Balancing the Cation Nutrients - The Ideal Soil 2014 - page 42

68% Calcium: 11.4 x 200 x 0.68 = 1550 ppm

12% Magnesium: 11.4 x 120 x 0.12 = 164 ppm

4% Potassium: 11.4 x 390 x 0.04 = 178 ppm

1.5% Sodium: 11.4 x 230 x 0.015 = 39 ppm

This works the same way no matter what cation you are working with or what
percentage of base saturation you desire. If you wanted 4% Na, it would be 11.4 x
230 x 0.04 = 105 ppm and so on.

Next we subtract the amount measured on the soil report from the ideal amount
calculated above to find the amount we need to add:

Ca: 1550 - 1250 = 300 ppm

Mg: 164 - 116 = 48 ppm

K: 178 - 89 = 89 ppm

Na: 39 - 26 = 13 ppm

Amount Needed to Raise Base Saturation to Ideal Level
Calcium Magnesium Potassium Sodium

300 ppm 48 ppm 89 ppm 13 ppm

Adding these amounts to the initial values reported from the soil test will give us
these totals

Total of Major Cations after Balancing
Calcium ppm Magnesium ppm Potassium ppm Sodium ppm

1250 + 300 = 1550 = 68% 116 + 48 = 164 = 12% 89 + 89 = 178 = 4% 26 + 13 = 39 = 1.5%

In the next chapter we will use the amount of Potassium shown in the table above
to determine what our ideal level of Phosphorus should be.

In this chapter we have learned how to use simple arithmetic to calculate
percentage of base saturation for the major nutrient cations, and how to figure out
what we need to add in order to achieve the percentage we desire.As noted earlier,
different soils may need a different ratio than the “ideal” ratio. Heavy clay soils may
need up to 80% or more Ca saturation, light sandy soils up to 20% Mg.As a
general rule, the amount of K, Potassium, should equal the amount of Mg,
Magnesium, by weight , but the K level should not be more than 5% of base
saturation. Sodium % is not critical, as long as it is above 0.5% and below 5%,