We all know growing a giant starts with the soil. This is a copy of my soil report from April of this year. It's far from perfect, but this soil has a solid foundation. My soil consists of about 40% compost and 60% native soil (sandy base). On the test, this is reflected by the high levels of organic matter (from the compost) and also a high pH and high CEC (also from the compost). After receiving your soil test results, I would recommend using the downloading the Langley soil estimator spreadsheet to calculate how much of each amendment to add. The spreadsheet will do the work for you. Just input your patch size and current nutrient levels. There are instructions on a PowerPoint presentation if you have questions on how to use the spreadsheet.
http://greatpumpkincommonwealth.com/index.php/resources
After receiving my test results, I added (per 1000 sqft) : 15 lbs sulfur, 150 lbs gypsum, 16 lbs Epsom Salts, 15 lbs Calcium Nitrate, and 3 lbs Manganese Sulfate.
I have posted compost test results from a local facility to demonstrate typical nutrient levels.
One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is they underestimate the amount of compost needed. After all, a pickup truck load or two can seem like a lot, especially if you are adding it by hand. A simple mathematical calculation will tell you how much you will need:
(Patch Length x Patch Width x Desired Depth in feet ) / 27 = Cubic Yards Needed
So to add 4" of an amendment to a 25' x 30' patch you would :
(25 x 30 x .33) / 27 = 9.16 cubic yards.
Generally speaking, I wouldn't recommend having more than 1/3 of your soil consist of compost. I also prefer compost to manure, but many growers have had great success with manure.
