Freaking Out on Soil Test

[mphillips]

This is my first garden. It's going to be corn heavy (using the 3 sisters).

I tilled my garden and then added 8-8-8 fertilizer and tilled that in. I bought a PH tester with the probes and it tested between 6 and 7 PH. I've planted my corn which I know is a heavy feeder. Was planning on adding Blood Meal when my corn got knee high.

So I bought a Mosser Lee soil tester at my local Lowe's. With the Mosser Lee Soil Tester it showed my PH was close to 5. My nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium test all came back clear. I tested it 3 times and always the same results. I take that as meaning that my ground is dead.

Is there any way to add nutrients to my garden after I have planted? My garden is about 5 days old now.

Thanks in advance for your answers.

[River]

Your best bet is to get a soil sample and send it off to auburn. You will get accurate as well quick results by email. You can get the boxes from your local cooperative extension office.

[mphillips]

I plan on doing that tomorrow. They only charge $7 and the Mosser Lee kit was $11. Thanks

[rainbowgardener]

See a post here from ElizabethB, a master gardener, on soil test kits:

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=61473&p=353982&hilit=soil+test#p353982

I think if you buy a pH meter with the long probes and use it as directed, you can get reasonable results. Any other home soil testing is probably not worth doing.

[mphillips]

Thanks Rainbow

[lexusnexus]

Your best bet is to get a soil sample and send it off to auburn. You will get accurate as well quick results by email. You can get the boxes from your local cooperative extension office.

+1

It's not just pH that you need to know about. It's $35 well spent (that's the cost here in the DC area). The report you get back will provide information on all the nutrients in your soil, i.e. phosphorous, nitrogen, organic content, etc... This information is required to properly add amendments.