@RickCorey and
@sooby. Thank you so much for the very educational replies. Can you clarify please what is meant by "silt" and "grit". If I wanted to add these two things to my soil what would I actually purchase at the garden center?
If I am understanding correctly, you are saying that even though I amend my soil now and plant in it, that I will have to amend it again in a few years? Is that practical to do with daylilies? Would simply adding a 2-3" layer of compost on the surface of my flower beds each year be sufficient to provide the ongoing nutrients my soil will need?
I will send my soil off to have it officially tested. Sue, you mentioned that there are many types of nitrogen that need to be tested for. How do I know if they will test for all of them? This is a list of the types of tests (and their cost) that my local extension performs...which ones do you recommend I get?
Soil analysis Analysis cost
Regular analysis: pHs, NA, OM, Bray I-P, Ca, Mg, K (includes grinding with recommendations) $10
Bray 1-P or Bray II-P (with regular analysis — $4) $5
Mehlich III or Olson P $5
pHw or pHs(with regular analysis — $2.50) $5
Neutralizable acidity (NA) and pHs $6
Sodium (with regular analysis — $2) $5
Zinc (with regular analysis — $4) $5
Fe, Cu, Mn (with regular analysis — $4.50) $6
Nitrate (with regular analysis — $4) $5
Ammonium (with regular analysis — $4) $5
Nitrate and ammonium (with regular analysis — $8) $9
Sulfate-Sulfur (with regular analysis — $4) $5
Boron $5
Organic matter $5
Particle size analysis (percentage sand, silt and clay) $12
Electrical conductivity $6
