Once the soil is properly corrected in terms of the needed fertility levels,
is there any good reason to keep testing the soil every year?

What would you recommend for making the highest yield of corn?

Is it true that too much lime can be used on the soil?

Are you interested in helping just a small organic gardener?

A consultant I know says the Albrecht system of soil testing caused a problem
for one of his clients.  How could this happen?

What is the best course of action to take in order to correct high sodium levels
in our soils?

Is it possible to cause problems while trying to increase soil fertility levels for
improved crop resistance to drought?

When is the best time to take soil samples?

Is it possible to increase drought resistance for crops grown on my land, by
increasing soil fertility?

What do you mean when using the phrase "the Albrecht Model of soil fertility"?

Is your soil fertility program designed to work for all types of growers and their
various approaches to soil fertility?

Why go to so much trouble to take soil samples, when taking a leaf analysis while
the plant is growing can be used to show what is needed?

Who would benefit most by attending the various soil fertility workshops that you
put on in the course of a year?

How can a program of soil fertility from the Midwestern United States provide the
quality and production we need here, a different region altogether with completely
different soils and crops?

How long will it take to receive soil fertility recommendations back from your
company?

 
Question:
      Once the soil is properly corrected in terms of the needed fertility levels, is there any
      good reason to keep testing the soil every year in order to make good yields?
Answer:
      Due to the nature of our business it would be to our benefit when someone decides to have
      us do another set of soil samples and recommendations for them!  So for some it may be easy
      to assume that any further answer given to such a question would simply be geared toward that
      end!  But keeping in mind that our job is to be that of an advisor, and the client is the manager,
      perhaps some of the information presented here will help in that regard.

            It seems that far too many people get the idea that when a soil is correctly balanced with all
      the needed nutrients, it will then be many years before it needs more than a routine maintenance
      in terms of fertility levels.   This is not the case for any productive soil, especially when you
      want to achieve top quality and excellent yields.

            As nutrient uptake and yields improve, more of all the elements required for growth of that
      crop will be taken up.  If these losses are not measured and replaced, production capabilities
      will decrease even more quickly than would previously have been the case because more is
      needed and removed as yields and quality increase.

            Many involved with soil fertility suggest taking a soil sample every three or four years.
      If all that is being sought is a very generalized direction then this time frame is at least better
      than none at all.  But in order to achieve the utmost from a soil, it should be analyzed and
      amended where required prior to every major crop to be grown there.  This is true even if
      your last soil test on the field showed fertility levels to be excellent.

             One client who grew cotton was amazed that we could tell him, from the soil samples,
      a particular out-of-the-way field was one of the best he had.  The next year he decided to
      retire and wanted to wait until the farmer signed a lease before taking soil samples again.
      Though intentions were good, four years of crops were grown on this land before it was
      re-tested. This same field that tested as one of the best five years earlier now tested to 
      be one of the worst.

             Again the owner was amazed that we could correctly tell him this based purely on the
      soil samples taken.   The field went from one of his best to one of his worst in five years!
      This is not an isolated case.   The soil which produces the most loses the most, especially
      if what is harvested is taken elsewhere.

             A cattleman who grew his own pasture and hay expressed it well when he pointed out
      that just making the equivalent of one extra bale of hay per acre would more than pay for the
      cost of soil testing.  And another farmer once confided that if he applied just one nutrient that
      he did not need in order to make a crop, the cost to him is far greater than that of a soil test. 
      Perhaps even more important is the loss in yield by failing to identify a nutrient deficiency 
      that has hurt the crop, that would have shown up if the soil had been tested.

             All of agriculture recognizes the need for moisture in some form, generally rain or irrigation
      water, in order to make a good crop.   But it is also recognized that these same sources of
      moisture can deplete the soil of both needed and unneeded elements.

             For example, when used correctly, gypsum (calcium sulfate) or other forms of sulfur
      materials, can help leach out excess salts, particularly sodium.   However, after the problem
      is corrected if you continue to use sulfur or sulfates to excess it will result in  removing
      additional nutrients that should be conserved for growing the next crop.

             Also, too few consider that an excess of nitrogen, once it has converted to nitrate nitrogen
      and can be leached downward through the soil, can also result in forming nitric acid, which will
      deplete calcium from the soil as it moves with the groundwater. In addition, high bicarbonates
      in well water may cause calcium to be stripped from the soil thus lowering the pH and reducing
      the uptake of nutrients required for optimum fertilizer utilization, whether supplied from 
      commercial fertilizers or composts and manures.

             A good soil test every year helps identify these conditions and avoids their possibly damaging
      effects.   It is a mistake not to take soil samples properly and use them for the benefit of the
      soils and the crops to be grown there.

 
Question:
      What would you recommend, based on the type of soil testing you do, for making the
      highest yield of corn possible on my field?
Answer:
      First of all, take the needed soil tests far enough ahead of time to be sure there is sufficient time
      to receive and consider fertilizer and soil amendment recommendations, locate the required
      materials, and apply them in a timely manner.

            For liming materials and trace elements such as iron, manganese or copper: if you intend
      planting corn in the spring, plan to apply these materials the previous autumn for best response
      from the crop.

            Before corn is hip-high in the spring, is generally considered the time to sample in order to
      see soil fertility levels at their best.  (Provided that the soil is not drought stressed, that large
      amounts of sulfur have not been applied in the last two to six months, and that sampling avoids
      areas where nitrogen has been knifed in, or recently broadcast in large amounts.  Because any
      of these situations could significantly lower the soil pH and make it appear that lime is needed
      when such is not the case.)  Otherwise, to see soils at the lowest fertility levels sample as
      soon after harvest as possible where drought is not a factor.

             We count on each sample received as having been taken to correctly represent the area
      being tested.  (To assure soil testing is correctly achieved please see the instructions on taking
      a good soil sample)   That being the case, the more completely you inform us about conditions
      for the corn (or any other crop) you will be raising, the previous crop including yield, and the
      fertilizers previously applied, the better we can advise concerning needed soil amendments and
      fertilizers.

             To grow corn, nitrogen is usually the biggest question in regard to fertilization, and the most
      difficult recommendation to correctly determine.  So in order to properly consider nitrogen needs,
      several questions need to be answered.  For example, what should be a reasonably expected 
      yield goal?  Fertilizing for each field's average yield plus 10% is usually a prudent goal to set.
      Instead, too many corn growers just apply an excess of nitrogen to assure there is an ample
      supply, because "it requires such a small increase in yield to pay for it."

             Keep in mind that an excellent soil only requires one lb. of nitrogen (including N from
      humus) for each bushel of corn produced.  But poorer soils will require up to one and a half
      pounds of nitrogen per bushel of corn.  Any farmer who consistently applies more than one and
      a half pounds of N per bushel of corn, including N from humus, legumes, manure and carryover
      from the previous crop, is likely to be hurting soil fertility and nutrient uptake in relation to
      calcium, copper, and perhaps even sulfur.

             Such overuses will most likely not result in a reduction of yield that same year, so producers
      that overuse nitrogen are slowly blind-sided as a result.  When average corn yields begin dropping
      don't just blame "the weather", check fertility levels too!  Failing to build correct soil fertility can
      easily cost corn growers 20-40 bushels of potential yield.

             Yield  can vary widely due to climate, especially moisture availability, so we have to rely 
      on those sending the soil samples to give the proper potential yield information.

             Irrigation  In some areas all corn is irrigated, in other areas none.  We need to know if the
      land is irrigated because it can influence the amount of nitrogen, sulfur and boron recommended.

             Type of corn  Be sure to state as clearly as possible the type of corn you intend to grow.
      When a sample lists the crop as "corn", unless stated otherwise it is taken to be corn for grain,
      not silage corn, sweet corn, seed corn, or popcorn, which could require quite different
      recommendations.

             It also matters whether you will be raising 90-day up to 110-120 day corn.  90-day corn
      needs the bulk of its nitrogen early in the season.  But 110-120 day corn needs adequte nitrogen 
      and sulfur over a longer period of time.  When not specified, 110-120 day corn for grain will be
      the default used for making fertilizer recommendations, since it is more widely grown in the
      areas from which we receive the most samples.

             Fertilizers available to you  Be sure to list the fertilizers that are available for use in your 
      area. Most certainly nitrogen materials will be available, but which types are easiest to obtain? 
      The grower needs to tell us. The same goes for phosphate and potassium. Also list any liming 
      that has been done in the past three years as that can affect nutrient availability - and possibly 
      change both the amount and type of lime presently shown to be still needed for the soil.

             Finally, the type of fertility program the grower wants to pursue should be stated.  Most
      growers choose the 'excellent' program.  But unless your corn is already producing top yields, 
      when the costs to provide excellent yields and quality are calculated, for most growers it is too
      expensive. Better to begin with a 'building' program or 'maintenance' program and stick with it
      for at least three years.  When fertilizer prices are high, commodity prices are low, of financing
      is limited, then consider the minimum program for crop production in terms of fertility for a year
      or two under such circumstances.

             Perhaps this will help explain why it is important for you to inform us about more than the
      fact that corn will be planted on the areas where soil tests have been taken and for which
      recommendations have been requested.  Just keep in mind, the information you provide along
      with the soil sample is a key factor in determining the best fertilizer program to achieve the best
      yield of corn.

 
Question:
      Is it true that too much lime can be used on the soil?
Answer:
      The first point to remember when considering this question is that every soil has different
      characteristics; every soil has a specific capacity to hold each of the elements supplied by any
      liming material.

            This capacity is determined by the amount of clay and humus contained in each soil, these
      being the only portions of any soil that will attract and hold plant nutrients.  Once this nutrient-
      holding capacity is reached, using more of any material containing the element that is already
      at optimum level will only result in driving off or tying up some other nutrient that should 
      be there and available for use by plants growing in that soil.

            Therefore, the capacity of every soil is limited when it comes to attracting and holding
      calcium and magnesium, the principal elements from limestone.  They can help when needed,
      or hurt when prudent levels are exceeded!  Calcium from gypsum can also be very helpful in
      adequate amounts, but detrimental if the sulfur or the calcium it contains is enough to cause 
      excess thus reducing the availability of other needed nutrients.

             Misunderstandings concerning whether it is possible to use too much lime continue to exist
      because of the assumption that if you can apply large amounts of lime on one or more soils 
      somewhere in the world, then all the rest of the soils in the world can stand that much lime too!
      This is not correct!  It can be very costly to the farmer or grower who fails to accurately
      measure what is there already, whether more is needed, and whether or not any other
      needed nutrients will be adversely affected if liming is done.

             As an example, a cabbage consultant had us test some soils.  He was using high calcium 
      limestone on high pH soils to avoid club root problems.  He had extremely heavy clay soils with
      large nutrient-holding capacities.  In the previous 7-10 years, before using our services, he had
      applied a total of 14 tons per acre of high calcium limestone.  His crops had continued to improve.

             From our soil analysis we found that all that lime had added just enough calcium to reach
      the ideal required for his soil.  The soils here were so rich that all the other elements were also
      still there in adequate amounts, so there was no damage due to nutrient tie-up from the large
      amount of lime applied up to that point.

             But now, as the tests showed, his land was to the point that using additional lime, even at
      one ton per acre, would begin to cause nutrient deficiencies and result in yield reductions. 
      If he just kept on doing what he had been, even though it had "always" provided better crops,
      his results would now begin going the other way.  Simply assuming that lime should be
      added for the next crop because it worked on the previous one can be a serious and 
      costly mistake.

             So yes, this grower's soil survived and prospered by receiving 14 tons of lime over a period
      of less than 10 years, but this is usually not the case; most land would suffer losses long before
      that.

             For example, another client - a neighbor to the client we have just mentioned - needed no
      high-calcium lime at all on his soils, had never applied any, and had no problem with club root
      in his cabbage fields, with a pH below 7.0.  To do what his neighbor did would have been costly
      to apply and detrimental to his crops because his soils were entirely different in terms of fertility 
      needs. Adding lime just because it worked for a neighbor, or even for another area on
      the same farm, can be a serious and costly mistake.

             Another company hired us to sample and analyze just over 2,000 acres.  They had begun
      having problems with low yields in the past few years.  Once the soil test results were examined 
      the problem was obvious.  The  soils had received so much lime it had severly reduced the
      capacity to attract and hold enough potassium and caused manganese and zinc deficiences in
      the fields that barely had enough even before the lime was applied.

             Someone had convinced the owners that you could never apply too much lime.  They had
      applied 6 tons per acre four years previously.  Yields went up the first year, but then dropped
      thereafter.  Only one field had not received the lime.  Fertitlity there was the best on the farm.
      All other fields had dropped from 45-50 bushels to 25-30 bushels per acre soybeans - a crop
      that tends to benefit greatly from adequate liming.  Even with soybeans, too much lime is a 
      detriment.

             Normally, applying lime will at least somewhat limit other essential nutrients needed by the
      plants to be grown there, and the grower had better know whether this is the case before using 
      significant amounts of lime.  When such is the case, the grower should be told that and also what
      will have to be done in order to avert the problem.  Just knowing the pH will not tell the
      grower or his consultant this essential information.
 
             To correctly make this type of determination concerning whether liming will help or hurt the
      soil, a soil test must provide extremely accurate information.

             In addition to showing what levels are there, to be useful a soil test must also show what
      level should be present and if there will be too much or too little of any other element once the 
      liming is completed.  This includes the levels of magnesium, potassium, boron, iron, copper,
      manganese, and zinc.  If any of these are present in borderline amounts, failing to measure and 
      determine that this is the case and what to do to remedy the situation if lime is used, can reduce
      yields even when lime is required and correctly applied, but especially when it is used to excess.

             You can use too much lime.  And although we have mentioned some successful large 
      applications that are the exception and not the rule, keep in mind that some sandy soils would
      receive too much lime at a rate of one ton per acre.  The key to liming is to measure what the
      soil requires, supply that need as soon as it can be feasibly done, and apply only what is needed 
      to do the job properly.

             See also our 'MasterClass' article "The Dangers of Too Much Lime".

 
Question:
      Are you interested in helping just a small organic gardener?
Answer:
      Yes, we are.  We gladly work with soil samples from gardens of any type.  And in fact, we
      have made recommendations for hundreds of organic gardens within the past twelve months.
      But there are some considerations that should be made before you send a sample to us for
      analysis and recommendations.

             First, if you do not regularly take soil samples, be sure to review the guidelines in
      Hands-On Agronomy (see also our Soil Analysis page).  The recommendations we make 
      can only be as good as the sample that has been taken for analysis.   Too many people 
      make mistakes in the way they take soil samples, that wind up costing them in terms of what
      could have been accomplished from the soil test they took and sent for an analysis.

             Some common examples include taking the sample too deep, combining different types of
      soil - like sandy areas with clay areas, or red clay combined with yellow clay - into one composite
      sample, or applying materials such as lime to the soil without keeping a record of how much 
      and when it was applied.  It generally takes three years for lime to completely break down and 
      there is no way of telling what will be the actual effects without that information.

            If you take samples in the spring we recommend taking them before you fertilize your soil.
      If you have fertilized already then wait for at least 30 days, or 2 good rains or irrigations -
      whichever is longer - and consider the next two points before taking more samples.  That is 
      because any recent applications of nitrogen (generally within the last 30 days), or moderate to
      large amounts of sulfur (generally 60 - 180 days) can skew the test results making it appear there
      is less calcium and magnesium in the soil than is actually the case.  That may then show a false
      need for lime that is not really needed and likely should not be added. 

            Once taken and prepared as shown below, send the sample on to us for analysis and
      recommendations to supply timely treatments each fall or just after the harvest is completed.  

            This will give time to locate any materials that may be needed and get them applied in the
      autumn to prepare for the next spring crop.  Keep in mind that any depleted nutrients did not
      happen in just one year, and correcting them in the proper manner will not likely happen in one
      year either.

            Be sure to fill out a soil submission form.   If you need results quickly, once you have
      checked with us as to how long a recommendation from us will take, and determined that the wait
      is worth it, be sure to also request a copy of our soil submission form (available at no charge by 
      fax, US Mail, or click here for a printable copy) and fill it out as completely as possible. This will 
      enable us to get your results completed much faster and back into your hands with the best
      possible recommendations.

            Let us know you are organic.  Be sure, if you are an organic gardener, that you point this
      out to us so we can take that into account when making recommendations.  Our soil submission
      form has a box that should be checked if you want organic recommendations.   We also work
      with many conventional gardeners who expect to use the normal commercial products available 
      locally, and we have no way of knowing you grow organically unless you tell us.

            Just be sure to plan ahead and send samples well beforehand.  If you need the information
      back quickly, it is not a good idea to send samples to us without checking to see how long it is
      likely to take.  Even then, it is only our best estimate because of late the volume of samples has
      at times far exceeded our best estimations.

            Some misunderstand what our soil test and evaluation is all about.  Every test is carefully 
      considered on an individual basis and recommendations are based on the specific needs of the
      soil, what is to be grown and the fertility program you select.  This requires much more time per
      sample than for one where just sending out the number of pounds of N-P-K to feed the plants
      and a lime recommendation based solely on the soil pH is provided!

            We want to help our clients achieve excellent production and the top nutrient levels for the
      soil and everything they grow on it.  Those who know us best understand that this is not just what
      we say,  but it is our commitment.  It will take longer to get the recommendations to you, but it is
      the only way we know to do it properly.  However, if you are looking for a quick answer, or feel
      you need samples back in a hurry and we cannot meet your deadline, then by checking with us
      before sending the samples you would still be able to consider sending them to another lab who
      could better meet your needs.

            Please note we do not sell fertilizer and expect that you have, or are willing to find, the
      necessary products to supply what is needed for use on your property.  Our soil submission
      form has a box in the lower right corner for the grower to list any specific materials they have
      available for use.  If these will do the job we will use them in making the recommendations for
      your soil.  Because of wide variations in make-up, just stating you have manure or compost
      without an analysis is not sufficient for us to be able to recommend its use.  Without such an
      analysis, we will do our best to recommend any other correct materials to supply what is needed 
      for that soil.  It is generally possible to find sources for these materials by checking locally or on
      the Internet. 

 
Question:
      A consultant I know and respect says using the Albrecht system of soil testing has 
      actually caused problems for one of his clients, and he recommends staying away from
      it.  If  the program really works as well as you say, how could something such as this
      happen?
Answer:
      There are several possibilities that come to mind when I hear of statements such as this made 
      by a consultant, or perhaps even a farmer or grower who has suffered a loss while trying what
      he is told is the Albrecht program for soil fertility.

            First in my mind is the question of the validity of the soil test itself.  Anyone can say they
      are using the Albrecht system of soil testing.  There are many tests that make such claims simply
      because they use cation exchange capacity and base saturation percentages on the test they have
      determined to use for making fertility recommendations.  But as we have found over the years,
      the measured calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium figures can be quite different from
      one lab to another.

            Take calcium as an example.   On the test we use, a medium to heavy soil should have
      around a 68% base saturation of calcium for maximum benefit.  But when the figures on the 
      test we use is 68%, some soil labs, testing the same soil, have shown closer to 60%, others
      75%, and some even 80%.  Which one is right?

            In measuring magnesium, when the ideal of 12% shows on our test, in our experience
      some labs may test as low as 8% on the same soil, while still calling for 10-20% magnesium
      as the proper range on their test.

            On a medium to heavy soil, when magnesium rises above 12% it is already causing the
      soil's fertility requirements - and depending on the crop, also the yield - to suffer.  So if
      someone is growing corn there, and the magnesium is at 12% on our test, with calcium at 68%
      as stated above, it requires 1 lb. of nitrogen to produce a bushel of corn.  But if the magnesium
      is raised by just 2%, it now requires 1.25 lbs of nitrogen to grow each bushel of corn.
      On the other test results mentioned in the preceding paragraph, which was being used by
      another consultant claiming to follow the Albrecht system, if the farmer raises the magnesium
      to the recommended minimum of 10% as reflected on that test, he is actually pushing it too
      high for maximum nitrogen efficiency.  This would also reduce the yield of soybeans or
      alfalfa on that soil.  So again, how do you know what answer is right?

            Sometimes the soil test has been correctly performed, but the person doing the interpretation
      does not really understand what the test actually shows as needing to be done.  Making incorrect
      fertilizer recommendations can cause even the best fertility program to look bad.

            One good way to find out who can help you is to first determine what the numbers are
      supposed to be on the soil test for best results.  Then sample an area that consistently produces
      well, and one that consistently does poorly, and - without identifying which is the 'good' soil
      and which the 'poor' - ask the consultant to choose which is which, and explain why.

            Another possibility is that the farmer just partially followed the program, and as a result
      it makes the program look bad to those who are observing from a distance.  Even when the
      Albrecht system is correctly employed, it can require as much as three years of correctly 
      following the recommendations to begin to see the greatest benefits.  To prove the program
      for yourself, choose an area large enough to justify buying and spreading the fertilizer and soil
      amendments needed, but small enough to budget for follow-through on all that the soil test
      shows to be needed, for three full years.

            So if someone tries to tell you that the Albrecht system does not work, first find out if
      they are judging it based on only one year of results.  If a soil has not been receiving the
      needed nutrients in correct amounts for several years, correction will likely take longer than
      one year.  It may happen in less time, but typically it takes three years to get the soil into good
      shape.

            Next consider whether the person doing the recommendation understands what the soil 
      test actually is showing needs to be done.  Can the consultant consistently determine the
      good from the bad by just looking at the soil test results?  If not, how could they really
      understand how to use the Albrecht system correctly in the field?

            And finally consider the soil test numbers themselves.  But keep in mind: the numbers
      do not have to match everyone else's numbers; the big test is whether the consultant knows
      what the numbers mean in the context of that particular lab's tests well enough to get the 
      best results in the field.

            We find the greatest challenge to the use of the Albrecht system is that of helping the
      farmer or grower verify for himself that all the nutrients that are shown to be missing, when
      provided correctly, will result in the best yields and quality.

            It is not our goal to get people to send us soil tests, but to convince them to begin in a
      fashion that will allow at least a test of three years duration.  It is not necessary to take our
      word, or the word of anyone else, when you have proven it to yourself right on your own
      soils.

 
Question:
      What is the best course of action to take in order to correct high sodium levels in our soils?
 Answer:
      The first thing to do is to determine for sure that high sodium is actually a problem.
      This may sound strange, but some growers we have worked with have assumed the sodium
      in their soil was high when that was actually not the case at all.   Most people believe that
      when the soil has a very high pH it is because there is a sodium problem.   But this is not
      always the case.

            It is true that most soils with a very high pH have high to excessive sodium levels.
      But there are soils that have such excessive amounts of magnesium and/or potassium that are
      actually causing the problem, yet sodium receives the blame.

            The only way to know for sure if sodium is a problem is by measuring the actual amounts
      of it, along with calcium, magnesium and potassium, in order to understand which of them
      is adversely affecting the pH level in each soil.   Every soil has a specific need for each of these
      elements based on the nutrient-holding capacity of that particular soil.   This can always be
      accurately determined when a soil test is correctly pulled and sent to be analyzed.

            The prevailing opinion in soil fertility management today is that one soil test is not that
      different from another and each will provide enough of the correct information to make an
      informed decision.

            Before you accept that as fact, perform your own test.   Using two sample bags, take
      side-by-side cores of soil from at least 5 different places in a given area of uniform soil fertility
      (see Taking a Good Soil Sample.).    Send one to us and one to another lab that you decide would
      be a good one.   Ask for an analysis plus recommendations from each one.  Take note of how
      different the analysis and recommendations are by comparison.   It is not our intent to be
      different, but it is our intent to give correct advice.

            Test Your Soil-Tester!   The only way you may know for sure who is right is by setting
      aside land on which you do both programs for three years to see which one makes the most
      difference.   For an accurate determination be sure to correctly follow through and do all that
      is recommended for that particular soil.

            After it is determined that too much sodium is actually the problem, it should next be 
      determined what the soil is actually lacking, before the proper corrective action can be taken.
      The best way to solve an excess of something in the soil is by supplying any necessary
      amounts of those elements that are deficient, the excess will tend to be automatically reduced.

            Check Calcium levels   The next consideration should be whether or not the soil contains
      enough calcium, because adequate calcium actually increases soil flocculation thus helping to
      increase soil porosity and allowing sodium to be leached more readily from the soil.

            Sulfur or sulfates, including gypsum, should not be used to rid a soil of sodium until the
      soil's calcium saturation is at least 60% or higher.   If below 60%, this would require limestone,
      finely ground oyster shell, laying-hen manure or some other source of material that principally
      builds calcium levels.   Do not consider gypsum in such cases due to the high sulfur content,
      until sufficient calcium to reach 60% saturation of the soil has been added.   (An exception
      would be the lighter soils such as sands where adding a ton or less of gypsum by itself would
      increase the calcium level in that soil to 64% or higher.)

            Then Consider Gypsum  Once 60% calcium has been achieved, gypsum, at one ton or
      less per acre per year, would be the material of choice to use on soils with too much sodium
      until the calcium reaches the maximum saturation for that particluar soil.   Again, this should
      be part of a determination made by the soil test used.   Once that point is reached, sulfur and
      sulfate fertilizers without calcium can still be used in moderate amounts to decrease any remaining
      excess of sodium.   Specific amounts would depend on the actual soil analysis from the land in
      question.

      The above % figures relate to soil tests that we process, the soil analysis from other labs will
      be different, and the guidelines given above will not be specifically valid if such is the case.

 
Question:
      Is it possible to cause problems while trying to increase soil fertility levels for improved
      crop resistance to drought?
 Answer:
      Yes it is!  Previously we discussed a number of ways to help contribute to drought resistance
      for whatever crop you may decide to grow on your land (see Increasing drought resistance).
      However, if excessive amounts of nutrient are applied in trying to increase the soil's moisture-
      holding capacity, more harm than good could result.

            Calcium Excess  For example, adding unnecessary amounts of calcium-containing
      material will "tie up" other elements as the level of available calcium is increased in the soil.
      Soils that already have an adequate supply of calcium can be harmed if more is added.   It
      is important therefore to apply enough, but it is also important not to apply too much.

            For maximum uptake of nitrogen, phosphate, potassium, and other elements, the calcium
      saturation in the soil solution in the root zone must reach at least 60%, which is the minimum
      we recommend for any soil.   But this required calcium saturation is not assured by simply
      maintaining "a good soil pH".

            Soils with a pH above 8.0 can still lack so much calcium that the required 60% is not
      achieved and / or maintained.   The correct levels can only be determined by a soil test that
      measures the soil's nutrient-holding capacity based on the amount of clay and humus present
      in each soil (the cation exchange capacity).   Once this capacity is determined, care should be
      given so that at least 60% of each soil's holding capacity (which is ideal for light sands), and 
      ideally not more than 70% (for the heaviest clays), is filled with calcium.

            (Warning! Due to different procedures that have been adopted by some labs to "improve"
      on soil test methods, these numbers can vary widely, from much lower to much higher than
      the ones on our soil test.   If you use a soil test done by some other laboratory, this statement
      is made to emphatically caution that the numbers given above will need to be adjusted in
      order to be correctly interpreted according to their test.   For instance "60%" will have a
      different interpretation, does not mean the same in terms of soil fertility, on other lab's tests
      as it does on ours.  Therefore if you use another lab for the actual soil test, observe their
      requirements, not ours, on what the proper percentages should be.

            Growers or their advisors should not try to apply the 'desired numbers' specified by other
      labs to the soil tests that are sent to us, nor apply our 'desired numbers' to the tests that are
      sent elsewhere.   The greatest proof of this is shown when side-by-side soil samples are
      taken and sent to another lab and to us for analysis.   Time after time the results are not even
      close, and thus fertility levels determined specifically on the numbers given above will not
      show the same either.)

            Magnesium Excess  Adequate magnesium also contributes to water-holding capacity in
      correct amounts.   But too much magnesium contributes to excessive water-holding capacity
      and causes soil to severely compact from the effects of heavy traffic.   Excessive magnesium
      will "tie up" at least a portion of the available potassium in the soil.   It also inhibits nitrogen
      utilization in the crop.

            Phosphate Excress   Excessive phosphate will inhibit the availability of sulfur in the soil.
      All other nutreints mentioned as necessary can be there in proper amounts, but if there is an
      excess of phosphate, zinc can be tied up as a result.
            This is too often the case in areas where vegetables are grown, and in areas where large 
      amounts of manure or compost have been applied to soils.   In such cases, the higher the
      phosphate, the more important it is to increase the sulfur and zinc in the soil in order for the
      crops to acquire the needed amounts.   Just remember that too much zinc can also tie up
      phosphate, so moderation is the key if the proper amount is not yet determined.

            Sulfur Excess   Sulfur improves root development in the soil when present in adequate
      amounts.   But excessive use of sulfur can result in phosphate tie-up, which is also needed
      for proper root development.

            A good soil analysis can be a valuable tool in helping to avoid wasting needed soil moisture,
      and in balancing soil nutrients.   Using a reliable soil test that has been properly taken will provide
      the guidelines needed to assure that too little or too much of any nutrient does not become a
      problem for crops in terms of water utilization during dry periods.   Just be sure to consider
      the benefits and optimum response from both nutrients and water when a soil analysis is taken
      and the soil is properly fertilized.

            Our soil analysis is designed to determine excesses as well as deficiencies of the various 
      nutrients required for the best quality and excellent crop yields from each soil.   Just let us know
      how we can help.