Blood meal is an okay N source, but it can be too hot. You may want to try alfalfa pellets or corn meal, usually they are cheaper...

How high was your pH? "Way too alkaline" means what?

You can lower your pH somewhat by increasing the organic matter. Organic matter tends to be close to neutral, so adding it can lower pH that is too high and raise pH that is too low, at least to an extent.

Since the availability of Nitrogen depends on the activity of the soil bacteria and the activity of the soil bacteria depends on soil temperature, what was your soils temperature when you did that probably not very reliable test.
What was the soils pH? What is the level of Calcium? What is the level of Magnesium? Both of those influence your soils pH. Adequate levels of organic matter in your soil, because they add both Ca and Mg in balanced quantities, can influence your soils pH, although the tendency is to raise that some.
Contact your local office of your state universities USDA Cooperative Extension Service about having a good, reliable soil test done.

Thanks guys. My garden isn't that big and I'm just trying to get an idea of soil condition, because this year we are planting more crops. I have a compost pile, but it's not ready yet. Alkaline as in 7.5 or 8 I think.
I'll add OM, plant those seeds, and pray.

If you're going to proceed without a good soil test (and sadly, the home kits don't really count), you should do your homework. I understand your desire to save some money!

What do your neighbors say that their soil always needs? What is the conventional wisdom in your area?

Where I live, for instance, the soil tends to be generally pretty good, but somewhat on the acidic side. Conventional wisdom (and my grandmother, and all of the other gardeners in the area) say that adding lime will be necessary where I live. In fact, when I don't do this, I get Blossom End Rot (a sign of calcium deficiency) on my tomatoes and peppers, and when I add some lime, it goes away.

Does the conventional wisdom of your area say that the soil is always alkaline, and you'll need to lower the pH? If so, products to help you to do this will be available in your area, certainly at a garden store, and quite likely at the "big box" stores like Home Depot (though I might have a bit of trouble finding that stuff where I live, since we have the opposite problem here). If pH-lowering supplies aren't readily available in the local garden stores, I'd have additional doubts about what your home soil test told you.

Adding organic matter is always a good step, even without a soil test. As people have said, lots of good organic matter will bring your soil back towards neutral, regardless of where is started, and it will also add lots of the nutrients your plants need to be happy and healthy.

I believe it is possible to garden (and even to garden well) without a soil test, but you need to keep on your toes. People gardened for a good long time without access to soil tests, but the other side of that is that the successful folks knew how to read their soil and their plants to detect deficiencies.

Most of the state ag universities that do soil testing charge you between about $10.00 and $15.00 per sample and some of them, UMASS as I recall, will even test your soil even if you do not live in Massachussets. Of Course now you have the added shipping cost to consider.

Novice: The other option is to allow your native garden soil be itself.

My soil is also alkaline. So rather than try to change every molecule of soil in my yard to a reading inline with what books might say it should be, I just grow things that like, or will tolerate, my soil. I've been doing that for many years and the results aren't so bad.
{{gwi:280261}}

That is not to say that you shouldn't do a soil test, but it can take some time to get your garden soil to where you want it to be. If you plant things before that time, avoid things that say they like acid soil.

But it's fun to experiment, too.

Karen

My container tomato plant is also pH of 8, according to the meter I bought. Wanted to put down a little blood meal. I was hoping to see how much would be recommended, because my tomato plant looks so bad.