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Stafford, Virginia

This is a brand new garden (three weeks old). Soil lab resultsare: ph=7.1 organic matter=7.7% but soluble salts= 1.9mm/cm (1216 ppm)[lab says best @.4 (256ppm or less. I am sending two additional samples of composted leaves(pile of leaves was 8'-10'high and seems to be the source? of the salts) Sending upper and lower horizon compost samples to see if some sort of leaching downward may have concentrated salts. Also sending a sample of my original ground(red clay),without any soil additives, just to check. Will have lab run soluble salts and ph of each. This may identify were the problem is originating but ---does anyone have any suggestions as to how I might tie/bond these salts up?? As a side note, I added 3 tons compost/1000sqft plus the usual bone/gypsum/blood/lime(none of which the lab said contributed to the soluble salts). The labs only suggestion was to add at least an additional 3 tons/1000sqft of know low soluble salt topsoil to "dilute" existing condition....but that's lots of work and time is running out.....real world suggestions gladly accepted.

4/23/2002 9:24:52 AM

Farmington, Utah

Our local horticulturalist suggested to me to add more gypsum. He said that it displaces the salt and makes the salts more readily to be leached out.

Kenny B.

4/23/2002 10:05:49 AM

Western NY

1.9 mmhos/cm is a little high, but i've seen worse. Don Crews grew two 500 pounders on the same plant in alberta (he got 3rd at his weighoff w/ a 544). his salts were 5.95 (local problem w/ the water he uses). gypsum is the way to go. you may also want to have your water tested as that might be your problem too.

Andy

4/23/2002 8:51:55 PM