Potassium is very low surprising. Phosphorus is very high and Nitrogen is low.
Soil test results
Soil test results
Did a home soil test on my extreme cactus potting soil ! Ph is what 8
Potassium is very low surprising. Phosphorus is very high and Nitrogen is low.
Potassium is very low surprising. Phosphorus is very high and Nitrogen is low.
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- PH, Phosphorus and Nitrogen
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- Potassium
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One Windowsill
- Posts: 544
- Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 5:27 pm
- Location: Manchester
Re: Soil test results
The pH is 8 or above, you might want to get a really wide range pH test and check that. Should be a dollar or less for a little bottle.
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Steve Johnson
- Posts: 4528
- Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2011 4:44 am
- Location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
Re: Soil test results
High pH can be lowered by acidifying the water -- easy enough with 5% white vinegar or citric acid as the acidifier. I'd be more concerned about the high Phosphorus in relation to low Nitrogen and Potassium. Phosphorus should be lower than Nitrogen or Potassium, so I have to wonder about the potting soil you're using. While I could be wrong about that, Phosphorus in the soil is released to the roots of your plants when they take up water, and too much of it will lead to problems -- maybe not anytime soon, but eventually. By the way...
Color me skeptical, but I have some doubts about whether the home test kit results are accurate.
If you just want photos without all the blather, please visit my Flickr gallery.
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
Re: Soil test results
Hi Steve , I don't know for sure but this test kit seems pretty accurate I tested a bunch of different soils. It tests PH , N2, P and K. The K is the most elaborate test and keeps showing very low . P shows very high. N2 varies depending on what I test from zero to high.
Probably wouldn't hurt to get a slow release K .
Probably wouldn't hurt to get a slow release K .
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One Windowsill
- Posts: 544
- Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 5:27 pm
- Location: Manchester
Re: Soil test results
What are the ingredients in your extreme cactus potting soil?
Re: Soil test results
Extreme cactus soil is Pumice + Gravel+ sand + Desert soil + diatomaceous earth + bone meal
Most cactus get organic shifted through window screen( super soil which is ground up forest products , fir trees ? ) added to this extreme cactus soil .
Extreme soil is a start I don't use it for much anymore . Too extreme not enough CE buffering. Seemed to work well for Epithelanthas and other extreme desert cactus.
The mix with organic is about PH 7 same as my garden soil. I think I will add a product called green sand to the mix to add a slow release K to go along with the Bone meal which is probably the source of the P. I don't worry about N too much and I do fertilize a few times a year.
Weird my garden soil tested zero N2 .
Most cactus get organic shifted through window screen( super soil which is ground up forest products , fir trees ? ) added to this extreme cactus soil .
Extreme soil is a start I don't use it for much anymore . Too extreme not enough CE buffering. Seemed to work well for Epithelanthas and other extreme desert cactus.
The mix with organic is about PH 7 same as my garden soil. I think I will add a product called green sand to the mix to add a slow release K to go along with the Bone meal which is probably the source of the P. I don't worry about N too much and I do fertilize a few times a year.
Weird my garden soil tested zero N2 .
Re: Soil test results
Hello Keith,
I do grow my more valuable and also root rot prone cacti in a very coarse, all mineral growing medium. It does contain granite chicken grit, small pumice, and some coarse sand from our local arroyos.
I used to feed the plants with MiracleGro 15-30-15 bloom booster water soluble fertilizer, because I had learned over 40 years ago, when I was in graduate school, majoring in horticulture, that phosphorus is the most important macronutrient, required for flowers and fruit production of plants.
Steve Johnson and Mike from Australia both agreed, that my fertilizer regimen is not the most beneficial for cacti.
So I went ahead and purchased a 1-gallon jug of DynaGro 7-7-7 fertilizer. Because I only have to use 1 teaspoon/2 gallons water in my watering can, this one gallon should last me for quite a long time. I am going to fertilize each time while watering, because I do not have any significant nutrient quantity in the basically inert growing medium I use. To increase the potassium Steve and Mike suggested, that I should add 1/4 teaspoon potassium sulfate to each 2 gallon filling of my watering can.
I did go ahead and ordered 10 lbs of potassium sulfate. That should last me the rest of my life for sure, if I only use it for my cactus plants.
I purchased the potassium sulfate through Amazon.com. It arrived in fine granular form and easily dissolves in water. The producer is Alpha Chemicals and the price was $23.99. You can also buy just 1 pound, but that costs $8.99, while 5 pounds is selling for $15.99, and 20 lbs for $29.99.
Because we do have Amazon Prime, I did not have to pay for shipping charges.
I do have on average a pH of 8.0 for my tap water, I also do acidify my irrigation water for the cacti. I do use 4 table spoons of vinegar (5% acetic acid) for each 2 gallon load of water. If you can purchase citric acid, you will need less of that substance in order to reduce the pH to between 6 and 5. The application of chemical fertilizers will also lower the pH and the addition of more potassium sulfate should also have the same effect.
I did read the evaluations of the potassium sulfate, which was pretty high. The only negative reviews came from people, who had tried to apply this chemical with broadcast spreaders. Because the regular granular fertilizers are much coarser, the fine granules of the potassium sulfate will not evenly be distributed, because they have a tendency to migrate to the bottom of the spreader. Because I do use fertilizers, easily soluble in water and the small quantity of potassium sulfate readily dissolves in water also, no agitation is necessary for either one.
Harald
I do grow my more valuable and also root rot prone cacti in a very coarse, all mineral growing medium. It does contain granite chicken grit, small pumice, and some coarse sand from our local arroyos.
I used to feed the plants with MiracleGro 15-30-15 bloom booster water soluble fertilizer, because I had learned over 40 years ago, when I was in graduate school, majoring in horticulture, that phosphorus is the most important macronutrient, required for flowers and fruit production of plants.
Steve Johnson and Mike from Australia both agreed, that my fertilizer regimen is not the most beneficial for cacti.
So I went ahead and purchased a 1-gallon jug of DynaGro 7-7-7 fertilizer. Because I only have to use 1 teaspoon/2 gallons water in my watering can, this one gallon should last me for quite a long time. I am going to fertilize each time while watering, because I do not have any significant nutrient quantity in the basically inert growing medium I use. To increase the potassium Steve and Mike suggested, that I should add 1/4 teaspoon potassium sulfate to each 2 gallon filling of my watering can.
I did go ahead and ordered 10 lbs of potassium sulfate. That should last me the rest of my life for sure, if I only use it for my cactus plants.
I purchased the potassium sulfate through Amazon.com. It arrived in fine granular form and easily dissolves in water. The producer is Alpha Chemicals and the price was $23.99. You can also buy just 1 pound, but that costs $8.99, while 5 pounds is selling for $15.99, and 20 lbs for $29.99.
Because we do have Amazon Prime, I did not have to pay for shipping charges.
I do have on average a pH of 8.0 for my tap water, I also do acidify my irrigation water for the cacti. I do use 4 table spoons of vinegar (5% acetic acid) for each 2 gallon load of water. If you can purchase citric acid, you will need less of that substance in order to reduce the pH to between 6 and 5. The application of chemical fertilizers will also lower the pH and the addition of more potassium sulfate should also have the same effect.
I did read the evaluations of the potassium sulfate, which was pretty high. The only negative reviews came from people, who had tried to apply this chemical with broadcast spreaders. Because the regular granular fertilizers are much coarser, the fine granules of the potassium sulfate will not evenly be distributed, because they have a tendency to migrate to the bottom of the spreader. Because I do use fertilizers, easily soluble in water and the small quantity of potassium sulfate readily dissolves in water also, no agitation is necessary for either one.
Harald
Re: Soil test results
Keith,keith wrote: ↑Mon Nov 23, 2020 1:12 am Hi Steve , I don't know for sure but this test kit seems pretty accurate I tested a bunch of different soils. It tests PH , N2, P and K. The K is the most elaborate test and keeps showing very low . P shows very high. N2 varies depending on what I test from zero to high.
Probably wouldn't hurt to get a slow release K .
Does the test indicate whether the P it shows is ''available P'' or just P present in the soil. P can be locked in clay and unavailable to the plant even though there is plenty there. Also bone meal is high in P
Re: Soil test results
Hi Harold ,
I wrote a big long paragraph and it disappeared . briefly I tried the hydroponic no fines in the soil and the results were poor so I am back to using soil in my mix and don't worry about fertilizer ratios as much as because of the soil acts as a buffer. I use Miracle grow all purpose plant food diluted a couple times a year. I might try green sand as a slow form of K. Or a small amount of potassium sulfate that could work also probably last a lifetime I could use it on my garden also.
Hi Mike,
Available it reads in the manual. this is geared towards the farmer lbs per acre, etc. says potassium is common except in sandy soils. Phosphorus less common except in my garden .
"La Motte Soil Test Kit results corresponded to those from the analytical laboratory for pH and all nutrients (94% of the tests matched). This kit is suitable for growers, cooperative extension personnel, and university-level laboratory classes because it proved to be accurate over a wide pH range. The individual extractants and indicators for each test, although accurate, may be cumbersome for the home gardener, however."
I wrote a big long paragraph and it disappeared . briefly I tried the hydroponic no fines in the soil and the results were poor so I am back to using soil in my mix and don't worry about fertilizer ratios as much as because of the soil acts as a buffer. I use Miracle grow all purpose plant food diluted a couple times a year. I might try green sand as a slow form of K. Or a small amount of potassium sulfate that could work also probably last a lifetime I could use it on my garden also.
Hi Mike,
Available it reads in the manual. this is geared towards the farmer lbs per acre, etc. says potassium is common except in sandy soils. Phosphorus less common except in my garden .
"La Motte Soil Test Kit results corresponded to those from the analytical laboratory for pH and all nutrients (94% of the tests matched). This kit is suitable for growers, cooperative extension personnel, and university-level laboratory classes because it proved to be accurate over a wide pH range. The individual extractants and indicators for each test, although accurate, may be cumbersome for the home gardener, however."
Last edited by keith on Mon Nov 23, 2020 7:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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One Windowsill
- Posts: 544
- Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 5:27 pm
- Location: Manchester
Re: Soil test results
Perhaps leave out the bonemeal and just have a few decorative cow skulls on top of the soil. Get that proper desert ambience.
Re: Soil test results
Cow skulls with lights for the eyes