From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Zurich, Ontario Canada

so do you get take your soil sample befor or after you add cow manure and compost in the fall???

10/9/2011 2:24:36 PM

Mount Vision, NY

Technically you should be doing two soil tests. One in the fall to let you know what amendments you need to add and another in the spring to fine tune before planting.

10/9/2011 2:43:30 PM

Ely Mn

Take your sample before you add anything in the fall.

10/9/2011 3:34:52 PM

Deer Park, WI

Corollary- Should a doctor prescribe a cholesterol-lowering medication before running a cholesterol test or after?

Soil testing is your guide to effective soil management. These tests can take the guesswork out of how much and what kind of amendments your soil needs.

Manure and compost provide three general categories of benefits to soil: microbes, organic matter, and nutrients. Many gardeners mistakenly assume that more is always better. This is not the case.

Excessive dairy manure additions can lead to high phosphorus & potassium levels and a low pH over time. Only a soil test can tell you this.

Im speaking from experience, here. Soil test told me nitrogen, calcium, and organic matter were low, but my P & K are very high. While manure & compost have N & OM, their high levels of P& K will only cause problems in my soil. Thus, I will use other sources (granular nitrogen, gypsum, & leaf/grass mulch) to boost the deficiencies in my soil.

These are the tried and true practices of effective soil management.

10/9/2011 4:07:58 PM