Knowledgebase
Please help understanding soil sample results #750799
Asked May 19, 2021, 9:36 AM EDT
Grand Isle County Vermont
Expert Response
The only amendment I would recommend is agricultural sulfur at the maximum rate of just 1/4 lb per 100 square feet. This will help slowly lower the pH toward the 6.5-6.8 which is considered ideal. Buy a 5 or 10 lb bag and you can apply the same amount both spring and fall for several years. Many soils are deficient in sulfur since we got control of acid rain the the 1970's and 80's. Yours is average for Vermont but lower than I'd like to see it. Re-test the soil in 3-4 years.
Finally, the nitrogen requirement for most vegetable crops will be met from the large pool of organic matter and I see no need to add any nitrogen. If you grow some hungry plants like corn and tomatoes then perhaps a light application of blood meal at 1 cup per 100 square feet is in order. You could do that at planting and again 6 weeks later. Fish fertilizer is a good choice, too, applied as directed on the label.
On May 19, 2021, at 7:45 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
I'm glad to know you are open to suggestion on soil management. I would not recommend tilling clay in the garden, rather the approach I recommend is to encourage "biological tilling" done by soil life (from fungi to earthworms to toads) and plant roots. This will take time, but in my opinion it is worth the wait. This approach uses cover crops, mulches and diverse plantings to encourage diversity above and below ground to improve the health of both.
I'd like to recommend one video produced by Mass-NOFA (Northeast Organic Farmers Association) of a talk by Sharon Gensler. She manages a farm but she treats it as a garden. Which is to say she treats it gently and with intention.
In answer to your specific question about nitrogen fertilizer you should pick one or use both but cut the application rate in half. You should be able to find ag-sulfur at a good farm store or you can certainly order online.