Soil Nutrient Testing - Building Soils Naturally - page 68

Reams-Based Ideal Nutrient Levels
in Soil

Calcium 2,000-4,000 lb./acre

Magnesium 14% of calcium

Phosphate 400 lb./acre

Potash 200 lb./acre

Sulfate 200 lb./acre

Nitrate nitrogen 40 lb./acre

Ammonium nitrogen 40 lb./acre

Sodium 20-70 ppm

Again, these numbers are for food, but I use them for all soils. There's no need to mem-
orize them, as you have them right here. When you get a Reams soil test back from a lab,
you can compare your results to these numbers, (and they probably have even done that for
you). They may use slightly different numbers depending on their methods and on your
plants. They also may give the numbers in ppm instead of pounds per acre, where 1 ppm
equals 2 pounds per acre, so ideal phosphate would be listed as 200 instead of 400, for ex-
ample. From there, the lab will tell you which fertilizers to add to the soil in what amounts.
They may give it to you in tons per acre. One ton per acre equals about 45 pounds per thou-
sand square feet.