Hello Everyone, I wonder if you can help me figure out a very surprising soil test. I had one done last year, and noted that my P and K values were on the high side. It's a small garden bed that we grew veggies in years ago, so it had what I thought was "good" soil. For the past two years, I've grown dahlias and some ordinary flowers like zinnias. Reading up on dahlias, and flower gardening in general, I've heard about soil with excess Phosphorous in particular, so I've been careful (or so I thought) not to add too much of anything. In any event, the old bed was more or less abandoned with a new garden bed, filled with soil from a local company that makes a mix of compost and topsoil just for raised beds.
https://www.panoramapaydirt.com/products
The new bed is near the old one, partly overlapping it. The soil came in January and it went right over the grass, with some cardboard. When I went to do a new soil test this year, I kind of figured it would be like a blank slate, and I'd need to add something. Alas, the soil test indicates that the P and K values have shot way up! Like 6 times the levels that they were a year ago. The other numbers went up too, for the most part, some dramatically. I wrote last year's values in the column that I added next to this year's test. The only good news that I see is that the pH levels look a little better for dahlias.
Can anyone help me figure out where to start? I did call the company and left a message. In the past, I've used the Virginia Cooperative Extension, but this year I tried an outfit called Soilkit that was available at my local garden shop. Is it a fluke? Should I get a second opinion? Abandon the garden altogether?? We did a big Fall planting which is all doing well, so I don't think it's all over the property. It's a small urban lot in a small city.
Grateful for your comments and expertise. This is indeed disheartening as we approach my favorite time of year!
Let me know if it's hard to read the attachment--I can try again.