Soil analysis questions (growing, fertilizer, containers, tomatoes)

[FlightAttendant]

I had my sq foot garden soil tested by the VA Co-op Extension. I did the test because I had such poor yield from my garden last year. I got the results today, but I really am not sure the best way to proceed. Any help you can provide re the amendments I should add to a each one. They are 16x16 (256 Ft each?) each. I will be growing the standard summer vegetables...tomatoes, beans, cukes, squash, etc.

I do see that I need no lime and it looks like I do need Nitrogen. Any suggestions as to brands and amounts? I know the packages will probably give some indication, yet I find the "language" on these containers often is confusing. Also, should I apply it prior to planting the vegetable plants? Work it into the existing soil? Thanks for any help you can provide.

P 124 (VH)
K 90 (M-)
Ca 4960 (VH(
Mg 768 (VH)
Za 7.4 (Suf)
Ma 11.1 (Suf)
Fe 5.3 (Suf)

Ph 7.1
Ca Sat 79.1
Mg sat 20.2

Crop: VEGETABLE GARDEN (210)
619. Lime recommendations: NONE NEEDED.

225. FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATIONS: Apply a nitrogen-only fertilizer, such as one of the following amounts per 100 sq. ft. --- 1.25 lbs (2 cups) of nitrate of soda (16-0-0) or 1.33 lbs (2 2/3 cups) of calcium nitrate (15-0-0) or 1.0 lb (2 1/2 cups) of ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) or 0.4 lbs (1 cup) of urea (46-0-0). Do not over fertilize! These products will burn plants at high rates! If you are unable to find one of these fertilizers, apply a turf-type (lawn maintenance) fertilizer that is high in nitrogen with little or no phosphorus and potassium at a rate close to 0.2 lb of nitrogen per 100 sq. ft., such as applying two-thirds of a pound of either 26-0-2 or 32-0-4.

[gunslinger256]

When it comes to fertilizer, your veggies can't tell the difference between synthetic nitrogen and organic nitrogen. Using organic fertilizer will be generally safer because the amount of N is weaker than synthetic.

I would amend the soil with some worm compost and vermiculite or perlite and find some slow release fertilizer from whatever store is convenient for you. The soil results give you several choices of N to use, but you can also just buy some name brand stuff with the numbers N-0-0. The higher the first number the less you use. Find a brand that is close to the ratios stated in the soil test and use that quantity.

link explaining the fertilizer ratio

worm compost helps add microbes to the soil. I've just read about adding paramagnetic rock dust to help build the soil and increase plant health but I'm going to try it and see for myself before I recommend it. the perlite helps the soil to drain better but also retain some moisture.

[Cambium]

Here's the thing about soil testing.

If you've amended the soil over the years, one spot may be different from another in the beds or property itself.. Just figured I throw that out there.

Next... It's not really a science with the PH.. Vegetables can tolerate a range like 6.0 - 7.5.

On the Nitrogen note.. forget homemade stuff... Go to local nursery or home improvement store and find the bag with the first number higher than 10. Next numbers need to be 0 or lower than 5.

You can get Blood Meal. Sprinkle it on before rains and before plants go in. Or around plants when they are in. Let the rains soak it into the soil

What Is Blood Meal: Adding Blood Meal To Garden Soil

[luv4horses]

Keep in mind that vermiculite and perlite in growing media will never go away and will never look pretty if they are taken from your contained area and placed elsewhere on top of normal soil. You cannot recycle that medium other than for its original container use.

[Cambium]

Doing a soil test now..will post results in my thread in 10 minutes. Gotta wait for tubes to settle. :-) It wont be as detailed as if you sent it away but good enough for the general scope of things

[VJDAY81445]

most soil tests don't give nitrogen results because nearly every soil will need nitrogen for the growing year and nitrogen doesn't carry over from year to year

[FlightAttendant]

Many thanks to Gunslinger for the link to the fertilizer site. Great info there with other links to great garden sites. Very helpful.

[DougStark]

I'm surprised your pH is near neutral (7). A lot of soils on the east coast are acidic (<7).