This past year I moved to the place that I'll likely be for the rest of my life. It's a silty clay loam (almost a clay silt loam). The pH is 7.2, the CEC is high, the organic matter content is 12%, the calcium and phosphorus are very good. This place was grazed for the past 40 years and grows the most beautiful grass I've ever seen, but it definitely has some drawbacks:

1. Poor drainage - grey and orange clay about a foot down. I may have to put in drainage. This year was Super Wet, so I'll wait to judge.

2. Lots of blossom end rot on tomatoes and peppers. All plants were well mulched, and the soil amended with compost.

3. Can't grow beets or swiss chard! Most of what I planted did OK, but the chard never grew more than 8 inches tall, and the beets took the full season to get barely bigger than a golf ball. Weird...

Currently I'm making lots of compost (glad to know there are other leaf thieves out there).

I'd love some tips on where to begin my research on this type of soil. I have an inkling that the high pH is "locking things up," but I'm unsure what to do (sulfur?). Please point me in the right direction!

Thanks!

If your lab provided base saturation numbers, your calcium should be roughly 68%. Magnesium--which goes hand-in-hand with calcium--should be about 12%. The relationship of these will affect your soil in two ways. First, calcium will "open up" a soil and promote better aeration and drainage. Magnesium will have the opposite effect--it will tighten the soil. Second, if the relationship between Ca and Mg is out of whack, it will affect the availability of these nutrients to the plant.

The common wisdom suggests that if your pH is low you add lime (calcium) and if it's high you add sulfur. However, in addition to calcium, magnesium and potassium (and sodium) affect pH. In fact, magnesium affects pH 1.66 times more than calcium. So, in other words, it is entirely possible to have a high pH and still need more calcium.

I suspect this is your situation. One indicator is that many grasses (including wheat) are good at foraging for calcium. If you're growing good pasture grass but other crops are faltering, it could be a sign that you have inadequate available calcium. Another indicator is your poor drainage which suggests a "tight" soil. If your soil (mud) builds up on the soles of your boots when you walk in it, this is a sure sign of high magnesium.

If your lab did not run a "base saturation test" I would find a lab that does. I use Logan Labs in Ohio, but there are others that will provide the same service. Then, if you find you have low calcium and/or high magnesium, you'll need to address the problem. When, and if, you have to use lime, remember that dolomite lime contains magnesium as well as calcium. If you're Mg levels are high already, you'll want to use a lime that does not include magnesium--Ag lime or calcium sulfate.

If you have your base saturation numbers already--or any other information from your soil test--I'd be happy to make more specific suggestions. As an alternative, if you don't have the info and/or don't want to re-run the test, ask around at neighboring farms or an nursery/garden center. They might know the predominating soil conditions in your area and be able to make an informed recommendation. If possible though, I'd start with the soil test. BTW, this test was developed (?) and promoted by the soil scientist, William Albrecht. If you Google "Soil Fertility and Animal Health" you can find much more information about the method. I've also included a link to Kinsey Agriculture which is one of today's leading practitioners of the "Albrecht Method." There's a handy FAQ that provides some interesting information along the same lines.

In any event, it sounds like you have a great plot--the soil just needs to be balanced a bit. Once that's accomplished, I imagine you'll be able to grow great crops.

I would echo what nova says about drainage, raised beds, mulching paths. You've described my veggie garden perfectly. Have you been spying? :-]

But production is terrible in my garden, and I think I too should look into what fortyone is talking about with base saturation.

If an area is a bit wettish, and I have dealt some with that, make sure that there are drainage channels to expidite the excess water away from the garden. You can dig channels that are combination drainage and walkways that are parallel to the beds. The dirt removed from the channels goes on top the adjacent beds.

Now that beds are then laid out, they can be continually improved with amendments.

EarthCo. booklet stated: most soil are abundant in magnesium, except for sandy soil. I'm glad to have an informed source like fortyonenorth, many thanks.

Just for information: after the wettest spring on record here in NE Ohio, I dug graded drainage channels in the garden. My beds are 4' wide - 36" of growing space, 12" of path. I made all my paths into drainage - 1 inch of depth over every 10' of length; filled with wood chips sprinkled with feather meal for additional N (I was afraid of the chips stealing N from the soil, but this probly just leached out).

All the paths drained into a couple of 2'x3' "soak-aways." These became ponds full of tadpoles by the end of this crazy summer. The topsoil went into raising the beds, and these stayed "reasonably" dry.

I also added compost and mulched every thing, doing a 1-2" deep tilling after spreading compost and deep mulching with straw or dried grass. I had to buy compost, so I only added about 1-2 inches.

Toxcrusder: I can Never resist the urge to spy on another's garden! (Share the knowledge right?) Where are you? BTW, My tomatoes shook the BER (mostly) after the first set. No problems with my cherries or slicers. Mostly it just affected my pasters, and in particular a Johnny's variety (Mariana). Opalka, Amish Paste, and Striped Roman were fine after the first set. Is Ca uptake temp. dependent I wonder? So much to learn...

FortyoneNorth: Yes, I had a soil test - a super basic one. No base saturation levels. Sounds like a better test is in order. I have been racking my brain to try to remember Albrecht's name. I had read of him in relationship to improving pastures, and in my conceit (and before owning this property), had dismissed him as a "grazer's guy." Thanks so much for mentioning him - That was like some one itching that spot that I just couldn't reach! I am hoping that your estimate of this place is correct; beautiful grass, but there's something that needs balancing.

Today is my long day, and so I have no more time tonight to research, but if I may impose, may I let you all know when I've had a more detailed soil analysis? I will have had time to read up on the Albrecht method, and will be more conversant.

Thanks to all for your kind help!

Kirsten

The first is a website, www.soilminerals.com. There's a lot of good information there on the Albrecht method and the idea of re-mineralizing the soil. It's written for primarily for gardeners--as opposed to large-scale farming--so it is especially appropriate.

Next, Acres USA, www.acresusa.com, inherited the Albrecht papers upon the Author's death and they advocate many of the same principles. They have an archive on their website that includes many interesting and informative articles (http://www.acresusa.com/toolbox/articles.htm).

Finally, if you really want to understand soil and fertility, check your library for Neil Kinsey's book, "Hands on Agronomy." It is intended for farmers--lots of talk about corn and soybeans--but the principles are universal and the writing is very clear and understandable.

Good luck sunkirst and please do check back with any questions!

There's a book written by a gastroenterologist, M.D. who advocated patients to take magnesium supplement, rather than TUMS for an acidic tummy or a heartburn. I tried that and slept better. Thank you, fortyonenorth, for recommending excellent sites to further my understanding of soil chemistry.