TOPIC: Depth Of Soil For Testing

Hey you experienced growers, just wondering how deep into the soil I should dig to get soil samples to be tested. Wanting to see now if I should scatter gypsum and/or bonemeal on any of the seed I planted. My woods has very different soil colors/types in just a four acre area so I am wanting to get six different tests done and was wondering if I should just go below the surface to get soil for these tests or go as deep as the root will eventually go. Was thinking shallow since the first year or two is probably the most sensitive for the plant when planting seeds, but then again, will the fine hair roots go deep fast? I planted three year old rootlets from this site and sprinkled gypsum and bonemeal over them but no amendments to the seed's soil.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

jimsenger66,
I am going to place a link in this post telling the proper way to take a soil sample. http://www.ncagr.gov/cyber/kidswrld/plant/soiltest.htm
One of the things that you mentioned was that you planted rootlets and that you spread or sprinkled bone meal on them. If there is some way that you can cover these newly planted rootlets up to protect them, I would advise you to do that as quickly as possible. Possums, skunks , and raccoons can smell this and it is food to them. They will dig up your rootlets and eat them for sure. I have had this happen several times and some others on the board have as well. You're better off using granular fertilizer or liquid type to keep from having this problem if you want to add or amend your soil.

Yes, the fine root hairs will go down quickly if your soil is somewhat loose and fertile. I hope this helps some and good luck with your planting.

Hugh

Hugh,
Thanks, that helped. Seems like they're saying go to the depth the root will.

I will take note to use a liquid phosphorus in the future. Do you think the leaf litter will help cover the smell? It's been over a month since planting so I can only hope the bonemeal is dissolved or lost it's scent before the critters get roused by warmer weather and can smell better again. I guess I will know if I even should have added anything to the soil pretty soon.

Oh, and thanks for wishing me luck. Wanted to take this endevor on years ago and now wish I had. I could be harvesting now! At least I finally got the ball a rollin'. Reckon I better plant a pound or so seeds every year now. Hoping them rootlets will produce seeds soon. Some of them were bigger than the wild roots I dug this year!

Hugh,
Checked on the roots I planted this fall and so far so good on critters digging. No damage...yet. Hopefully they stay over on neibors property cleaning up under their deer feeders. I will definitely have my hands full keeping deer off my seng as my cameras have been getting a lot of deer shots. Anyone have any proven remedies to keep the antlered terrorists out of my seng next year?

jimsenger66,

Glad to hear that you have fared well so far with the critters. Maybe there are enough acorns this season and food that your neighbor is providing to give the soaking rains time enough to wash the traces of the bone meal away. Let's hope that is the case.
In regard to the deer:If you can tell what route their using you can tie up some mono fishing line between trees or post. That may slow them down a bit. If you have to, you can try shooting in the air to scare them one night. If the problem goes beyond that, I'm sure you know how to lower your aim.

No eBay APP ID défined in Kunena configurationThat's a good idea with the string alone. I can picture them deer wondering what the heck is touching them. I was thinking of using these if I can only find a way to waterproof them. They might help against would-be poachers as well:

jimsenger66,
That little item looks like it could be as effective as firing a shot. I would be very cautious about having those things exploding over the top of dried leaves. You could set your patch on fire. That would really move the deer out.

Hugh

Good call. I didn't consider that. That would really be a lose-lose situation.

Well, I got my soil analysis back today. Took samples in six sections of the woods and four of the six have too high of ph. Two were 6.5, one was 6.1, and one was very high at 6.9. Calcium was from 4482 @ 5.6 ph to 11,602 @ 6.5 ph. All six locations needed 50 lbs/acre of nitrogen and from 70-100 lbs/acre of phosphate. So they recommended bone meal and blood meal to up the nutrients. Sounds real good going all organic but will the critters completely wreak havoc on the ground thinking there is dead critters everywhere?

Well, same day I got my soil analysis back I got the copy of Scott Person's updated book I ordered couple weeks back and have gotten a lot of good info from it so far. Also got the answer to the last question I asked so it's time to let nature do her thing and keep the wild in wild simulated. Very nice book! I'm really blessed to have the different soil pH locations in so few acres. Now I get to do my own learning on what areas will do best, and that's where I will put the most plants in. Then I know what soil pH and nutrient results to look for in future land purchases.

That book you got is sorta the \"bible\" for a lot of us. has a tremendous amount to good info in it.

\"Calcium was from 4482 @ 5.6 ph to 11,602 @ 6.5 ph\"

As you posted there, Your Ca level is outstanding, and possibly a bit high. What you posted is in which rating: PPM or PPA? Some soils analysis report in Part Per Million [PPM], some in Parts Per Acre [PPA]. when looking at soils addendum, it makes a difference when doing your pondering on which direction to take.

You are correct in that high pH isn't desirable. however our fav herb grows in a variety of pH values, as long as the other micronutrients are condusive.

Did your soils analysis cost you a lot? Here in NC, if I use the NCDEPT of AG , it's free for most of the year.