All I would add is some bonemeal for the phosphorus. Your ph is near neutral and not an issue.

Rodney

"Scatter rock phosphate on top of the garden bed to add phosphorus to the soil. For every 1,000 square feet, apply 60 pounds for severely deficient soil, 25 pounds for moderately deficient soil and 10 pounds for slightly deficient soil."

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/increase-phosphorus-potassium-soil-70915.html

i'm reading about risks associated with bone meal. is there any truth to this? i've already planted and eating from the garden at this point.

Are you concerned about BSE (mad cow disease)? If you are, I'd lay off eating beef as well. The prions from BSE aren't destroyed by cooking. BSE is certainly not common in the U.S.

If your soil is acidic enough, rock phosphate or bone meal will provide phosphorous quickly. If not, as is yours, it'll take years to get much soluble phosphorus out of them. Superphospate includes acidifiers that make the phosphorous immediately available. You might get some of that. But slow-release phosphorus amendments would be smart to include as well since the fast-release stuff will leach.

The soil pH is fine at 7.4, slightly alkaline yes but not bad. Optimal soil pH for most plants is in the 6.0 to 7.0 range.

Organic matter is close to the optimal 6 to 8 percent. the soil could use more but mulches could help with that.

What to do about the low Phosphorus levels depends on how low and what is available to correct that. Rock Phosphate may take a year to become available to the plants and may not be the best option. Even steamed bone meal may not be that available to the plants for some time.

Did the soil test report give any suggestions about what to do?

Sam, 2 things I think would be helpful to know.

Exactly which vegetables are you growing or planning to grow?

What have you already added to your soil before or after the soil test?

Well, BSE is also transmitted by airborne bone dust. So don't breathe, and you'll be OK. But seriously, that disease is extremely uncommon. As to pH, don't worry about it. "Optimum pH" doesn't mean much. Most plants don't care much about pH. If your pH were extreme (<5, >8), you'd be right to be concerned. But changing soil pH is a major proposition, especially if your irrigation water is the same pH as your soil, which is what happens when groundwater is used.

My sister gardens in New Mexico, in a mixture of mostly sand and kitty litter sized gravel with a bit of clay, and a LOT of organic matter. Natural pH is 8+ from calcite rock. Her gardens do very well. Organic matter will help make nutrients available in a wide range of pH.

If well water I would agree, Dan. Municipal water that's treated for pH, mineral content and corrosivity may not be the same pH as the soil at all. Having said that, it's usually adjusted to high pH to lower corrosivity, so perhaps a moot point. At the end of the day I agree that changing soil pH is an undertaking.

to answer Gumby's question, I added Nature's care plant food and blood meal, before the soil testing.

I'm growing tomatoes, arugula, radish, kale, herbs, basil, leafy asian greens. they seem to be doing ok. though arugula and kale aren't picking up as fast as I'd like.

I may just wait to fall/winter, then add the P amendments. thanks for the information

My local water is from nearby lakes, and the pH is exactly the same as my soil -- 7.9. That's right, if the water is acidic, it makes some sense to deacidify it to reduce corrosion. Also, lead pipes are much more dangerous when acidic drinking water is passed through them.

Actually, I should have been aware of municipal water being treated to increase pH. When I lived in the PNW, the groundwater was pretty acidic, but my tap water was pH 7.8, I always wondered how that happened. In fact, sodium hydroxide was added to the water specifically to de-acidify it. There were a lot of lead pipes in that burg, so water de-acidification was a serious health issue.

Sam, w/o knowing where on this glorious planet you are located or many other details, like how long you've been planting in that soil, how much direct sunlight, rain, or other wx conditions - I will say IF your wx has been like mine in CT- you are doing just fine.

Also note - this comment is very subjective <though arugula and kale aren't picking up as fast as I'd like.>

I am not sure that adding more P will give you what you want.

Inherent soil properties and climate affect crop growth

gumby,

i'm in westchester, ny zone 7a. i just got the soil this year.

Smart move, getting a soil test right after you got new soil. Sounds like your issues are chemical, rather than horticultural. Makes sense.

Just ask Flint Michigan what they think about slightly acidic municipal tap water and lead pipes.

Yeah, but Flint couldn't afford sodium hydroxide. They could barely afford water.

Actually, now that I look into it, the problem in Flint was less acidic water, and more residual chlorides (rock salt for de-icing roads).

So Sam, then you've been having some very hot and dry weather. And this is the first season in that soil? You are doin' fine.

It is best to amend the soil in the fall for the coming season. The soil lab should have recommendations (on your results form) if you let them know the "vegetables" you intended to plant.

If your phosphorus is really low, you might just get some superphosphate in there now. Look for purplish coloring on your tomato foliage. But phosphorus is less essential for leaf vegetables. Mainly for flowering and fruiting vegetables.

FWIW, the problem with Flint water was not because they didn't have the money for water, but because of officials trying to save money and cut corners doing so. Officials denying any problem with the water for months even though they were aware of the corrosiveness of it both before and after the switch was made is what made the problem even worse.

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/20/465545378/lead-laced-water-in-flint-a-step-by-step-look-at-the-makings-of-a-crisis

There's an article to read if you want the whole story. But we're getting off topic.

Rodney

Fascinating topic, Flint, but I agree we'd be getting off in the weeds to do it here. :-D Are you in the industry in some way? Just curious.

Leafy greens not doing well could just be nitrogen, weather or water.

Sorry about that, my fault for taking everyone off topic. I'll go sit in the corner for a 5 minute time out ;)