Bigger context: my garden sucks. Ten years ago, when I dug up part of the lawn and planted a garden, I got a bumper crop the first year. Every year since then has been bad. I've spent hundreds of dollars on organic additives and I get soil samples twice a year (and they tell me everything looks great, just add a little nitrogen, which I've been doing).

These mysterious white spots are fresh on my mind, because I've just finished scooping out all the soil from my garden and putting it in a pile in the corner of the yard, where I'll plant clover on it and let it sit for a few years (to rehabilitate). I plan to start over and haul in new soil for the garden next year.

(I'm in NW Arkansas)

Comments? Suggestions?

I looked up the annual rainfall in your state, and it says it varies from 43" to 51". That's a lot of rain! Lots of rain leaches out plant nutrients like nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, boron. Does your untreated soil tend to be acidic (below 6.5?)

I would try another soil lab.

But maybe before that, I would send in two samples to your regular lab. Send one under your name of your improved soil. And send in another one under a different name (use a neighbor's name, address, handwriting), with soil collected from a site you KNOW is unimproved, 'just dirt'. See how different they are... or aren't. And be sure to label them ORGANIC, just in case. I have heard of labs that were too lazy to run their soil tests, and they just sent out generic test results that didn't mean anything.

I live in a high-rainfall area, too (Pacific Northwest), and get the same garden results. We need to apply lime every year to get/keep the calcium levels up.

And, BTW, realize that many/most soils need calcium (lime) no matter what the pH is. Don't worry about the pH as much as the calcium levels. Calcium is the bus that transports the other nutrients into the plants. If your soil is short on calcium, your plants won't do well.

If your pH is under 6.5 and short on magnesium, you can use dolomite (calcium magnesium carbonate).

If your pH is under 6.5 and okay on magnesium, you can use agricultural lime (calcium carbonate).

If your pH is over 6.5, you can use gypsum (calcium sulfate) which won't raise the pH.

There's also the chance you have nematodes or something, too. Ask your Cooperative Extension Service/Master Gardener if that is an issue in your area. Pump them for their thoughts on your problem, that's what your taxes pay for.

Sue