Soil testing

[miss_thenorth]

I have just built a raised bed, and filled it in primarily with horse poo. The stuff I got, I thinkshould be aged enough. I am also going to add a load of either topsoil or compost.

The closest place to me who does soil testing is about an hour away, so therefore, I am not going to take in a sample. The soil test kits that I have found that I can buy just test ph. Is this sufficient enough to know how to amend it?

What would be the recommended amendment, if it is just a bit hot? Would you go for topsoil, or compost? I am hoping to be planting by next weekend.

Thanks!

 

[digitS']

With such major additions to your growing area, I don't see how a soil test would have much validity, Miss.

The horse poo will decompose and whatever was true this year, won't be true in '10.

Horse isn't the highest nitrogen manure, by far. If you have good topsoil available, that sounds like it should provide some balance (hard for me think of soil as an "amendment" ).

I'm a believer in good topsoil. Yes, you can grow things in "pure" compost but in a season or 2, it will decompose to absolutely nothing. The nutrients that are naturally available in topsoil can go on and on. I hope you have some good soil under the raised bed. Even annual veggies have quite a reach with their roots and can get down and make use of soil to a considerable depth.

Steve

 

[patandchickens]

I wouldn't bother testing either, personally. But I would make sure to add *topsoil* not compost (nor a compost-heavy triple mix)... there *is* such a thing as TOO MUCH organic matter for good plant growth.

I'd suggest thoroughly mix in some topsoil (if you can get good stuff, i.e. reasonably weed-free and not filled with herbicides) and plant your plants. They'll be fine.

If you really want to be all test-y about it, test it next spring a few weeks before planting, once things have settled down into their groove.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[miss_thenorth]

Thanks! I got topsoil. Underneath the raised bed is clay--the kind that potters could make pottery from. It was rototilled last year, the bed is raised up about 8 ", so I'll add this load (still need two more), and rototill it all in. Hopefully it will turn out all right. Nothing worse tahn planitng all your stuff and having the growth stunted my too much nitrogen. And yes Steve, normally, topsoil isn't the amendment, it is weird to think of it that way, but next year, the manure will be the amendment.

Thanks again!!