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Bergen County NJ

Just got my soil test results back from the state.
I know I'm late getting round to it, but I didn't decide to tempt my fate with growin a bigun until around February I reckon so I just got the soil tested now.
Here's the problem my PH is low (way low) 5.70 to be exact.
Magnesium and calcium are optimum, and the phosphorus and patassium are slightly above optimum at 525 and 570 respectively. Is it too late to get my PH up to 6.5+ and how can I do it with our burning my plants? The plants are NOT in the ground yet, but need to go in quickly as they are getting too tall and leggy and I fear will break very soon if they don't get more support and I don't really want to transplant them again if I don't have to.
Anyone have any ideas???
Thanks
Redneck Ray

5/9/2002 7:49:50 PM

Tacoma, WA

Ray....you can raise your pH the quickest by using "hydrated lime". You can purchase it from a farm store or commercial fertilizer supplier. I am at work, so I do not have access to the amount per 1000 sq.ft. that you will need to raise it to the 6.8 level. Even under ideal
conditions, it will take several months for it to climb.

Stan

5/9/2002 8:01:12 PM

van isle b.c. canada

ray, way back i grew a 565# pumpkin and the ph was 5.6 . my advise is go for it this year and be sure to test and adjust ph for next year. rather late for any change this year. just my 2 cents. craig

5/9/2002 8:11:14 PM

Indiana

We have grown all of my plants the last 2 year with a pH of 5.8. Between dad and I, we have gotten a 837, 694, 641, 588, 540, 511, 503, and a bunch of other small ones.
Tom Beachy

5/9/2002 8:45:46 PM

Bergen County NJ

Well, You all are giving me encouraging news and I appreciate it. I wont throw in the towel yet.
I have/had 3 seeds. 1 went sour right after emerging.
One is a becoming a giant and the other one just went
in the other day but I thought it would have emerged by now
nuy eil give it til Monday to emerge, Not much space to grow in here in North Jersey (funcky "L" shaped patch maybe 12x20, closer to 12x12)but will try anyway.

5/9/2002 9:09:08 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Go with it these are pretty aggressive vines and the experience you gain this year is something you'll never forget. If the ph is your only problem your doing good!!!

Chuck

5/9/2002 10:01:28 PM

walton n.y.

ray i would use dolimite lime over hydrated lime because you said that your cal/mag #'s are good and the dolmite will raise ph without changing those cal/mag #'s very much the ph won't go up overnight but you should be able to grow a good sized pumpkin i got a 572 with 5.8 ph 2 years back

5/10/2002 8:27:12 AM

Puyallup, WA

Randy,
I use dolemite in my patch. He wanted the quickest way to lower the pH. I agree that he can grow pumpkins with
his present pH levels.

5/10/2002 3:53:47 PM

Western NY

i would argue against the use of dolomite, and suggest regular ag lime instead. of all the tests i have seen so far, only a couple are deficient in magnesium. too much magnesium is worse than not enough in my opinion, and your ca/mg ratio is very important (as a % base saturation).

Andy

5/10/2002 8:44:15 PM

walton n.y.

i was told that dolmite lime doesn't change cal/mag % as much as hydrated lime and it is supoesd to change ph quicker just not last as long as hydrated lime

5/11/2002 3:59:43 PM