Sue said:

On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 05:35:54 -0500, (Pat
Kiewicz) wrote:

If you haven't done so already, get a soil test. Find out if you have an
obvious shortage in something. (My first test showed that the soil was
low in potassium and high in phosphorous, so the typical 'balanced'
fertilizers weren't really appropriate.)

I've never done that and know that I should. Where does one get a
test kit. I've never seen one but never really looked either. We
have no nursery here which is why my gardening supplies come from
Wal*Mart.

The in the US, look to your state cooperative extension service for soil
testing. You can check the phone book (in the County Government
section) to see if your county has an extension service office, or use
the following web site to look for your state soil testing lab (this site
includes links to soil labs in Nova Scotia and Ontario Canada, too):

http://www.motherearthnews.com/directory/soil_test/

You order a test kit, which will come with instructions, which you follow
to gather you soil sample. Mail it back and wait for results and
recommendations.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast)

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)