First timer soil question

15 years ago

Hi everyone! I have a couple questions I hope you can help me with. I'm planning on starting our first garden next spring, but the area we're going to use has never been worked. It's covered in bermuda (bleh) and crab grass. We've sent off soil samples and received results last week. The recommendation was to add 10-34-0 at 100-150lbs per acre and a ton of lime.

My question is: after we get all the turf up and break up the soil, do we add the fertilizer now, in the fall? or just mulch and compost, then work the fertilizer in in the spring prior to planting? I live in Ga, and we have a relatively long growing season down here, if that makes a difference.

Thanks!

Comments (5)

petzold6596
15 years ago
Some soil. Your pH must be below 6 and real low in phosphorus. The lime can be worked in now, the fertilizer in the spring before planting. Make sure you work the fertilizer in to a depth of 8 inches or so because the P does not translocate in the soil. I'm sure you will not find this blend of fertilizer at any retail store so you will have to go to a farm elevator to get it blended. Oh, make sure you have your soil tested again in 2-3 years as the lime is slow in adjusting the soil pH.

Good luck in ridding your self of the bermuda grass. Google the topic, you'll find detailed info on the topic.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
15 years ago
He could use a nitrate nitrogen source and super phosphate pretty easily. I'd recommend that he combine the fast acting nitrate with a slow-to-release organic source.

kpahr, what is your existing soil pH?
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kpahr
Original Author
15 years ago
pH is 5.6. The rest of the soil report is like greek to me. I have a call in to my county extension office now...hopefully someone there can decode it for me.
petzold6596
15 years ago
To bad they took Greek out of the high school curriculum years ago, it might have come in handy. Yuk, Yuk. Who did your soil testing? Just for my edification.
vetivert8
15 years ago
If you are going to add lime and fertiliser after stripping off the present plant cover - also add in plenty of humus by way of compost of some kind. If it is available to you, spent mushroom compost can be useful for bring a soil toward neutral and it encourages a different population of soil creatures. Whatever you add, make sure it's well-rotted, or nearly so. It will be effective more quickly.

You can often notice the changing soil pH by looking at the weed species growing now - and about a year later, when you've done your amendments and added more humus. Certain species, such as English daisy and sheep sorrel, are clear indicators of acidity. (It's cheaper to look for weeds than get the soil tested...)

Remember, if you're planning to grow plants such as azaleas, they won't be too pleased with a lot of lime in the soil. There are also vegetables which prefer soil on the acid side, although most plants will grow in the neutral range.