My soil test here in Las Vegas, NV shows some of my soil is super high in acid, but then two feet away, the soil is way too high in alkaline. What do I do to fix this without creating a killing field for my poor plants?
These articles will help you interpret your soil test results and how to correct soil ph levels.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/testing-soil.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/soil-ph-plants.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/lower-acid-soil.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/alkaline-soil-plants.htm
I want to know about lime I took from the soil to the laboratory and the result: P required and required K (colored red) are the amounts of P and K required to raise the soil test to the target value. Lime required (colored red) is the amount of lime needed to decrease the soil acid saturation to the permissible acid saturation. My problem is I do no know what they mean about colored red. Do they mean the color of a lime is red?
I am not clear in the specifics of your soil test results.
I'm listing some links that will help you read and interpret your soil test.
https://soiltest.umass.edu/fact-sheets/interpreting-your-soil-test-results
https://extension.psu.edu/plants/nutrient-management/educational/soil-fertility/managing-phosphorus-for-crop-production
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/testing-soil.htm
I am continually digging up and then digging in compost to try to improve the heavy almost clay like soil we have. I have lost so many plants it is becoming a joke. I am wondering if I should try some sand, or maybe some stones/shingle which may help to break up this mud.
Improving clay soil takes time but you are on the right track. It can actually become very fertile once the structure is improved.
You might want to get a soil test to see if there is any nutrient deficiency or pH imbalance that needs to be corrected. This could be part of what's been killing your plants.
Compost, mulch, and the use of cover crops (crops that you won't eat but that will improve the structure with their root systems) can all help. The following article gives more ideas:
https://extension.missouri.edu/news/DisplayStory.aspx?N=1815
Clay soil is also susceptible to becoming compacted, so it's best not to dig it up too often, instead letting plant roots do the work.
I found a big 34 lb. pink rock in my garden. I know this is not very garden related. But I'm not sure what kind of rock it is. I'm thinking pink quartz. I cleaned the dry off and snapped a few pics. Can anyone identify it?
I would suggest taking the rock to your nearest County Extension Office.
They should have information on the local rock formations and can help you with identification.
It is pretty!
Here is a link to help you locate your nearest office.
I have just moved into a new home about 3 months ago. I did a self home test of the soil. It shows very low nitrogen, very low potassium, and almost no phosphorus. What do I need to do to get the soil ready to plant my garden next year? Please help, I have to have a garden.
Organic fertilizers for your garden include compost (adds nutrients and also improves the structure and fertility of your soil) and other options described in this article:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/types-of-organic-fertilizer.htm
Bone meal is great for adding phosphorus, while cured manure, worm castings, or blood meal are organic sources of nitrogen.
Conventional fertilizers list their proportions of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus on the label. Different balances are optimal for different vegetables and fruits, for example see this article for tomatoes:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/tomato-fertilizer.htm
I put in microorganisms in soil this year. If I solarize, will it kill them? For many years, I've had a terrible problem with tomato blight. Will solarizing help that? Thanks for your help. Pam
I do not know the heat threshold of the microorganisms. They are heat lovers so my best guess is they would be safe during solarizing a garden bed.
I have listed a few links for you with more information.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/projects/how-to-solarize-garden-beds-to-eliminate-garden-pests-in-the-soil.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/tomato-blight.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/basics/compost-bacteria-information.htm
I have a concrete patio. I want to cut a couple of holes in the concrete and plant some color. First hole cut, excavated hole 14" x 12" x 24" deep. Planned to fill with good compost/planting mix then plant the color. Now the problem: The material removed is damp clay and I'm thinking that these holes may eventually fill with water, be unable to drain and the plants will drown.
You are probably correct, especially because the clay soil is probably compacted because it's been under a patio.
These articles have some suggestions:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/yard-drainage-problems.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/yard-drainage-problems.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/how-to-improve-clay-soil.htm
You could also consider plants that don't mind a poorly drained environment. However, you'll also need to make sure these plants don't dry out too much on hot days.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/water-plants/wgen/water-tolerant-plants.htm