Do you know your soil type?

"Picking my brain"? It won't take long! :D

 

Oh yes *dim*, I don't think that using terms like "ecstatic" are helpful, might lead one to believe that you are being sarcastic. I can ONLY give MY opinion, that's what forums are all about. I only try to be helpful, no more, no less.

 

I'm not being sarcastic, I'm being honest ....

however, like I said, I have been doing some research on fertilizer application and from what I have read (so far) is that the general consensus is that it is always better to do a soil test prior to determining what fertilizer should be used and how much should be used for the specific plant that you intend fertilizing ... if not, you are merely guessing

so, based on what I have read and from what I understand, I tend to differ to your opinion

however, I always read your posts with great interest, and will be following up your comments/suggestions

and like my father always used to say:

Listen to what everyone says, then based on their knowledge and your gutfeel, decide for yourself

I previously bookmarked 3 sites when reading about soil testing .... you may find some of this interesting:

Soil Testing

Soil Test Interpretations and Fertilizer Management for Lawns, Turf, Gardens, and Landscape Plants

http://mn4h.com/distribution/horticulture/components/1731-8-fertilizers.pdf


and like I said, I still have a lot to learn, and will always listen carefully to what everyone suggests

 

Tells me that I have wet, sandy and loamy soil, whereas my soil is heavy clay. Cranfield should look into the legibility of its site. Virtually unreadable.

 

Well they've got my area absolutely bang on! Approx 10 major changes in soil and a marshland which looks perfect in shape.

 

Naurally wet, very acidic, sandy and low fertility, I think the thousands of Rhodos around this area tell me that already!
Being between the River Frome and River Piddle I guess it would be naturally wet. Anything is better than solid clay!!!

Think I'm gonna need some soil improver.

Thanks John.

 

Mine says.......naturally wet, very acid sandy and loamy soil. Don't know where the loamy is but it isn't in my garden. Of course it's naturally wet, it never stops raining!

 

Great find there JWK. I can't believe I've just spent so long looking what my own soil's like!

 

Remember that people have been gardening successfully for millenia without the benefit of soil-testing kits!

A lot of stuff gets written in gardening books which is unnecessary for the domestic gardener to do, in my opinion, if not downright inaccurate.

(I get quite a kick out of flouting the rules, like pruning when a frost is due or not putting drainage crocks at the bottom of pots. Does anything dreadful happen? No.)

I agree that testing the soil would be the ideal, but that does not make it essential. It would certainly improve the profits made by garden centres if we were all encouraged to think it was essential, though.

 

point taken, and can say that in my street I very much doubt if anyone uses any fertilizer on their gardens in the year (some only mow their lawns when it is 3 foot high), yet their shrubs and plants flower every year

however, I do gardening for a business, and have only been doing this for a short time ...

so, as a typical example:

Next year, I want to offer a decent lawn maintenance service (similar to Greenthumb), where I do the aerating, scarifying,fertilizing and also offer the mowing service and general garden maintenance (which Greenthumb does not do)

I've been reading posts on an international lawn forum where this is big business in the USA .... most, if not all the guys always do a soil test before deciding what fertilizer to use, and how much to use ....

so, the way I see it, it can only be beneficial by testing the soil etc before deciding what to use .... takes the guesswork out of the equation

even farmers test their soil before deciding how much and what fertilizer to apply

suppose one could equate it to to being ill with a constant headache .... you could take an annadin daily for several years and the headache will be surpressed ....

or you could go to the doctor, he takes a blood test and the laboratory determines that you are allergic to wheat .... problem solved for always (if that makes sense?)
:WINK1: