Once you have completed the test, review the
“Analysis of Recommended Organic Soil Amendments,”
which begins below and gives the key nutrient content of
many commonly used organic fertilizers. In your
calculations, it is not necessary to subtract the nutrients
you add to the soil in the form of compost or composted
manure.
The growth patterns of certain plants and presence of
certain plants in an area can tell us valuable information
about the nutrient availability. People used to learn
about their soil’s nutrient needs through observation of
their fields and its vegetation. This skill is essentially lost.
We recommend using John Beeby’s Test Your Soil with
Plants if this is an area of interest for you. Eventually,
each of us could create living soil tests of plants grown to
“read” and determine existing nutrient levels in the soil
of a given area.
ANALYSIS OF RECOMMENDED ORGANIC SOIL
AMENDMENTS^3
Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are the major
nutrients that plants need. They are commonly known by
their chemical symbols: N, P, K, respectively. According
to law, any product sold as a fertilizer must provide an
analysis upon request for these three minerals. Be aware
that composition may vary for the same products from
di5erent sources. Be sure to check the analysis provided