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Magnesium levels
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Hay Wilson in TX
Posted 9/15/2006 17:51 (#44030 - in reply to #43939)
Subject: Don Smith's soil tests.......An outsiders thoughts..



Little River, TX

Don I used the Penn State Magic Numbers, from years back on the soil test.
I hope the Lab is using the Olsen chemistry with that pH, though I expect they are using Mellich III chemistry as a cost savings. Still I would think the soil would benefit with double the P soil test levels. Say 175 lbs of P2O5.

I would look for between 178 & 138 ppm K; or roughly double what the soil test says. In theory it requires 4 - 6 lbs K2O for a 1 ppm K change. Not being a true soil scientist I can not say if adding potash will displace the mag from the clay. My half baked math tells me you would benefit from 1,000 to 1,500 lbs of Murate of Potash. Not something you would care to do on rented ground.

The Mg level is way higher than my computed desired 213 to 111 ppm Mg. It is possible Gypsum will do as advertised and the calcium replace the Mg on the clay and the sulfur react with the Mg for Magnesium Sulfate and be leached out of the root zone.

 You would expect with your higher pH the land would not need lime. Than again the high Mg levels may be the key to your higher pH.

My computed range for calcium is 2,565 to 2394 ppm Ca. Considerably higher than your 2,200.

 A computer generated recommendation is comforting, but may be overly cautious.

Gypsum as suggested just may be a good option. I would use caution to avoid too much sulfur.

The thing about lime that has Mg is the plants use a whole lot more calcium than they do magnesium. So eventually the Mg levels can become too high.

I would suggest tissue sampling next year but I have spouted off on that before.

This may just be so much smoke seeing I am 100% hay production and in an entirely different soil and climate.

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