Your soil out there should be 8+. And full of salts, just like what you are seeing. You need raised beds with new soil to combat this issue. In similar desert-type areas near Bakersfield, very few crops can grow due to numerous factors, one of them being saline soils from irrigation. Your Extension Agency there should be able to point you to their pamphlets addressing this issue.

Dan

Home pH test kits aren't the best, and when you use them, you should use distilled water. However, your soil definitely sounds alkaline.

Your local garden center should have sulfur, Ironite, or some other product for lowering the pH in your soil. Go in and ask them.

I'd hesitate to call any soil "hopeless," but some need more work than others. You should add lots of organic matter to your soil. Lots and lots. I hate to say it, but it might be too late for the plants there now, but see what your local garden center suggests.

During my brief stay in the Southwest, I built raised beds and amended my local alkaline soil with purchased topsoil, peat (which is acidic), and well-aged horse manure (which I got for free, in quantity). It was pretty successful. You should investigate what organic matter might be available to you, and start working it in.

It can be tough to lower the pH over a large area, so targeting an area for planting might be your best bet. Raised beds are often a good choice.

Other than that, the more organic matter you can add, the better you'll be. The organic matter will help move the pH closer to neutral and will also help act as a buffer, so even when the pH is high, it won't be as detrimental to the health of the plants.

Id see if there was an 800# on the test kit and call them and ask what the blue means.

JMHO, but I dont think its great to assume anything.

:)

Yellow + Blue equals green

The blue represents neutral since it is beween the yellow range and the green range. How neutral depends on how blueish yellow or blueish green the color is.

No soil is hopeless, but what to do to make it into a good, healthy soil depends on what you are starting with and what material you can get to change that soil. Start by contacting your counties University of California USDA Cooperative Extension Service office about having a good, reliable soil test done. The will not only tell you what your soils pH is but give an indication of why it is where it is as well as a much better reading of the major nutrients, something your "home" test kit will not do. Also dig in with these simple soil tests,

1. Structure. 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. 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 you 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.
which can help you understand more about what needs be done to your soil.

Here is a link that might be useful: UC CES

Following kim's link, we have a link to LA County's Environmental Hort program. They have Don Hodel on staff, a big name in the discipline, and are coordinated with UC Davis, where I got my Env Hort degree. And they almost certainly know exactly about your soil and the high pH (it is not neutral as incorrectly stated above) and the salts in it and how to overcome it. Likely they will say at least raised beds but they will be helpful in overcoming your multifold issues.

Dan

Dorisl wrote:

"Id see if there was an 800# on the test kit and call them and ask what the blue means."

"Help line. How can we help you?"
"Yeah, I bought one of your pH test kits and the result was blue but it wasn't on the chart. What's blue mean?"
"Sir, did you say BLUE?"
"Yes."
"Uh, that's not one of the...let me look it up...oh my GOD!"
"WHAT?"
[voices and klaxons in background] "General, I think we've found where the aliens landed!"
"Send in the nuclear strike immediately!"

aliens? See any men inblack with a flashy thingy?

I was thinking maybe it was a bad test kit.

go figure.

:)

As far as I know the state of California agricultural extention offices do not do soil tests. If they do could someone supply info on how to get it done and how much it costs. Seems strange that the biggest agricultural state does not do soil tests for its residents, but I don't think they even have an office in Orange County anymore, there used to be one in Anaheim many years ago but it closed.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Rather than work with my native soil, I have constructed raised 12" beds and purchased a truckload of "planter mix". I will begin replanting tomorrow.

Here is a link that might be useful: Photos

The University of California is one of the Ag Schools that does not do soil tests (because, usually idiots in the state legislature thought they were competing against private enterprise) but they can give you a list of labs that will. If I recall correctly UMASS will do soil testing for people that do not live in Massachusetts.

I checked around locally to see if I could get a soil test done. No luck. I did find a lab down in in San Pedro, CA that does soil tests but the charge is $75 minimum.

I think the money is better spent on a drip irrigation and fertilizer injector system.

I really glad I found this site, all of your input is greatly appreciated.

Here is a link that might be useful: Raised Beds Under Construction

Just chiming in.

I read the topic title and thought HOPELESS??!! NOTHING IS HOPELESS!!! But you know, I am imagining that your soil is like the grey dust of Edwards AFB. Kind of wood ash? Oh man. Give up.

I recommend raised beds. Trying to improve it is a nice gesture maybe, but putting something on top of it might be cheaper and more rewarding even in the long run. I started with sand and clay. After two years of adding organic matter, I have good soil, but it is wet here, and there is OM everywhere, and animals.

Good luck. I admire your courage.