TOPIC: Depth Of Soil For Testing

Whitjr:
That book of Scott's and Jeanine's is very awesome. Got the 2014 edition. Read it from front to back.

Where I am in Ohio, here (and maybe the whole state for that fact) they don't do the soil samples in state but send them to Penn State for analysis. Have no idea why. They have the calcium in pounds per acre. I was wondering if there was such a thing as too much calcium as two locations were very very high. I have found no literature that shows a high end of the calcium range as to it causing harm. I guess I will find out as I planted some everywhere in my woods. I have noticed fellow seng growers here making well with higher pH so we will see how mine does. Not gonna lower it until I see results.

The analysis cost $12 per sample. A relatively low cost for the end result in my opinion. Prefer to have it cost what yours does though! Just went out last Friday and got a control sample from the best wild patch (all day hike) I ever found in my life. They were dark green with tough leaves and huge roots. Heavy berry count too, and a slew of 'em to boot! Got soil from five spots in that area and mixed 'em up well. Took that soil sample in yesterday so I'm anxiously waiting on them results to compare to my soil results.

Jim

I try to do three samples on each patch yearly. that's three on the upper, three on the middle, and three on the lower [all both right and left side] for a total or six samples in each patch, three times a year. NC does not charge me for this as song as i don't submit samples in peak season. If it was not free, It's unlikely that i'd utilize it so much.

doing it in this way, I can calibrate my soils addendum of ONLY organic materials, like gypsum and the seaweed spray i use. I am keeping to the organics addendums and documenting all of that stuff so our product can eventually get a Bio-organics certfication. MOre on that later...

Agreed on nor lowering your pH yet. I understand that it's easier to lower it however once lowered is difficult to bring it back in case you over shoot. I have found that raising the pH is tricky as well.

High levels of Ca are desirable, as far as I can tell from readings and postings here. I have the opposite problem, and have to raise my Ca, hence the regular addition of gypsum on my patches.