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New Hampshire, USA

of nitrogen I want to raise it to 30ppm, how many pounds of what percent nitrogen do I need to add?

11/7/2009 11:17:21 PM

[email protected]

I can't stand this time of year. LOL

Most growers do not understand the soil Nitrogen cycle. Most fertilizer suppliers don't either. Many lab techs don't talk about N either - FOR THE SAME REASONS.

Nitrogen levels on soil test reports cannot be taken with anything more than a grain of salt. The labs don't actually extract the gaseous N. Rather the labs estimate soil N based on the percent organic matter.

If someone had a special test performed to extract available Nitrogen right now; it would be markedly different just days later. Nitrogen really is this volatile.

When N is recommended it is only because the percent organic matter was found to be low. Adding manure, compost, leaves, Peat, etc now will have a profound yet undocumented value on spring Nitrogen needs. Labs don't extract N, then work recommendations from a standard value.

No matter who claims otherwise, this is how it is. IF a lab extracts N, the sample would require special handling. If they claim different, please have them contact me.

Steve

11/9/2009 6:35:35 PM

[email protected]

PS, There is a soils board where your inquiry would have yielded a quicker response. I let it languish 2 days as a 'penalty".

Really...LAUGHING in the most pleasant way possible.

11/9/2009 6:41:01 PM

Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

Tremor, thanks for that reply. You make the whole nitrogen/soil test thing make a lot more sense!

11/10/2009 1:25:01 AM