Sending my compost and worm castings to a lab...

[greasemonkeymann]

Still no Lab Results yet!!! I am not going to use these guys again!

shit you'll probably see the different mix doing better before getting those lab tests back
could be worse though man
you could be waiting a long-ass time for a different kind of lab test to come back....
"i'm sorry sir, those bumps are only acquired via unprotected sex ,but don't worry, they multiply slowly"

 

[MustangStudFarm]

ummmm, alright man.. is your THC laden brain forgetting about the whole, ummm, blowing a 3-1 game advantage against fuck-head LeBron and his shitty no good teammates...
that coffee cup man... it was jinxed.
I blame your wife
hahah

I guess that we are both sore from last season! We blew a 3-1 lead against your team, then lost a MVP player. I dont think that I will buy anymore team related coffee mugs, or should I? I'll send you a KD jersey or something lol.... The houses in Napa dont sell as fast as I thought. I would need a down payment but this is very close to my price range. I dont blame Kevin Durant, who would want to stay in OKC compared to San Francisco Bay area!

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/107-Parkview-Ln_Napa_CA_94558_M20435-88062#photo0

 

[MustangStudFarm]

I am going to be a crazy old man by the time my test results come back! I even checked my Spam. WTF was I doing again?

 

[MustangStudFarm]

shit you'll probably see the different mix doing better before getting those lab tests back
could be worse though man
you could be waiting a long-ass time for a different kind of lab test to come back....
"i'm sorry sir, those bumps are only acquired via unprotected sex ,but don't worry, they multiply slowly"

Hey man, I finally got my results back!!!.

- Routine Test - - Secondary Nutrients - - Micronutrients - pH: 6.9 SO4-S (lbs/A) Fe (ppm): 11.1 Buffer Index: Surface: 380 Zn (ppm): 12.9 NO3-N (lbs/A): Subsoil: B (ppm): 1.8 Surface: 549 Ca (lbs/A): 7565 Cu (ppm): 0.9 Subsoil: Mg (lbs/A): 1634 Cl (lbs/A): Soil Test P Index: 912 (456 ppm) Soil Test K Index: 1633 (816 ppm)

Comments: pH—OK, the pH range for vegetables is 5.5-7.0. DO NOT APPLY ANY FERTILIZER UNTIL SUMMER 2017! ALL NUTRIENTS IN EXTREME EXCESS. NITROGEN Apply 3 lbs of 34-0-0 or other equivalent per 1,000 ft². This fertilizer supplies Nitrogen alone and induces dark green vegetative growth. It is very susceptible to leaching with not much carry over from year- to year. Use blood meal or feather meal as an organic alternative Apply above every other month during the growing season for flowers and vegetables. Water immediately after applying fertilizer. PHOSPHORUS--EXCESSIVE--Index is over 65. Do not apply anything containing P until recommended by a future soil test. Use manures and compost sparingly POTASSIUM--EXCESSIVE--Index is over 300. Do not apply anything containing K until recommended by a future soil test. Use manure and compost sparingly, do not apply fireplace ashes Retest in 3-5 years. All micronutrients are sufficient for plant growth.

 

[MustangStudFarm]

Oh, this copy and paste does not look good! I was e-mailed a PDF file and I would share it if I wasnt being a dummy right now.

This is my rabbit manure/leaf mold/worm bin results...

TEST As Received As Received lbs/ton Dry Basis lbs/ton Moisture Dry Matter pH EC Soluble Salts: Total N Phosphorus (P2O5) Potassium (K2O) Calcium (Ca) Magnesium (Mg) Sodium (Na) Sulfur (S) Iron (Fe) Zinc (Zn) Copper (Cu) Manganese (Mn) Total C 67.2 % 32.8 % 8.0 1437 µS/cm 962.8 ppm 1.9 5.9 0.74 % 14.8 45.1 2.52 % 50.4 153.4 0.27 % 5.4 16.3 2.86 % 57.2 174.2 0.48 % 9.5 29.0 0.06 % 1.1 3.5 0.18 % 4 11 1338.4 ppm 2.7 8.1 252.9 ppm 0.5 1.5 37.8 ppm 0.1 0.2 266 ppm 0.5 1.6 8.71 % 174.2 530.4

 

[MustangStudFarm]

Like I said, let me see if I can present this better. It's hard to read like this...

 

[MustangStudFarm]

Yeah, now it has our name and address all over everything in the PDF...

 

[greasemonkeymann]

Hey man, I finally got my results back!!!.

- Routine Test - - Secondary Nutrients - - Micronutrients - pH: 6.9 SO4-S (lbs/A) Fe (ppm): 11.1 Buffer Index: Surface: 380 Zn (ppm): 12.9 NO3-N (lbs/A): Subsoil: B (ppm): 1.8 Surface: 549 Ca (lbs/A): 7565 Cu (ppm): 0.9 Subsoil: Mg (lbs/A): 1634 Cl (lbs/A): Soil Test P Index: 912 (456 ppm) Soil Test K Index: 1633 (816 ppm)

Comments: pH—OK, the pH range for vegetables is 5.5-7.0. DO NOT APPLY ANY FERTILIZER UNTIL SUMMER 2017! ALL NUTRIENTS IN EXTREME EXCESS. NITROGEN Apply 3 lbs of 34-0-0 or other equivalent per 1,000 ft². This fertilizer supplies Nitrogen alone and induces dark green vegetative growth. It is very susceptible to leaching with not much carry over from year- to year. Use blood meal or feather meal as an organic alternative Apply above every other month during the growing season for flowers and vegetables. Water immediately after applying fertilizer. PHOSPHORUS--EXCESSIVE--Index is over 65. Do not apply anything containing P until recommended by a future soil test. Use manures and compost sparingly POTASSIUM--EXCESSIVE--Index is over 300. Do not apply anything containing K until recommended by a future soil test. Use manure and compost sparingly, do not apply fireplace ashes Retest in 3-5 years. All micronutrients are sufficient for plant growth.

holy crap man, that's insane, so they all are excessive except nitrogen?
and they suggest adding 3 lbs of it?!
all the "ppms" mean very little to my brain, I don't know whats normal for those, sorta hydroponics stuff there...
was that rabbit manure just BLASTED with nutrients or what?

 

[calliandra]

Yeah, now it has our name and address all over everything in the PDF...

Take a screenshot and edit out what you want to keep private?

 

[greasemonkeymann]

Like I said, let me see if I can present this better. It's hard to read like this...

maybe cut that soil in half with promix or something?
never had an issue with too rich of a soil but i'd speculate that you cut cut it in half or thirds with some peat and aeration?

 

[calliandra]

holy crap man, that's insane, so they all are excessive except nitrogen?
and they suggest adding 3 lbs of it?!
all the "ppms" mean very little to my brain, I don't know whats normal for those, sorta hydroponics stuff there...
was that rabbit manure just BLASTED with nutrients or what?

yeah sick amounts - just comparing the index values with their "above x", which seems to be the maximum that should be in there. five fold K, and 14 fold P? lmao!!!

 

[MustangStudFarm]

Soil
ph 6.9
NO3-N 549 lbs/acre
p index 912 (456ppm)
k index 1633 (816ppm)
SO4-S 380 lbs/acre
ca 7565 lbs/acre
mg 1634 lbs/acre
Fe 11.1 ppm
Zn 12.9 ppm
B 1.8 ppm
Cu .9 ppm

Compost
moisture 67.2%
dry matter 32.8%
ph 8
EC 1437 uS/cm
soluble salts 962.8ppm
total N .74%
P 2.52%
K .27%
Ca 2.86%
Mg .48%
Na.06%
S .18%
Fe 1338.4 ppm
Zn 252.9 ppm
Cu 37.8 ppm
Mn 266 ppm
Total C 8.71%

 

[greasemonkeymann]

yeah sick amounts - just comparing the index values with their "above x", which seems to be the maximum that should be in there. five fold K, and 14 fold P? lmao!!!

maybe good ole 'stang is adding PK boosters and not tellin anyone??
wahahahahhaha!!!
ok guys and gals, I'm off for the weekend, try not to burn the place down ok?

 

[MustangStudFarm]

Hey MSF, what kind of test are they doing on your soil? Morgan, Modified Morgan, Bray, Olson, Mehlich 1, 2 or 3, Ammonium Acetate, etc? And what all are they testing for? I'd recommend the Mehlich 3 AND ammonium acetate pH8.2 tests if you can get them which should include several of the minor nutrients tested for including sulfur, boron, copper, iron, manganese and zinc as well as the major cations and anions. I'd ask to get silica/silicon tested for also.

I finally got the results back, I think that it has been more than 3 weeks and I will use the other company that you suggested next time. Should I try to "fix" my soil and send it back to get tested again?

 

[rikdabrick]

I finally got the results back, I think that it has been more than 3 weeks and I will use the other company that you suggested next time. Should I try to "fix" my soil and send it back to get tested again?

I'll take a look at it later tonight. I have to go back through the thread and see what kind of tests they were again.

Glancing through the numbers I didn't see the cation exchange capacity. Did you put it on here? It can be abbreviated CEC, TCEC or TEC. That is a vital number. Unfortunately the CEC won't be accurate for your compost with the pH being 8. That's where you would want to request the ammonium acetate pH 8.2 test. Let me know if I missed the CEC number.

 

[Fastslappy]

my suggestion is take a test plant one strain that you know & plant in the soil y'll know fairly quickly if it too hot

 

[MustangStudFarm]

Soil Test:

Notes from the soil test


Manure Test

 

[MustangStudFarm]

I'll take a look at it later tonight. I have to go back through the thread and see what kind of tests they were again.

Glancing through the numbers I didn't see the cation exchange capacity. Did you put it on here? It can be abbreviated CEC, TCEC or TEC. That is a vital number. Unfortunately the CEC won't be accurate for your compost with the pH being 8. That's where you would want to request the ammonium acetate pH 8.2 test. Let me know if I missed the CEC number.

I only see an EC# on the manure test. I will probably try to fix this soil and send it to the lab that you suggested! I am not waiting 3+ weeks for results again!!!

 

[rikdabrick]

Huh? That's weird, no report on CEC. That's weird. Can you call the lab and ask them if they know what the cation exchange capacity is? I regularly have to call labs and ask them questions and they have always been helpful.

And just FYI, here's an idea of how different tests can give you different results. These are two reports of the same soil samples. The top report results are from a Mehlich 3 (M3) test and the bottom is from an ammonium acetate pH8.2 (AApH8.2) test. If you look a few lines down on each report you'll see the "Total Exchange Capapcity". In the top M3 results the "Greenhouse" soil has an artificially high TEC because the pH is 7.0. A pH of 7.0 or higher is not going to give accurate TEC (or CEC or TCEC, same things) with a M3 test. The "Field" soil will be accurate though with a pH of 5.5.

And it's opposite on the bottom report. The "Greenhouse" soil will have an accurate TEC, but the field soil will be artificially low.

Knowing the TEC, CEC, TCEC is vital to making adjustments to your soil. It's basically the battery of your soil and tells you the quantity of minerals you're soil can hold/is holding. All adjustments are made based off the CEC. Also the CEC is going to determine how you work with the soil. A low CEC soil is going to be easier to change the amount of minerals on the cation exchange sites, but it also won't be able to hold on to many either. It's kind of like a Porche. You can make quick turns in mineral directions, but it's not made for road trips so minerals will needed to be added more often. Soil with a high CEC is made for the long haul. It will hold onto to a lot of minerals. Also it takes a lot of mineral weight to fill in the cation sites, but once they're there it will last a long time. It's hard to move the the ratios of minerals in high CEC soil also and it has to be dialed in well to get the best results, but high CEC soil is great when dialed in.

Neither of these two samples below have a very high CEC, just FYI. The greenhouse having a CEC of 7.68 is pretty decent. The field soil having a CEC of 3.41 is pretty low actually which is fine, but it's kind of like growing in hydroponics in the ground. Interestingly the field soil is heavy clay soil. It's from a wet, humid tropical area. It's not uncommon though to find acidic low CEC soils in wet tropical regions. Some of the wettest tropical areas in S. America



I'm running out of time right now, but I'll see if I can figure out some numbers for you. Most likely gypsum and lime or cutting in more soil will be the answer.

 

[ttystikk]

Huh? That's weird, no report on CEC. That's weird. Can you call the lab and ask them if they know what the cation exchange capacity is? I regularly have to call labs and ask them questions and they have always been helpful.

And just FYI, here's an idea of how different tests can give you different results. These are two reports of the same soil samples. The top report results are from a Mehlich 3 (M3) test and the bottom is from an ammonium acetate pH8.2 (AApH8.2) test. If you look a few lines down on each report you'll see the "Total Exchange Capapcity". In the top M3 results the "Greenhouse" soil has an artificially high TEC because the pH is 7.0. A pH of 7.0 or higher is not going to give accurate TEC (or CEC or TCEC, same things) with a M3 test. The "Field" soil will be accurate though with a pH of 5.5.

And it's opposite on the bottom report. The "Greenhouse" soil will have an accurate TEC, but the field soil will be artificially low.

Knowing the TEC, CEC, TCEC is vital to making adjustments to your soil. It's basically the battery of your soil and tells you the quantity of minerals you're soil can hold/is holding. All adjustments are made based off the CEC. Also the CEC is going to determine how you work with the soil. A low CEC soil is going to be easier to change the amount of minerals on the cation exchange sites, but it also won't be able to hold on to many either. It's kind of like a Porche. You can make quick turns in mineral directions, but it's not made for road trips so minerals will needed to be added more often. Soil with a high CEC is made for the long haul. It will hold onto to a lot of minerals. Also it takes a lot of mineral weight to fill in the cation sites, but once they're there it will last a long time. It's hard to move the the ratios of minerals in high CEC soil also and it has to be dialed in well to get the best results, but high CEC soil is great when dialed in.

Neither of these two samples below have a very high CEC, just FYI. The greenhouse having a CEC of 7.68 is pretty decent. The field soil having a CEC of 3.41 is pretty low actually which is fine, but it's kind of like growing in hydroponics in the ground. Interestingly the field soil is heavy clay soil. It's from a wet, humid tropical area. It's not uncommon though to find acidic low CEC soils in wet tropical regions. Some of the wettest tropical areas in S. America
View attachment 3850469
View attachment 3850470

I'm running out of time right now, but I'll see if I can figure out some numbers for you. Most likely gypsum and lime or cutting in more soil will be the answer.

Good stuff, thanks for the tutorial here!