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Fertilizer mix #862532

Asked March 26, 2024, 11:17 AM EDT

Hi! I got a soil sample test from MSU and it said I needed 3:0:3. I want to use organic so I looked at Dairy Doo, and they didn't have a mix with this ratio. I talked to someone at a garden center who was from Dairy Do and she said it was OK to use it anyway but I am not sure that is correct. Where can I find an organic fertilizer with this mix os 3:0:3? I just can't seem to find that ratio. Or, do I need to mix some things together to get it? Thanks!

Jackson County Michigan

Expert Response

Jennifer - in reviewing your soil test results, your soil looks generally healthy except for low Potassium and organic matter.  Some garden centers stock 12:0:12 fertilizer which you can use if found.  Your Phosphorous is really high so don't apply a fertilizer where the middle number is anything but 0.  Phosphorous binds with the soil and will not ready go down.

Also, you could apply any fertilizer with both Nitrogen and Potassium (disregarding the 3:0:3 ratio).  Since the Potassium is low, you could also purchase Potassium fertilizer and apply that in addition to the general fertilizer.

Once you find the products, come back to the soil test site and enter the numbers into the Fertilizer Calculator (found under Tools).  The site will calculate how much of each fertilizer to apply in one year for 1,000 square feet based upon your test results.  Don't forget to pro-rate this amount if your area is larger or smaller.  Apply the products as directed on the packages.

Your organic matter is low so see the notes on the soil test results about incorporating organic matter into your soil.  Below is a link to an article with more details about ways to increase the organic matter.  Dairy Doo will help with that.

https://extension.umd.edu/resource/organic-matter-and-soil-amendments/

It will take a couple of years to increase your Potassium and organic matter so you can re-test at that time.  Good job starting with a soil test to better understand the health of your soil. 

Diane - MSU Advanced Extension Master Gardener Replied March 27, 2024, 11:05 AM EDT

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