Bowen Rees

Thanks James and Bryant, I really appreciate your help!

Interesting thoughts about the sodium, hopefully you are right.

A couple more questions:

I was wondering what is a good way to apply the lime; i.e. for sample 2 area, say I need to add 1.4kg of ag lime per sq metre, and 200g SRP per sq metre, how would you recommend applying it? Should I spread the full dose of lime on the surface all at once or do it in batches (that would be far more labour intensive)? And how long to wait before adding the SRP after applying the lime, I have read between 3-6 months from different sources, I obviously don’t want to waste the SRP as it’s reasonably pricey?

Is putting wood chips over the top of the applied lime beneficial in anyway (maybe stop it blowing away in the wind and keeping the soil moist might speed up integration into the soil), as I have a lot of wood-chips piled up atm?

Cheers,
Bowen

Hello all, I just got my soil test results back from Logan Labs and I would appreciate whatever help I can get in interpreting the results, and perhaps some ideas for the best ways to make improvements based off these results.
I have attached my results. I am on 1.5 acres on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia.

I took 3 samples:
1) the first sample ("West") is top soil at the highest elevation of my block which is on the west side
2) the second sample ("East Top") is top soil from the lowest part of my block which is on the east side.
3) the third sample ("East Sub") is the clay sub soil from the lowest part of my block which is on the east side.

I have just read The Intelligent Gardener so my observations are largely based off what I have learnt there.
My observations:

Sample 1 - A reasonable light (lowish TCEC) and very acidic soil, as I already knew from home testing. Magnesium levels look fine, so mostly looks like I need to add quite a bit of lime to fix pH. Also seems to be like a lot of other imbalances, like very low P, low K, and a lot of Fe.

Sample 2 - TCEC 3 times as high as sample 1 and OM% high as well as I'd expected from looking at the soil. Also very acidic, with magnesium being a bit on the high side, and calcium really lacking. This low part of the block is close to an estuary, about 1km inland from the sea, which get's very wet when we have a lot of rain. I am guessing this is the reason the sodium levels here are so high. Any strategies I can use to make this area productive? Could I make raised or mounded garden beds and hope the sodium will eventually be flushed out, or will it continually wick back up into the soil?

Sample 3 - As mentioned, this is the clay subsoil that is about 1m below in the same area as sample 2. I had been hoping to see a high TCEC in this clay so I could dig some up for use else where, but doesn't appear to be the case.


Another question - My iron levels are apparently very high, is that because iron is very available in low pH soils like mine, and will this be remedied by bringing the pH to a more appropriate level?

Please let me know your thoughts and what actions you would take. Thank you

Thanks for the recipe, the pizza looks really good.

Do you think this would cook well on a pizza stone?

I have never used or seen millet flour before, what are some good substitutes for that (buckwheat flour?)?

Angelika Maier wrote:Not so far. I am going to but my beds are planted and it rained. I have to figure out a method to get a sample out that mimics a real tool... I will take Logan labs they are so much cheaper. I know I should buy Australian. I emailed them and it is OK to dry the soil sample in a food dehydrator (my oven would taint the results .

I was looking at Logan Labs since you mentioned now and it doesn't appear to be cheaper to me.

Logan labs complete package for $72 AUD equivalent, $55 USD (http://www.loganlabs.com/doc/LoganBrochure.pdf)

CSBP fertilisers comprehensive package for $64 AUD (https://www.csbp-fertilisers.com.au/docs/default-source/lab-new/price-lists/soil-analysis-pricelist-2017-18.pdf)

They seem fairly comparable tests (although I could be mistaken because I don't understand all the jargon).

And also the shipping and turn around for Australians to go to CSBP should be better as well. Is there something I'm missing?

Sorry to bump and old thread... I am also in Australia (victoria) and would like to get my soil tested.

Angelika Maier, did you end up getting your testing done with this company? If so, would you recommend going with them?
Did they provide anything other than the lab results, or do they also provide suggestions for ways to amend the soil?

Thanks!