"The (soil) doctor will now see you"

If there was ever time to be thankful for the Internet, I think it was yesterday.
I spent about four hours researching soil, soil test results and soil amendments on the World Wide Web and I have to tell you, I don't know how I could have gained so much information in such a short time. It was just a few years ago (or so it seems) that I would have spent days and hours on the phone and at the library getting the information I needed that I found so easily yesterday.
At any rate, I am now more educated about my soil. Let me start with the soil sample analysis that came back. It showed some things I suspected (low organic matter), some things I did not expect (an average of 6.9 for my PH level - no liming this year!) and some things I didn't know (extremely low sulfur and boron).
We had our analysis done by A&L labs in Virginia. They do a nice job of interpreting everything. I started by going to their website and printing out a fact sheet on how to read my analysis. They also have a nice tutorial on elements in the soils and what their jobs are.
I sat down with the big yellow legal pad and went to work. I was a soil detective and doctor all in one sitting. I found out that ammonium sulfate would solve my sulfur problem and that Borax would amend my boron woes. I also realized at this point that I don't need my 10-10-10 that I had ordered so I will call my distributor and ask him to cancel the order and hold my money in escrow for future purchases. Luckily, I didn't get a custom blend otherwise it would get into a sticky situation.
In addition to the sulfur and boron, I needed a boost in calcium, manganese and potassium. At this point, I wanted to see how I could combine my leaf compost with the elements that were missing or in need of improvement. I could have had a custom blend of commercial fertilizer ordered but that would have presented more dilemmas. For example, string beans are susceptible to boron poisoning. Since I needed boron in my soil levels to be higher, I would have felt uncomfortable using a custom blend with added boron on one of my main crops. Therefore, my decision was to add the amendments to my compost to control the situation better.
So I started to track down products that I could mix with the leaf matter and use as a compost for my vegetables.
That's when I came across a product made by a company named Coast of Maine that is called "Bumper Crop". It is a compost mix that was highly-regarded by several reviewers and had some things in it that not only seemed to fit the bill but it looked easier to work with.
Dad and I caucused on the situation and decided we'll try the "Bumper Crop" to see how it works. Stay tuned.
In the meantime I had come across a biodegradable row cover made by Weed Guard Plus. I mentioned it to Dad and he purchased a roll that we are going to trial this year on our head lettuce.
It was a profitable weekend for a couple of other reasons. The blackberry patch is now finished with its haircut. I need to go back in and dig out some root systems that are where they shouldn't be and move them into a new row for cultivation.
The mailman was nice and brought me a new soil thermometer and a soil analyzer that analyzes the PH and moisture in the soil. Two handy instruments that will help me make better decisions on planting and irrigating this summer.
Finally, I sat down and laid out the logistics for the carrots and peas that will be going in the ground in two weeks. The peas are a last minute addition that I know Deb, one of my best customers, will appreciate. I will plant two varieties - a snow pea for stir fries and a regular shelling variety.