I know I finally did it! I wont be able to do much about it until the fall but I had one done on each of the 3 beds and it turns out my soil isn't as bad as I thought.
The main problem is my ph levels and this fall I'll try to add lime to the garden.
Each bed is 6'x6' and the recommendations for each are as follows
1: 3.5lbs of lime and 1.5 lbs of 5-10-5
2:1.75lbs of lime and 0.5lbs of 10-10-10
3: no lime and 1.5 lbs of 5-10-5
So my plan is to see this season through and make the amendments this fall.
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redneck647
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rainbowgardener
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redneck647
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pH 5.8 is good for some of the acid loving plants like strawberry, corn, dill, endive, carrots, garlic, sweet potatoes, peppers and tomatoes, cucumber, and squash. pH 5.5 is marginal but o.k. these plants they won't be happy much lower.
https://www.harvesttotable.com/2013/12/v ... olerances/
I don't understand why you would wait to lime. Changing pH is not a fast process. It will take about 6wks to 6 months to get it to move. Lime and sulfur do not work directly on the soil to change pH. PH is ultimately changed by the soil organisms and it takes time for them to change their environment. So it can actually be added now. Added in the fall it will actually take longer for the pH to change since soil bacteria hybernate when it gets cold.
I lowered my pH 7.8, by adding peat moss instead of alkaline compost.
My garden that has a pH of 6.0, I did add lime but I also could have added chicken manure to raise the pH as well.
Phosphorus is bound more in acidic soils than alkaline soils. Acidic soils also tend to limit root growth. Which is why most bulbing and root plants are happier on the higher end of the scale.
https://www.harvesttotable.com/2013/12/v ... olerances/
I don't understand why you would wait to lime. Changing pH is not a fast process. It will take about 6wks to 6 months to get it to move. Lime and sulfur do not work directly on the soil to change pH. PH is ultimately changed by the soil organisms and it takes time for them to change their environment. So it can actually be added now. Added in the fall it will actually take longer for the pH to change since soil bacteria hybernate when it gets cold.
I lowered my pH 7.8, by adding peat moss instead of alkaline compost.
My garden that has a pH of 6.0, I did add lime but I also could have added chicken manure to raise the pH as well.
Phosphorus is bound more in acidic soils than alkaline soils. Acidic soils also tend to limit root growth. Which is why most bulbing and root plants are happier on the higher end of the scale.
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redneck647
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- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2015 5:18 pm
- Location: Pa.
That makes sense. If you want to raise the pH a little bit now, use chicken manure as fertilizer. It will raise the pH about half a point. You could scratch it in between rows. You could make manure tea and apply it that way once the seedlings are up and have true leaves.
Usually, I do soil tests in mid summer when I am going to solarize the soil. That way I hopefully get my soil tests back in time so I can put in the amendments before planting. Fertilizer recommendations don't change that much but pH does, so you would want to adjust pH sooner rather than later. If you make pH adjustments, you should only change no more than one point at a time and that does require repeat testing.
Usually, I do soil tests in mid summer when I am going to solarize the soil. That way I hopefully get my soil tests back in time so I can put in the amendments before planting. Fertilizer recommendations don't change that much but pH does, so you would want to adjust pH sooner rather than later. If you make pH adjustments, you should only change no more than one point at a time and that does require repeat testing.