Just checked garden with soil tester. Both potash and phosphate read high. How much and type of harm can this do to a vegetable garden? A good way to lower both ? ? ? How important is it to do ? Tnx.

First of all, I would have a real soil test done. Unless your tester costs in the range of $1500 to $10,000 the likelihood of being accurate is slim. That said, high end P and K is nothing to really worry about. pH would be more important and organic content of the soil right up there in importance. Plants do OK with whatever P and K is available; they will use what is necessary. Nitrogen is another factor, but most soil tests don't even consider nitrogen since it is easy to add or not add depending on how well your plants are doing.

PaulF said:First of all, I would have a real soil test done. Unless your tester costs in the range of $1500 to $10,000 the likelihood of being accurate is slim. That said, high end P and K is nothing to really worry about. pH would be more important and organic content of the soil right up there in importance. Plants do OK with whatever P and K is available; they will use what is necessary. Nitrogen is another factor, but most soil tests don't even consider nitrogen since it is easy to add or not add depending on how well your plants are doing.

This 100%. Those rapitest at-home test kits are good for absolutely nothing. They're completely wrong almost every time.

You will do very well with a pH stick alone. Here is my new one.