Re: soil types and pH

Pam,
When I first started taking classes - and the first was on soil - I got very
involved with pH.  Had my little pH meter and kept a record for each area.
But as time wore on I didn't bother checking because - hey the plants were
living.  As to a soil test, You're supposed to take samples from multiple
areas on your property, mix them together, and submit it for testing.  To me
that would seem fine for unamended soil, but after building beds
individually over the years, I doubt they are  uniform and how could the
combined test tell me what bed X needs that bed Y doesn't?  And I'm not
going to pay for 25 individual tests.

In general, though, our soil in neIN is neutral to slightly basic, perhaps
6.5 to 8.  A clay soil, but across the street from me it is sandy from an
ancient river spillway.  You have to continuously amend the soil to keep it
friable.  And to keep the pH lowered for acid loving plants you must
continuously add sulfur as the soil returns to its alkaline state.

My newest beds are dumped.  A soil mix of peat/topsoil/sand brought in and
just dumped on top of (already worked) existing soil to created raised beds.
These drain faster than my other beds and I've never checked the pH (where
IS that meter?)  So it is sort of hard to give a general statement on the
quality of my soil.

Kitty

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pamela J. Evans" <gardenqueen@gbronline.com>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2003 9:08 PM
Subject: [CHAT] soil types and pH


> Just out of sheer curiosuty - what kind of soil does everyone have and
> what pH range? Would be interesting to hear (speaking for myself of
> course).
>
> I've seen, planted in and weeded Jesse's naturally, but I don't know
> what pH she has. I think this is an appropriate topic for this list,
> yes??
>
>
> --
> Pam Evans
> Kemp TX/zone 8A
>
>
>
> --
>
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