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soil improvement / meter choice & measurement
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Posted by vjeko 9 (My Page) on Thu, Oct 6, 11 at 15:41
| I'm working on vermiculture & composting to try to improve the rather bad results I've had in my garden with the vegetables this year.
Not sure whether a soil test (rather expensive here) is warranted for a small garden or should I just continue with vermiculture/compost (good results with citrus after adding humus) + pH and EC measurements (any other measurements)?
Regarding the instruments, I've read a bit on the web but am unclear on what is worthwhile getting - as far as I understand, the instruments can be grouped as follows
(gave some examples of instruments below):
(a)pH instruments not needing calibration/used only in soil
(b)pH instrument which can be used directly in soil or soil solution
(c)separate pH/EC instruments or combined pH/EC with probes which don't seem to be made for soil contact i.e. just in solutions
Some examples:
(a)looks like it doesn't need calibration/solutions and is rather robust- I think this can be used only directly in soil
http://www.agrologistika.hr/osx/hr/c18/Analiza-tla/a188/1812-pH-metar-za-tlo-DM-15.html (this is in Croatian, but you'll get the drift when you see it)
(b)Something similar which needs calibration/solutions - measurement in soil or of soil solution
(c)Combined - looks like only soil solution measurement:
http://hr.rsdelivers.com/product/hanna-instruments/hi-9813-5n/hi-9813-5n-portable-ph-ec-tds-temp-meter/7243689.aspx
For the vermiculture - is there a need for an instrument for the humidity/wettness & temperature or is the squeeze test (just drops of water) enough - the reason I ask is that every day I try to do the test I disturb some of the critters and I'm not sure how deep I should check |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: soil improvement / meter choice & measurement
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As a rule you can get much better tests for several years from soil test labs. While some of the labs do charge an arma and a leg for their tests the information is often not very useful. I'm not sure about Croatia but here in the United States of America many of our universities test our soils for less then $20.00 and make recommendations for correcting any deficiencies that might exist.
These simple soil tests may be of some help also,
1) Soil test for organic matter. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. For example, a good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains� too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. |
RE: soil improvement / meter choice & measurement
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- Posted by feijoas Temperate New Zealan (My Page) on
Sat, Oct 8, 11 at 7:51
vjeko, I think lab soil tests are well worth it if available and affordable. Not so much for ph, but all the other stuff.
If you only want a ph reading, I'd get one of the cheap kits.
They are generally innacurate, but you'll get the idea if your ph is high, low or in between.
Unless dramatic things are done to change it all the time, your ph is pretty stable. |
RE: soil improvement / meter choice & measurement
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| Many people think soil pH is just a number not realizing that it may indicate the balance between two important soil nutrients, Calcium and Magnesium. I know of no home pH test that will tell you that. |
RE: soil improvement / meter choice & measurement
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| All the info is much appreciated ! - will do the checks mentioned, an initial soil test in a lab and get the meter and brush up a bit on the chemistry - then I'll be back with more questions ;) |
RE: soil improvement / meter choice & measurement
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I haven't done the tests kimmsr suggested yet but I have sent a soil sample out to a lab and I've summarized the results below. (excuse the long post;)
Not sure if it's worth mentioning but I did sprinkle ashes form a few wood-coal grills around in areas where the samples may have been taken. I'd appreciate any comments/additional ideas before I proceed with improvements (and maybe ask more questions at the university lab where the tests were done). I guess this would also be the best time to buy the pH meter to be able to compare and track readings / improvement as I add what is required. Measurement method:
- pH defined via potentiometric means via suspension of soil in water in 1:5 ratio
- % humus via oxidation digestion in chrome - sulphuric acid
- physiological active phosphorus and potasium (mg P2O5 / K2O) ammonia - lactate method Results:
- H2O 8.2
- 1M KCl 7.35
- humus 1.12
- N 0.12
- P2O5 7.10
- K2O 32.50
- CaO 4.5 The soil is alkaline, poor humus and poor nitrogen.
Poor phosphate and rich potassium.
Active lime relatvely low - no prob for local plants (olive,fig,rosemay). Possible probs with plants liking acidic soil (berries/aroinija). Soil is relatively suitable
for above plants, need to reduce pH to 6-6.5 via
organic material (sour peat, fermented manure). Also, from my verbal description, the lab concludes improvement needs to be done on physical properties
(drainage, compactness) - high % clay/fine powder - causing
low capacity for air and exchange of gases.
Suggested looseing soil to 60cm + adding organic matter & larger amounts of sand. Regarding humus - add 5kg manure + 3 l sour peat/m2.
Additionally add phosphorus rich manure - 10kg superphosphate/100m2. Add nitrogen manure (2kg/100m2 UREE)
10 days before planting Besides any comments/suggestions, I would appreciate if
someone could answer the following:
(a)As an alternative to peat, on the web I see basically
green compost - is it then enough just to add manure
(I have sheep manure), compost and vermicompost ?
(b)I am able to get cow and chicken manure from a nearby
industrial farm but I know the chickens have been injected
and probably the cows - would this manure be better ?
(c)Regarding superphosphate and nitrogen manure - what
organic/natural manure/compost can I add instead ?
(d)What about the addition of sand - should I really
add sand/how much or would the solving of the other issues
be enough (I'm somehow getting a picture of sandy soil
which I don't feel comfortable with).
(e)Trace elements - do they come in the manure/vermicompost
or do I need to do something about this ? |
RE: soil improvement / meter choice & measurement
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| Could someone please comment on the results & my questions ? |
RE: soil improvement / meter choice & measurement
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Many people have used animal manures for eons, but recent research has determined that vegetative materials are also needed. If you are going to be a strict organic gardener then those manures from the factorys would not be acceptable. Whether to use them is up to you, but you need to add about 3 parts vegetative waste to each 1 part of animal manure to make a good healthy soil.
Every university website I have found that discusses improving soils has said that adding sand to clay soils, unless in very large amounts is not a good solution. Unless you are prepared to spend the money on buying enough sand to make up 45 to 75 percent of your soil it will not do nearly as much good as 6 to 8 percent organic matter.
$0 plus years ago the first soil test I had done said my soil had a pH of 5.7 and was lacking in Magnesium as well as Phosphorus and Potash. Adding only compost and other forms of organic matter, including animal manures and green manure/cover crops, has changed what soil tests now say about this soil and it has a soil pH of 7.2, is balanced in Calcium and Magnesium, and is High Optimum in Phosphorus and Potash.
Superphosphate is an unacceptable product for an organic gardener/farmer to use.
What you might need to add, other then organic matter (if that is necessary) can only be determined by a good, reliable soil test. A good, reliable soil test is one tool we can use to 1) keep us from spending money on soil amendments we don't need, 2) aid us in getting our soil into a good, healthy soil that grows strong and healthy plants that can better withstand insect pests and plant disease problems, 3) a good, reliable soil test can help reduce pollution of our water with nitrite and phosphorus.
Peat Moss is a non renewable resource, unless you work for the companies that sell it, that is not the best form of organic matter to add to soil. Peat moss is dead and the Soil Food Web you want to develop in your soil will not eat it and it lacks any nutrients to feed your plants. Some people prefer using Peat Moss because it lasts so long in soil, because the SFW does not digest it unless there is nothing else to eat. Almost anything else is better for your soil. |
RE: soil improvement / meter choice & measurement
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| I am interested in "organic only" gardening although I did side step a bit last year with some pellets of organic manure+ iron from holland (which I will avoid). From your post, I conclude that the manure+compost+vermicompost will be the cure (maybe I should have spent the $70 on manure instead of the soil test ;) My situation is such that the garden/backyard is small, few trees (leaves) and the only source of organic material is the kitchen waste + sheep manure I buy as well and compost + vermicompost. Is this enough or should I focus on adding
certain plants for the nitrogen and other minerals ?
What about iron and trace elements - is this also covered
by the above ? |
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