Software
Houzz Logo Print
alyceskis

Attn: Soil Experts..... HELP PLEASE

9 years ago

I've been growing a vegetable garden the past 4 years adding just compost, This Fall, I had my soil tested professionally. When I received the results, I was told to add Lime in the Fall....done. Now, instructions are to spread (pre-plant) 10-0-10 due to high phosphate levels in my soil testing, then in July, 10-10-10.

The 10 0 10 is impossible to find in my area in 25# bags. I emailed the testing facility (State) and was told "just use the closest to 10-0-10" What a blow off, no numbers or suggestions!! I don't have a clue what to use as a pre-plant now and I don't want to ask them again.

Please suggest what I should use as a pre-plant fertilizer or, can I just plant and add the 10-10-10 in July? All of the other soil numbers were okay to high. I don't want to ruin my crop this year because I've been very successful in having a large harvest the past 4 years. Thank you for reading and I will appreciate your help.....

Happy Spring Gardening

Comments (12)

  • 9 years ago

    Not sure what kind of compost you're been using, but manure is high in phosphorus. Sounds like you don't need much of anything, though nitrogen is always handy. Plain old lawn fertilizer is high in nitrogen, with little of anything else. Go easy on it, as over fertilizing with nitrogen is not in the best interest of maximizing fruit production. I suspect you were advised to add lime because phosphorus becomes much more available to plants in acid soil. So de-acidification is, in a fashion, reducing the phosphorus. Takes a long time for phosphorus to go away.

    alyceskis thanked daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
  • alyceskis thanked Dawson North TX (z8a/7b)
  • 9 years ago

    10-0-10 is sold here by Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot and Menards plus all the farm supply stores. What similar suppliers do you have in your area?


    https://www.walmart.com/ip/Green-Charm-10-0-10-Phosphorus-Free-Fertilizer-33-lb/16877388

    Dave

    alyceskis thanked digdirt2
  • 9 years ago

    Sometimes stores sell 10-10-10, sometimes they have 12-12-12, or 13-13-13 instead. The only difference would be in the recommended application amount per 100 sq. ft.. Usually the bags are in the 40-50 pound range though. If you just want to add nitrogen since it seems your P and K are adequate to high you can use Urea (46-0-0) but take it easy on the amount applied as it can burn plants easily.

    alyceskis thanked LoneJack Zn 6a, KC
  • 9 years ago

    I'll reiterate, and echo LoneJack. If your potassium is fine, why are you worried about potassium in fertilizer? You don't want phosphorus, and you don't need potassium. So that leaves nitrogen, which you may or may not want to add. Don't overthink this. Nitrogen is ALWAYS handy to have extra. That's why it was recommended. Sounds like a some-none-who_cares NPK is what you need.

    alyceskis thanked daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
  • 9 years ago

    Thank you garden soil experts for your fast response. Here are the results of my soil test

    CROP TO BE GROWN Vegetables

    SOIL TEXTURE Sandy Loam

    ORGANIC MATTER Medium High

    pH 5.8

    NITRATE NITROGEN Low (3 ppm)

    AMMONIUM NITROGEN Low (12 ppm)

    PHOSPHORUS Medium
    High (50 ppm)

    POTASSIUM Very
    High (>250 ppm)

    CALCIUM Very High (>1600 ppm)

    MAGNESIUM Very High (>125 ppm)

    TREATMENTS


    Limestone

    pH ADJUSTMENT 75 lbs.

    10-0-10, Preplant

    FERTILIZER GRADE 10-10-10, July

    FERTILIZER AMOUNT 25 lbs, Preplant

    10 lbs, July

    10-0-10 fertilizer is suggested
    when phosphorus levels are high. This fertilizer may be difficult to find.
    Similar fertilizers may be substituted.

  • 9 years ago

    Sorry, I should have included the above results in first post. If you see anything out-of-line that I did not mention, please let me know. Again, I have no idea on soil composition and how to obtain a perfect mixture. Past seasons, I used just compost soil from our compost bin and mixed in Chickety Doo Doo. Epsom salt for tomato plants. Thank you again for all of your help and information. Happy Gardening 2017

  • 9 years ago

    I'll just pitch in one small thing... stop adding the Epsom salts. Those results show it is completely unnecessary... even detrimental.

    alyceskis thanked rgreen48
  • 9 years ago

    Agree - no more epsom salts. They have a very limited role in gardening and should only be used when plants display magnesium deficiency. Your soil sure doesn't need them. All you need pre-planting IMO is some form of nitrogen and then a low dose of the 10-10-10 (or better the 10-0-10 if you can find it) in mid-July. The lime won't help all that much this year but will really have a positive effect for next season.

    Dave

    alyceskis thanked digdirt2
  • 9 years ago

    Also, clearly the lime is to deacidify a little. Not that essential, with pH of 5.8. Of course, lime will boost the Ca and Mg even higher, but excesses of those are OK, especially if P and K are abundant. Don't worry too much about the nitrogen measurement. Nitrogen fluctuates wildly in soil, and if you've been applying compost regularly, the soil will equilibrate with a decent amount.

    Your soil analysis looks to me like your recipe for success is not to do much.

    alyceskis thanked daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
  • 9 years ago

    Thank you so very much for taking your time to give me all the great information. ..... Best Wishes