Well, our soil analysis came in. Although the micro nutrients where not done. They said the machine broke! You got to love Panama!
Although there was no big surprise in what the soil is lacking it was quite a surprise to see the difference between the amended soil and the virgin soil.
Here are the results:
Soil sample %sand/loam/clay pH P K Al OM%
Virgin 48-16-36 5.2 - 39 2.7 1.6
Amended 42-22-36 5.3 10 160 1 2.89
To no big surprise, we have little or no phosphorus in the soil, but are doing well with potassium. That is why our peppers and tomatoes suffer, while our bananas our growing spectacularly! Our organic matter has increased significantly and the aluminum has decrease significantly. Those are the most important!
So I have since begun to amend with bone-meal. Bone meal is quite inexpensive and easy to find. There is some limited availability of phosphorus rock in this country but it is quite expensive.
I am also working hard to bring the pH up a little by adding limestone and the charcoal which is mixed with ash also helps.
I have also since, realized that some plants like corn and tomatoes actually prefer raw manure than compost. So I have tried that with good results.
The new plots of land prepared for planting now get:
Lots of charcoal, limestone, bone meal and compost and/or raw manure. I never use raw manure on plants that are low to the ground like lettuce and other greens. And our manure is recovered from rotating pasture.
I will post pictures soon of our new veggie gardens.
