Soil Analysis for my yard Southwest Ranches 2020 - Recommendations Welcome!!!

[cbss_daviefl]

Since January, I have applied 600 lbs of Lesco's 8-10-10 in a single application, 1200 lbs of Helena's 8-2-12 in two applications. I also applied 600 lbs of Rocket90 sulfur pellets in a single application.  In my mango area in December, I applied 150 lbs of 0-3-16 Har-ilizer but this may still need more time to dissolve.   The plan for this year is to apply 40 lbs of manganese sulphate, 800 lbs of Rocket90, 400 lbs of Lesco's 8-10-10, and 1400 lbs of Helena's 8-2-12, 5 lbs of Boron 10% granular, and 150 lbs of 0-3-16 Har-ilizer in the mango area in December . 

This year, my trees appear healthier. Some of the trees that were struggling have stabilized and are fruiting.  I attribute this to the rise in potassium, boron, and phosphorus. The "mamey" section and "lychee" sections of the yard are still problematic. This area was used as a potted plant nursery and has an 8 - 12 inch layer of limestone gravel and only 2-3 inches of top soil.

[Frog Valley Farm]

This is a difference between industrial and organic practices. This is one of the trickier questions asked during on farm inspections by both Organic and Demeter inspectors.  My answer is I don’t believe in the standard soil tests that measure soluble nutrient content when they should also be testing the non soluble mineral of the dirt, in organic systems plants cycle nutrients from non soluble mineral.  The biological tests available are too basic and are regional Haney (Texas)and Cornell (northeast)neither is for our region. Those  tests measure microbial respiration rates and organic carbon I think?  I want one that will test and count different bacteria, enzymes and fungi and provide a definition for each one.  Everything we do at our farm is focused on soil health and soil building, we follow the 5 soil health principals.  By following these principals eventually any deficiency can be rectified.  Everything can be fixed with soil health.  No fertilizers needed.

[shot]

Lazy labs they don't clean or calibrate their equipment.I am so frustrated ,I feel I waste time and money on them.After a few years of them I think I'm going back to old fashioned visual cues.Their tests are all over the place.

[pineislander]

When I first started I divided the same sample into two and sent to two different labs. Here was the result:



I agree with shot and Frog Valley the tests are Ok for a general view but as you can see reliance on them isn't the whole story or could steer you way wrong.

[shot]

I think lab workers are to busy with their phones (social media).I spend a full day gathering samples meticulously, clean equipment,mixing samples,leaves ,excluding organic leaf litter ect.Only to essentially blow me off with incompetence.150 to 170 dollars meh.I would not mine the money if they did a fair job.

[brian]

Hah.  I always think about getting a soil analysis, but hadn't bothered because everything seems to grow just fine in it.  This reinforces the idea that it isn't worthwhile.

[Mark in Texas]

Say what?  If you don't know where you are you have no way of knowing where to go.   I wouldn't be caught dead without a soil and well water lab analysis to use a guide.  Here's my go to lab which has similar results as the TX A&M lab.  They're much faster and are certified.  https://www.wardlab.com/services/soil-analysis/

They also offer soil health tests.  Having said that I put in a few years of cover crops to build soil health, do a biological soil "plow", add humus, add N, etc. Takes years of successive plantings to do much good in my calcareous clay loam.  Elbon rye and legumes of hairy vetch and Madrid yellow sweet clover, the latter popping up all the time in my RootBuilder pots and still growing wild out in the field after 15 years.

TX A&M nailed my soil nutrients.  Since then I use mainly N as an additive and have bumper crops.  I do the best of both worlds by using conventional and organic practices.  There is value in both.  Also found plenty of quackery to go around with the organic and natural "lifestyle" lemmngs over the years.  You just have to be smart and not get carried away by what is a cult with many gardeners.

Nothing wrong with hydroponics either.  Plant doesn't care where it gets its 13 essential elements so long as they come at the right time and in the right amounts.  Dyna-Gro foods comes to mind which I've used for years.

Rogue hairy vetch flowering 15 years later.



Elbon rye. I cut it at 6' tall after it seeded.



Volunteer sweet clover (legume) in the greenhouse.  How it gets there is beyond me.

[shot]

Well I still will have test.I'll use Ward see how they do.The to nutrients I have to use each year is potassium and manganese.

[Mark in Texas]

Well I still will have test.I'll use Ward see how they do.The to nutrients I have to use each year is potassium and manganese.

Ward Labs is amazing.  You'll have your results emailed you to you within 24 hrs. of them receiving the sample. You can discuss the results with a tech.

[shot]

When you find a good business nowdays its precious.Thank you for the info.