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Help after Ph test

Posted by llbean z5 MI (My Page) on
Mon, Apr 24, 06 at 23:46

Hi.. I am by no means a professional gardener. I just knew that I wasn't getting the results I want.. I had cleared out an area beside my house that had previously been covered with trees. About 50+ years. The leaves just fell and no cleaned them. Well after having cleared the lot and had black dirt and sand brought in.. I have found that my soil is very acidic.. The PH test was neon yellow, not even on the chart. So I looked at the directions which told me that I should add lime as well as iron.. SO I went to the local ACE hardware where they had no clue about the product htey sold me yesterday and had no recommendations other then reading the label. Now I have naturalime and ironlite and I am wondering if I really need the iron? I would have thought phosphorus but I can't seem to find that, unless that is potash? and if it is where i can buy that?
To answer a couple of questions.. Yes I compost but this project of clearing the land is a year old and new so my compost has yet to make good as I started last year in Aug.. it snows here by Nov.
I use Miracle grow slow release this year and last year I used 10-10-10 because I had it..So please someone help me to get beautiful flowers..
Laura


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Help after Ph test

Home pH kits can produce some highly inaccurate results and not all relatively new gardeners (or even more experienced ones) understand how to use them correctly. While I don't dispute your soil conditions may be acidic or even highly so, I think you need to investigate further.

FWIW, an accumulation of many years of leaves is very unlikely to produce highly acidic conditions. Soil acidity is the result of mineral deposits in the soil combined with high rainfall. Even very acidic types of organic matter (like oak leaves or conifer needles) are neutralized as they decompose and will not sway soil pH to any significant degree.

If you have brought in new soil and sand, then I would retest with a professional lab. Often local extensions offices will provide this service for you. Follow their directions for obtaining correct soil samples. The results from this test will be far more accurate than anything you could generate from a home test kit and they will also provide specifics for amendments to correct or neutralize any deficiencies.

Personally, based on your description of your exisitng situation and what you have already done, I'd be skeptical that your soil conditions are not already pretty adequate for growing beautiful flowers :-) I'd say go for it!


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RE: Help after Ph test

If you take your question to the Soil compost and mulch forum, you'll get lots of good answers.


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RE: Help after Ph test

annebert, is there some reason professional gardeners would not be able to address issues dealing with soil quality and pH? Perhaps even more so than many of the avid amateurs with widely varying opinions that post on the Soils forum? Soil issues are a major focus of my consultation and design business.


 
 

 

 


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