CAROL LINK: Soil testing a vital step for growing vegetables
Published: Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 2:23 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 2:25 p.m.
Now that all threat of frost is behind us in this area, it’s time to get those vegetable plants in the ground.
The first step is to prepare the soil for planting. A good idea is to conduct a soil pH test a few weeks before planting time.
Soil testing supplies and instructions are available at your local Cooperative Extension System office. Follow the instructions to collect a sample and send the collected soil to the Auburn Soil Testing Lab in the material provided. (The address is listed). A fee is charged for the test.
When your test results arrive, you will learn your soil’s pH, which will be listed on the information sheet.
On a scale of 0 through 14, a pH of 7 is neutral. Any number below 7 indicates acidity. A number above 7 indicates alkalinity.
The soil’s pH level is important when growing vegetables. If soil is overly acidic or alkaline, both major minerals (such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) and minor minerals (such as calcium and potassium) will be unavailable to plants.
Correcting a deficiency depends upon whether the soil is overly acidic or alkaline. The Soil Testing Lab will give you a pH level that is best for the crop or crops you listed on the information sheet that accompanied your soil test.
• TO RAISE ACIDITY: The lab will specify the amount of limestone to add to acidic soil to raise its pH. This sometimes is referred to as “sweetening the soil.”
• TO LOWER ALKALINITY: Incorporate sulfur into soil. The soil testing lab will recommend the correct amount to apply to bring your soil’s pH to the ideal range for most vegetables and flowers.
The lab also will provide instructions for correcting the level of additional minerals in the soil. If the soil is deficient in phosphorus, potassium, calcium or magnesium, recommendations will be provided for introducing that nutrient as well.
All these corrections should be incorporated into the top six inches of soil near the surface of the bed.
In addition to nutrients, organic material is needed in soil to provide texture, which allows oxygen and water to move through the soil and become available to a plant’s root system.
Some organic materials that can be incorporated into soil for texture and nutrition are animal manures (aged horse and cow manure and aged chicken liter) or worm castings. Homemade compost, shredded leaves and cover crops also provide texture and nutrients.
Carol (Bonnie) Link is an Etowah County Master Gardener and an experienced garden writer. Her weekly column is designed to help and encourage others in their gardening endeavors. Send questions or comments to email@example.com.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.