Table of Contents
Soil Testing and Nutrient Management
Nutrient Management
Plant Nutrients
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Potassium
Sulfur
Magnesium
How nutrients become available
Cation Exchange Capacity
Anion Binding
Nutrient Anion Availability
Nitrogen Cycle
Phosphorus Availability
Nutrient uptake
Soil pH
What about pH?
What affects pH?
Desirable pH Ranges
Increasing pH
Decreasing pH
Soil Testing
Soil Testing
What is a soil nutrient test?
Soil Nutrient Tests
When to sample?
How often to sample
How to sample
Sample handling
Choosing a lab
Soil nitrate tests
Interpreting soil tests
Phosphorus soil test interpretation
Potassium soil test interpretation
Calcium soil test interpretation
Magnesium soil test interpretation
Boron soil test interpretation
Soil testing: contaminants
Soil testing: biological
Soil quality testing
Testing bulk soil amendments
Fertilizers and Soil Amendments
Fertilizer Labels
Fertilizer Application
Organic Materials: Slow release nutrients
Slow release nutrients
Timing of nutrient availability
Long-term effects
Organic amendments
C:N ratio and N availability
High N Content C:N < 10:1
High N Content Examples
Moderate N Content C:N 12:1 to 25:1
Moderate N Content Examples
Low N content C:N > 30:1
Low N content Examples
Organic application guidelines, 2001 (Middle-of-the road estimates)
Some organic materials used in gardens
Animal manures
Examples of manure nutrients
Manure nutrient content can vary widely from book values
Approximate N availability in first crop year
Using animal manure safely
Using animal manure safely
Composts
Compost nutrient example: Mixed food and woody debris
Uncomposted yard debris
Cover crops Multiple benefits
Cover crops Cereal crops
Cover crops Legumes
N contribution of winter cover crops to following crop
Cover crops
Cover crops What to choose?
Estimating nutrient availability
Variability in bulk organic fertilizers
Dealing with variability
Packaged organic fertilizers
Examples of packaged organic fertilizers
References
Web Addresses
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