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Little River, TX | Sure thought there would be a number of replies.
The first thing you reinforced my nitrogen thinking. True you looked at both nitrate and ammonium and you looked deeper than the plow layer. My conclusion then for nitrogen is if I stay with the 6 - 8" sampling depth I will find the nitrogen in my root zone.
With your potash level is it fair to assume you have a clay soil with a fairly high Cation Exchange Capacity?
Can I am assume you have a high pH soil and the lab in it's finite wisdom used Bray chemistry. When a Lab does that I become just a little perturbed. In my soil Bray will report a lower value than will the Olsen, i.e. sodium bicarbonate, chemistry.
Something you might consider. Next time have your Lab report the percentage of free lime (Calcium carbonate). If they use the Olsen chemistry there is this rule of thumb. Use 17 lbs of phosphate for each ppm you are short of 18 or 20 ppm P. Then add an additional 10 lbs of phosphate for each percent of free lime.
Question. What does the inches of water refer to? The amount of accumulated water or the water holding capacity?
The amount of testing and labor involved I would not think the process is inexpensive. I spend up to $45 per tissue analysis sample, when growing alfalfa. This pays for a Molybdenum and chlorine report plus all the micro nutrients.
What you are doing and what you are testing for I find very interesting.
It is no secret, I have a very low opinion of a soil test's accuracy for the minor and micro nutrients.
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hardcore soil testing-answer for Mustard
