sodic Soil and burning the crap out of your plants.
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According to that link 30 cec means they have clay like soil, seems like you should be aiming for cec 15. For a balanced soon that not clay like
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Higher CEC comes from clay and Organic material. Cation exchange is how well they exchange element like potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus. Low cec mean a sandy soil that lacks organic material so less exchange is able to happen.
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People smarter than me explain CEC better, but you can always just grow a plant in the soil and see what happens.
https://www.groworganic.com/blogs/articles/what-is-cation-exchange-capacity
groworganic.com
What is Cation Exchange Capacity? - Organic Gardening Blog
Learn about Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) and its role in plant nutrition. Discover how CEC impacts soil health, fertilization, and sustainable gardening practices.
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Great, can’t like replies on these threads but thanks..on reading it this where there not really a right answer it’s just what suits your grow style. But it says high CEC means it hold onto nutrients for much longer and is harder to leach out which to some is not necessarily a good thing.. for me that’s not good I prefer well draining soil o can flush through easily.. I would go for lower cec as a personal choice F r more air and space I the soil
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I definitely wouldn’t recommend a thicker soil like that for pots, inside. But outside, in-ground and if in a hotter climate you want something that holds on to nutrients and water better. Also if everything leaches away, all those nutrients that have taken time to develop in that soil will all flow away. Growing is always a personal choice and should be enjoyed. There isn’t a right answer but their are somethings that can be used to our advantages.
Cheers.
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Yeah that makes sense!
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I was thinking about indoor pots rather than outdoor soil which is what the tests for lol..good point that growing outdoors means that fertilisers will inevitably leach with heavy rain and depth of the soil is a good reason why outdoor growers get away with not flushing!
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Thanks burny , you totally confirmed my understanding of my (less than 3%sodium) .
This is today’s pic of my 3 -200 gallon in ground grow sites.
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Beautifully done, nice looking garden
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