I agree with getting a soil test. You have added a heck of a lot of stuff,
including some things that may not be needed (for example, gypsum - breaks up
clay, but I gardened for many years in clay soil without ever adding it).

On 18 Mar 2004 15:42:56 GMT, (Trudyjh) wrote:

I agree with getting a soil test. You have added a heck of a lot of stuff,
including some things that may not be needed (for example, gypsum - breaks up
clay, but I gardened for many years in clay soil without ever adding it).

The best thing to add to your soil is organic matter and water when
needed. For the most part, Getting too carried away with the
chemicals just causes more problems than it solves in the long run.
Some horse or steer manure now and then, and organic matter, organic
matter, and more organic matter ;-)

Hope you get it figured out. Get a soil test in the mean time and
find out if there are toxic elements, or something you do to
counteract whatever the problem is.

Good luck,

Janice

On 18 Mar 2004 15:42:56 GMT, (Trudyjh) wrote:

I agree with getting a soil test. You have added a heck of a lot of stuff,
including some things that may not be needed (for example, gypsum - breaks up
clay, but I gardened for many years in clay soil without ever adding it).

The best thing to add to your soil is organic matter and water when
needed. For the most part, Getting too carried away with the
chemicals just causes more problems than it solves in the long run.
Some horse or steer manure now and then, and organic matter, organic
matter, and more organic matter ;-)

Hope you get it figured out. Get a soil test in the mean time and
find out if there are toxic elements, or something you do to
counteract whatever the problem is.

Good luck,

Janice

On 18 Mar 2004 15:42:56 GMT, (Trudyjh) wrote:

I agree with getting a soil test. You have added a heck of a lot of stuff,
including some things that may not be needed (for example, gypsum - breaks up
clay, but I gardened for many years in clay soil without ever adding it).

The best thing to add to your soil is organic matter and water when
needed. For the most part, Getting too carried away with the
chemicals just causes more problems than it solves in the long run.
Some horse or steer manure now and then, and organic matter, organic
matter, and more organic matter ;-)

Hope you get it figured out. Get a soil test in the mean time and
find out if there are toxic elements, or something you do to
counteract whatever the problem is.

Good luck,

Janice

Thanks to all for your responses.

As advised, I purchased a test kit from Security/Farnam to test pH,
N-P-K. I carefully followed all the instructions, used distilled
water, and didn't cross contaminate samples or soil.

The pH was just under 8, possibly due to the ash I mentioned
previously.

The N test solution was to turn a shade of pink - it was an almost
colorless yellow. No N or a faulty test.

Phosphorous showed "medium", whatever that means.

The potassium test evaluated the K content by clouding the sample,
user to judge K content by evaluating how much the enclosed test chart
is occluded by the solution. My test totally obscured the charts, so
either I have an enormous quantity of K, or the kit is faulty, or I
don't understand how to read the cryptic instructions.

Since the soil has not been fertilized or treated with anything for at
last 18 months, I don't know quite what to think.

At any rate in a 12 to 14 sqare foot test plot I placed two sacks of
steer manure (2" deep) and 6 oz. sulfur, turned the soil and watered
it well.

Time will tell.

pc
After I moved into this home I began growing tomatoes every summer in
two different locations.

....snip...

May I solicit some suggestions?

(pc macdonald) wrote in message . com...
Thanks to all for your responses.

As advised, I purchased a test kit from Security/Farnam to test pH,
N-P-K. I carefully followed all the instructions, used distilled
water, and didn't cross contaminate samples or soil.

The pH was just under 8, possibly due to the ash I mentioned
previously.

The N test solution was to turn a shade of pink - it was an almost
colorless yellow. No N or a faulty test.

Phosphorous showed "medium", whatever that means.

The potassium test evaluated the K content by clouding the sample,
user to judge K content by evaluating how much the enclosed test chart
is occluded by the solution. My test totally obscured the charts, so
either I have an enormous quantity of K, or the kit is faulty, or I
don't understand how to read the cryptic instructions.

possibly you have an enormous amount of potassium. wood ash is 8%
potassium, and does have a pH of 10.4. Just the same, if you lack
other micronutrients, you will not get tomatoes.


Since the soil has not been fertilized or treated with anything for at
last 18 months, I don't know quite what to think.

At any rate in a 12 to 14 sqare foot test plot I placed two sacks of
steer manure (2" deep) and 6 oz. sulfur, turned the soil and watered
it well.

Time will tell.

pc
After I moved into this home I began growing tomatoes every summer in
two different locations.

...snip...

May I solicit some suggestions?

(pc macdonald) wrote in message . com...
Thanks to all for your responses.

As advised, I purchased a test kit from Security/Farnam to test pH,
N-P-K. I carefully followed all the instructions, used distilled
water, and didn't cross contaminate samples or soil.

The pH was just under 8, possibly due to the ash I mentioned
previously.

The N test solution was to turn a shade of pink - it was an almost
colorless yellow. No N or a faulty test.

Phosphorous showed "medium", whatever that means.

The potassium test evaluated the K content by clouding the sample,
user to judge K content by evaluating how much the enclosed test chart
is occluded by the solution. My test totally obscured the charts, so
either I have an enormous quantity of K, or the kit is faulty, or I
don't understand how to read the cryptic instructions.

possibly you have an enormous amount of potassium. wood ash is 8%
potassium, and does have a pH of 10.4. Just the same, if you lack
other micronutrients, you will not get tomatoes.


Since the soil has not been fertilized or treated with anything for at
last 18 months, I don't know quite what to think.

At any rate in a 12 to 14 sqare foot test plot I placed two sacks of
steer manure (2" deep) and 6 oz. sulfur, turned the soil and watered
it well.

Time will tell.

pc
After I moved into this home I began growing tomatoes every summer in
two different locations.

...snip...

May I solicit some suggestions?

(pc macdonald) wrote in message . com...
Thanks to all for your responses.

As advised, I purchased a test kit from Security/Farnam to test pH,
N-P-K. I carefully followed all the instructions, used distilled
water, and didn't cross contaminate samples or soil.

The pH was just under 8, possibly due to the ash I mentioned
previously.

The N test solution was to turn a shade of pink - it was an almost
colorless yellow. No N or a faulty test.

Phosphorous showed "medium", whatever that means.

The potassium test evaluated the K content by clouding the sample,
user to judge K content by evaluating how much the enclosed test chart
is occluded by the solution. My test totally obscured the charts, so
either I have an enormous quantity of K, or the kit is faulty, or I
don't understand how to read the cryptic instructions.

possibly you have an enormous amount of potassium. wood ash is 8%
potassium, and does have a pH of 10.4. Just the same, if you lack
other micronutrients, you will not get tomatoes.


Since the soil has not been fertilized or treated with anything for at
last 18 months, I don't know quite what to think.

At any rate in a 12 to 14 sqare foot test plot I placed two sacks of
steer manure (2" deep) and 6 oz. sulfur, turned the soil and watered
it well.

Time will tell.

pc
After I moved into this home I began growing tomatoes every summer in
two different locations.

...snip...

May I solicit some suggestions?