soil analysis

[tekwyzrd]

Due to unplanned expansion into another crop I decided a soil analysis would be a good idea but found that OSU shut down their lab in 2008. If anyone willing could share their suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.

The crop? Hops. I'm waiting for shipped plants (Canadian Red Vine, Glacier, Goldings, Perle, Santiam, Sterling) and rhizomes (Centennial, Chinook) and waiting for payment to clear for more rhizomes (Hallertau, Mt. Hood, Northern Brewer, Ultra, and Willamette). I'd like to add Columbus, Saaz, and Tettnanger.

I may be giving up some tobacco space but I'm looking forward to my first batches of russian imperial stout, imperial india pale ale, doppelbock, and stark hefeweizen.


,

 

[Jitterbugdude]

I can't give you advice on soil amendments but when I grew hops many years ago I just planted them in the ground and let them grow up onto a trellis. I never fertilized them and they did fine.


Randy B

 

[dkh2]

This is the outfit I have used the last two years

http://www.watersag.com/frame.htm

 

[Jitterbugdude]

dkh2, You might want to try to find a more local place. From what I remember about soil testing, each lab uses different reagents depending on their location in the U.S. Soils from the southwest would use a different set of chemicals than soils from the northeast and so on. If you do find a lab in your neck of the woods and get your soil tested, I'd love to see the results comparing the two labs.

Randy B

 

[dkh2]

They want to damn much here
The County Extension Agent said the testing was the same as they do here
So thats why I went with waters agriculture

 

[tekwyzrd]

I don't see any test price info on the waters site. Which test package did you have done and what did they charge?

 

[dkh2]

12 bucks for the most expensive one for a single sample thats the one I got this year.
7 bucks for the cheapest thats what I got last year.Keep in mind ... I only grew 60 plants last year
and I'm only growing 40 this year. It's a small patch.
The test results are posted here some where on this site.

 

[tekwyzrd]

OK, thanks. I'll probably submit two samples - one for the areas I've used for growing tobacco and the other for additional areas I plan to put hops. I planted 200+ plants for the last few years (with a bit of rotation) and have been amending with compost but it would probably be a good idea to find out what depletions have occurred.