By John Hawley

Purdue Extension Educator

hawley4 @ purdue . edu

Interpreting Soil Tests in Gardens and Landscapes

One of the many pleasures of my job is meeting with folks across Dearborn County , from Farmers Retreat to West Harrison , and assisting with a wide variety of farm , garden and landscape issues . One of the most common requests I receive is for assistance with soil testing . In this month ’ s article , I will break down soil test results and discuss your options for addressing problems such as high soil pH and poor plant growth .

Soil tests are a good idea for practically any garden or landscape , whether your plants are struggling or not . In fact , it is wise to test before problems arise . Although soil tests aren ’ t needed on an annual basis , consider having one every few years to keep up to date .

Interpreting soil tests can be somewhat difficult if you are new to the process . You ’ ll see results describing organic matter , phosphorus levels ,

calcium levels , and of course pH . For beginners and even experienced gardens , knowing what to do with these numbers can be a task . Luckily many soil tests come with comments about how to address problems such as high pH ( alkaline soil ) or low organic matter . So let ’ s walk through a couple of scenarios !

Let ’ s say your soil test reveals a high pH , what do you do ? The first thing to know is that in our area , this is quite common . A good soil test will tell you to take action by applying organic materials such as compost to a garden or pine needles to a landscape bed . Sulfur applications , such as ammonium sulfate , labeled with an NPK fertilizer grade of 21-0-0 , may also be recommended to bring soil pH back to 7.0 or lower . These certainly aren ’ t your only choices but are common recommendations for this issue .

Now let ’ s say you ’ re trying to improve poor performing roses . You ’ ve had the soil tested because of lackluster flower production , and the leaves are showing signs of chlorosis ( a yellowing often caused by alkaline soils and iron deficiency ). In this case , replanting is a good option because roses thrive in acidic soil between a pH of 6.0 and 7.0 . If you are unable to replant , a recommendation of phosphorus-free fertilizer ( likely labeled with an NPK fertilizer grade close to 12-0-

12 ) may help green the leaves and promote good growth . Once again , these aren ’ t your only choices , so do some extra research or give me a call if you want a second opinion . As always , I advise gardeners and landscapers to download the Purdue Plant Doctor App for mobile phones and tablets . This App is an excellent tool for learning how to handle many different plant problems from pest control to winter damage .

I would like to thank Vickie Riggs with the Dearborn County Soil & Water Conservation District in Aurora and A & L Great Lakes Lab in Ft . Wayne for assistance in processing soil samples for county residents this year . To download the Purdue Plant Doctor App , search your service provider ’ s App store or visit : https :// purdueplantdoctor . com /

To learn more about the topics discussed in this article , visit : https :// www . purdue . edu / hla / sites / yardandgarden / extpub / collecting-soil-samplesfor-testing /

For additional information about other agriculture and natural resources topics , feel free to email me at hawley4 @ purdue . edu . You can also reach my office at 812-926- 1189 . We are located at 229 Main Street , Aurora , IN 47001 .

Look for my next article in the November issue of The Beacon !

By Melanie Alexander

School has been in session for several weeks , football season is in full swing , and we are almost ready for the beautiful colors of autumn . Although I enjoy soup yearround , something about this time of year seems to bring out the desire to have a pot of soup simmering in the slow cooker . I admit that these days I often take a shortcut method that involves semi-prepared items from the supermarket . You can make this soup match your family ’ s preferred level of spice by adjusting the amount of green chiles ( or omit them entirely ); likewise , you can change the amount of chili powder and hot sauce that you use . Just a little spice does add to the goodness of this soup . I personally decrease the amount of green chiles to half of the 4-oz can if I am serving the soup to guests .

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 cup chopped onion 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1-15 oz . can Italian style tomatoes 1 cup fresh or frozen corn 1-4 oz . can chopped green chilis 4 cups chicken broth 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder ½ teaspoon hot sauce 4 tablespoons flour 1-pound skinless , boneless chicken breasts , cooked and cubed 1 / 3 cup sour cream Salt & pepper to taste Bag of tortilla chips

Sauté the onion and garlic in the oil over low heat until the onion is soft . Add the tomatoes , corn , chiles and chicken broth along with the seasonings . Simmer for 20 minutes . Combine the flour with ½ cup cool water and whisk into the soup . Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for 5 minutes . Add the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes . Stir in sour cream and salt and pepper to taste . Break desired amount of tortilla chips into the soup .