Teaching Organic Farming and Gardening

Soil Tests and Amendments

Unit 1.11 | 31

Demonstration 2: Interpreting Soil Test

Reports

step-by-step instructions for students

These instructions will help you read

and interpret soil analysis reports and

select soil amendments and fertilizers.

This information will help you interpret

soil analysis lab results, develop amend-

ment recommendations for long-term

soil fertility management plans, and

address acute soil and plant nutrient

deficiencies through proper supplemen-

tal fertilization. This sheet, along with

Appendix 2: Nutrient Budgeting Work-

sheets, will help you with the following:

review the accuracy of sampling infor-

mation on your soil test; describe the rel-

evant agronomic characteristics of your

soil; assist you in the necessary conver-

sions from parts/per million (ppm) nutri-

ents tested to lbs/acre of soil nutrients;

contrast soil nutrient levels with defined

optimal benchmarks in order to define

limiting and/or excess soil nutrients;

and select the type and quantities of soil

amendments and/or fertilizers that may

be used to address limited or imbal-

anced soil nutrient levels. This form and

the associated appendices will also help

you develop a nitrogen budget for your

crop(s) through calculating the nitrogen

contributions from compost, cover crops

and existing S.O.M. and contrasting

this with estimates of nitrogen removal

through cropping.

PreParatiOn and MateriaLs

•    Lab    analyses    report

The following appendices on overhead transparencies (OHT ):

•    Appendix   2,  Nutrient    Budgeting   Worksheets

•    Appendix   4,  Nitrogen    Budgeting   Worksheet   Exercise

•    Appendix   5,  Supplemental    Fertilizer  Worksheet   

•    Appendix   6,  Optimal Nutrient    Levels  of  Major   Cations Based   

on CEC

•    Appendix   7,  Nutrient    Content of  Common  Fertilizers and 

Amendments

•    Appendix   8,  Fertilizer  Solutions   Chart   

•    Appendix   9,  Approximate Pounds/Acre of  Nutrients   Removed 

by Common Crops

•    Calculator

•    Pencil

•    Agricultural   supply  catalogues  for National    Organic Program-

approved amendments and fertilizers

reference

•   Agronomy Handbook: Soil and Plant Analysis. A & L Western

Agricultural Laboratories, Inc. 1311 Woodland Ave., #1.

Modesto, California 95351. (209) 529-4736

Demonstration 2
Students’ Step-by-Step Instructions