I just received my soil sample results back. Who knows how to read them? It gives me a recommend amount per acre for the crops I am going to plant. Is it as easy at it seems? Go with the recommend fertilizer? My soil acidity is 5.6 and 5.7 in the 2 plots. The results also gives a recommended lime application (tons/acre) = 0.5. I assume I would just go with that too? If so sweet! I'm to get to work!! Also, any help/advice is always appreciated. I have attached my soil sample test as well.
An acre equals 43,560 sq. ft. Divide your plot size in sq.ft by 43,560 and that is your acreage. Multiply that number by your recommendations and that will tell you how much to apply.
This is spot on thank you for the math formula much more accurate than trying to compare it to as a percentage of a football field.
Chris, Go with what they recommend. It does not have to be perfect and in case of lime a little extra doesn't hurt especially if you have a lot of pines around the plot.
Awesome! I was hoping that's all there was too it but wasn't exactly sure what the numbers under the recommendations meant. Once I get the plot soils up to par then we'll have some mighty nice looking food!
This site will help you understand what everything is. http://www.ncagr.gov/agronomi/pdffiles/ustr.pdf I'd go ahead and apply a ton per acre to the plots, most lime isn't efficient enough to cause a problem and like was said before, better to err on the high side. That PH looks really low, no idea why their recommendation is that low...then again I also don't know what you are planting. Most lime applicators don't like to apply less than a ton per acre. I'd also go ahead with the recommended amounts on N, P and K...your mineral levels look okay.
But wait there's more!!!...... For you small acreage plot guys, lets say you need 30 lbs/ acre of K (Potassium). You have a 1/4 acre plot. 30 x .25 = 7.5 lbs you need 7.5 lbs of K You find that they sell bags of 0-0-60. that equals 60 % K/bag. That means that 60% of the bag you're buying is K. Therefore .6X = 7.5 X =7.5/.6 X = 12.5 You need 12.5 lbs of a bag that is labeled 0-0-60 for your 1/4 acre food plot.
Perfect! You answered my next question. I'll do some calculations after church and run them by you guys, see if they make sense. thanks again for the help yall.
How about 10-10-10? or 13-13-13. what percentages are those? 10% and 13% of each, respectively? If so, where's the other 60+%??
Triple fertilizer will work okay, I used it for years in generic applications but it's not tailor made to fit according to your soil tests and as such it's an inefficient way to go about it as you're actually buying and using nutrients that your soil test shows you don't need. If you go far enough, in some cases too much of one or another nutrient can harm your specific desired crop. This site will explain a lot to you: http://www.ncagr.gov/cyber/kidswrld/plant/label.htm The remainder of the bag above the designated nutrients is just filler.
