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Garden Soil Testing: What you should know. Dean Volenberg Agricultural Educator –Door County. Taking A Soil Sample. Use a soil probe or garden trowel Sample to a depth of 6 inches Remove organic matter from surface before sampling Sample the area in a W or Z pattern. Taking A Soil Sample.
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Garden Soil Testing: What you should know Dean Volenberg Agricultural Educator –Door County
Taking A Soil Sample • Use a soil probe or garden trowel • Sample to a depth of 6 inches • Remove organic matter from surface before sampling • Sample the area in a W or Z pattern
Taking A Soil Sample • Use a soil probe or garden trowel • Sample to a depth of 6 inches • Remove organic matter from surface before sampling • Sample the area in a W or Z pattern
Taking a Soil Sample • Put samples in a clean plastic pail • Remove large stones or other large foreign objects • Mix sample thoroughly
Taking a Soil Sample • Approximately 2 cups of soil needed • Drop sample off at UW-Extension office • Results available in 2 weeks • If garden area heterogeneous then sample areas separately
Why add Potash (K2O) • Soil test in sufficient range • 120 ppm • To convert to pounds/acre multiple by 2 • 120 x 2 = 240 pounds K2O/acre • 1 acre = 43,560 ft2 • 240 pounds K2O/acre/43,560 ft2 = 0.0055 pounds K2O ft2 • 0.0055 pounds K2O ft2 x 100 = 0.55 pounds K2O/100ft2 • Vegetable crops will remove K2O
How much K2O remains at end of growing season if no K2O added? LOW VeryLOW LOW VeryLOW
Garden Fertilizers % Nitrogen % P2O5 % K2O (Potash)
Common Garden Fertilizers 0.4 / 0.1 = If soil test suggests 0.4 lbs N/100 ft2
Nutrient Content of Solid Manure Apply manure in the fall or early spring, a minimum of 120 days must pass after manure application before the harvest of any vegetable crop.
Green Manures • Increase soil organic matter • Reduces leaching of nutrients • Reduces soil erosion • Legumes can increase N content of soil • Decreases weed growth • Improves soil tilth
Questions Other Lunch & Learn Topics May 28Gardening In Small Spaces: Plant selection and crop scheduling June 4Mulches And Other Tools: How to spend more time gardening and less time weeding June 18Pest Management In The Garden: Know your friends and foe September (TBA)Gardening At The End Of Season: Mulches, manures and tricks to extend the season