| Soil Preparation and Analysis 
 
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          | Subject:  Got my first soil analysis, Help please 
 
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          | From | Location | Message | Date Posted | 
		
            | ZAPPA | Western PA | This is my first soil analysis done by A&L Labs. Any help would be appreciated.
 PH 7.3
 Organic matter- 5.5%
 nitrogen-21ppm
 phosphorus (Weak bray)-59ppm
 phosphorus (NaHCO3-P)66ppm
 potassium -326ppm
 magnesium -121 ppm
 calcium 1542ppm
 sodium 46ppm
 sulfur 23ppm
 zinc 4.8ppm
 manganese 6ppm
 iron 26ppm
 copper 2.2 ppm
 boron .9ppm
 
 Percent Cation Saturation(computed)
 k 8.6%
 Mg 10.2%
 Ca 79.2%
 Na 2.0 %
 
 Recomendations: nitrogen 1.2 lb. per 1000 ft.
 sulfur .3 lb. per 1000 ft.
 
 A few other things I'm not sure about are : 9.7 CEC
 and a box has a L in it and below the box it says EX. Lime.
 Also a box  has a .2 in it and below the box is ECe.
 Thank you for the help.
 Lee
 | 11/23/2009 5:07:45 PM | 
		
            | Tremor | [email protected] | CEC is cation exchange capacity. Roughly, it's the potential field capacity of your soil. Sand is low. Clay is high.
 Adding organic matter improves the CEC of sandier soils.
 
 Your test results look good. I would add 4" of compost then till it in.
 | 11/24/2009 5:03:22 PM | 
		
            | ZAPPA | Western PA | Thanks Tremor,Lee
 | 11/25/2009 3:07:09 PM | 
		
            | Tomato Man | Colorado Springs, CO | So true, that adding a rich and mature compost material as always being the easiest, simplest and fastest remedy to bringing any convoluted mix of soil elements into a renewed sense of....balance.
 Leave it to the worms and infinite microbes to do what they do best, that is, to produce a viable growing medium for plants !
 | 11/25/2009 10:14:21 PM | 
		
        
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