North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Mark or Helen Angermayer" <hangermayer@isp.com>]

I recently had my soil tested and had some questions about it.  I wonder if
some of you would be interested to look over the results below and offer any
comments.  I don't know diddly about agronomy.

The soil sample was taken from 10 holes.  In a post, Jerry recommended A&L
labs several months ago and it turned out they were the cheapest lab I could
find for the amount of testing done.  The lab had a very fast turn around
time.  Here are the results:
All numbers are in PPM unless otherwise noted.  Also, they rated the amount
of each element as either (Very Low-VL; Low-L; Medium-M; High-H; Very
High-VH)

Organic Matter=4.8%;  Phosphorus-Bray P1 ppm-P=5(VL);  K=101(M);  Mg=330(H);
Ca=2900(H);  S=11(M);  Zn=3.5(M);  Mn=33(H);  Fe=24(H);  Cu=1.7(H);
B=1.0(M);  Soil pH=6.9;  CEC-meq/100g=17.8;  Percent Base
Saturation-(%K=1.5; %Mg=15.5; %Ca=81.6; %H=1.5)

I also asked for fertilizer recommendations for peaches.  Here they
are(lbs/acre):

Lime=0;  N=65;  Phosphate-P205=100;  Potash-K20=95;  Mg=0;  S=0;  Zn=2.5;
Mn=0;  Fe=0;  Cu=0;  B=1

Here are some questions I have.  Any help would be appreciated, as well as
any comments.

-Zn, B, K, and S are all listed as Medium in amount, but the recommendations
only call for adding Zn, B, and K(Potash).  What about S?

-I thought peaches require a pH of 6.5.  I can't see that the fertilizer
recommendations would lower the pH.  Is 6.9 OK for peaches?

-What in the world is Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)?  Is it very important?

-I only have about one acre of land and am growing fruit trees on about 1/2
of it.  Am I likely to find a Coop that will mix such a small amount of
fertilizer?  If so, any idea on what would be a fair price?  I would
probably need it bagged.  If they won't mix it for me should I just try to
buy some raw phosphate since it's most lacking in the soil?

-I've read P only moves down about 1 inch per year.  Will I likely have to
put it on every year?  Would it help to put a little extra on the first year
since it's so low?

Thanks,
Mark Angermayer
Zone 5 Kansas