Fresh Start in 2023 Start

with a Soil Test

Article and photos by Rindy O’Brien

Why not start the new growing season armed with a plan based on science and real data? When was the last time you had your soil tested whether in a raised bed, pot, or an acre of land? Wouldn’t it be great to know the baseline information on your soil’s pH, nutrient levels, and organic matter content. Soil test results can help you improve your soil’s health and produce the best vegetables and flowers ever. Given the historic multi-use of land on Capitol Hill, if you plan to plant edibles it is important to test the soil for lead and arsenic to make sure it is safe to do so. It is recommended that you test your soil pH and nutrient status every three to five years.

But I Am Not A Scientist!

There is so much information on soil testing that it can make your head spin. Should you buy a soil test kit and test yourself or should you send your soil off to a university or professional lab? Over the past few years, sever - al universities that previously provided soil tests no longer have soil testing labs. But for DC residents, the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) has upgraded its soil lab and is hoping residents will take advantage of what they have to offer.

Dr. Tolessa Deksissa is the Director of the Water Resources Research Institute and found - er and current Director of UDC’s new Environment Quality Testing Laboratory (EQTL). He is an expert in urban soils and water quality assessments. Dr. Deksissa brings a global perspective to his work, having earned his Ph.D. from the Ghent University in Belgium. He says his native home of Ethiopia shares many of the soil qualities of DC and he is keenly interested in getting more DC residents to use the UDC lab to learn more about the soil around them. “It is really about protecting your health, and your family,” says Dr. Deksissa. “It takes about two weeks for the lab to run an extensive report on the nutrients and pH of your soil and the cost ranges from $20 to $50. Besides providing you the data on your soil, the lab will offer suggestions on how to improve the shortfalls.”

The lab processes about 400 tests a year and has the capacity to increase that number. The lab is also working on being fully accredited soon. “As often with things in DC, the fact that DC is not truly a state has complicated the accreditation process,” says Tolessa, but he is optimistic this will be resolved. “It really matters only for our larger government contracts and tests, with no effect on a home resident testing their yards or raised beds and pots. We are on our way to being one of the best labs in the country.”

If you are interested in getting your soil sampled, go to the UDC website, and fill out the form indicating how much information you are seeking, and you will be sent a quote, more information, and instructions on how to move forward. “Now, is a good time to have your soil tested before things pick up in the spring,” says the Tolessa. The website is https://www.udc. edu/eqtl/request-a-quote/

DIY Test Kits

Sometimes it is easier to just do it yourself. There are several products on the market, and Dr. Deksissa says the tests are about 80 percent accurate, but often they only test the very basic elements of the soil. I tried one of the leading soil testing kits, Rapitest Digital Soil Test which was recommended by the gardening staff at Homestead Gardens. The kit cost $42 and has 25 test capsules for pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash. The system uses an advanced LED digital technology and a calibration system. The instructions are easy to follow. But it is a time-consuming process, and results probably rely on how carefully one handles the soil, the capsules, and water.

There is a lot of waiting time, which contributes to the time professional labs take. The soil must be dried out after it is collected, and then it must be filtered.

Once a cup of soil is collected by digging several inches down into the soil, it must be filtered to make a fine sample. The soil is mixed with distilled water, available at Frager’s Hardware. It can take several hours to 24 hours for the soil mix to settle and be ready to transfer to test tubs where the appropriate powder is added. Then, ten minutes later it is time to find out the results which are displayed on a digital LED indicator. Most of the other soil tests work similarly. Testing at home gives you latitude of where and when you test. If you have a plant that is not thriving, it may be a quick way to analyze the problem and take some of the guess work out of gardening.

Test Results Around the Hill

Are you curious about how different the soil is around the Hill? I did a spot test on three locations. My garden at 11th and East Capitol, a picnic spot on Kingman Island near the Anacostia River, and some soil from the Congressional Cemetery. My front yard garden, which had soil improvement last summer, registered in the adequate range in nitrogen, potash, and phosphorus. The pH level was a little high at 7.5, leaving some room for adjustment before planting this summer.

The Kingman Island sample also showed a pH level of 7.5. The nitrogen level was sufficient, but potash and phosphorous were in the surplus range. This may influence some of the tree growth along the river, but it seemed to have little effect on the ground growth.

The Congressional Cemetery at 1801 E Street, SE is a popular spot among Hill residents and dog owners. There are flower gardens that welcome visitors to the historical site. The soil sample was taken from an area under a tree next to the main administrative building and gift shop. Unlike the two other samples, the Congressional Cemetery flower garden was much lower in pH at 6.5 and turned up depleted in the nitrogen reading. Its potash was sufficient and its phosphorous adequate.

February and March are perfect times to take soil samples and run tests on the health of your garden soils. It will let you have time to make improvements to the soil before you start planting in the spring. Put on your white lab coat, and get to testing, you won’t regret it.

Rindy O’Brien highly recommends a soil test, and is very pleased that UDC has a great program for all to use. To contact Rindy - rindyobrien@gmail. u

The Capitol Hill Garden Club presents Dear Garden Problem Lady,

by Wendy Blair

When is the best time to move my Solomon’s seal – and why is it called that?

Markings on its roots look like stamp marks made by the biblical King Solomon’s ring – which was thought to be magic. If your plant is two to three feet tall, with smooth green leaves and drooping, bell-shaped flowers, it is probably Polygonatum bi orum, the common native Solomon’s seal. It likes moist, somewhat shady woodland soil. Early spring or early fall are both good times to transplant.

Real Estate

When – and how – should I prune our proli c g tree?

Now, late winter is the time. How old is it? Prune a young g tree as soon as you plant it in the ground. Cutting about fty percent of the main branches that extend from the main trunk will help the tree establish a strong root system. From then on always prune annually in late winter -- prompting new branches to sprout by early spring. That leads to fresh fruit starting in early summer. By the second year keep only ve to six particularly strong branches. They will be your main branches for bearing fruit. Remove all the other smaller branches from the main trunk.

Next address secondary branches growing o those main 5 fruiting branches. Cut o any secondary branch that spans o at less than a 45-degree angle – i.e. too close to fruiting branches. This clears better space for the fruiting branches. As the tree matures, start cutting back even those big fruiting branches – back to a third of their size. This will keep the tree smaller, sturdier and help your harvesting. You may need large loppers to reach high enough.

Other musts: cut away suckers at the base of the tree. Clean all tools with alcohol to prevent disease spread. Cut away dead wood in any season. Older trees need less pruning.

Is winter the best time to prune most garden plants? We inherited a big garden (really it’s a small town-house garden, but to us it is Yuge). Can you o er some VERY GENERAL RULES for pruning trees, shrubs, perennials?

No. Garden pruning is a vast subject with thousands of rules. Timing is crucial – not always winter. Browse the plant name online. Find its unique pruning needs. Use sharp tools, make cuts correctly, and seldom remove more than one third of the plant at any one time. Pruning mistakes can kill a plant. Preserving the “branch/bark collar” is for trees, where big mistakes really count. See diagram.

The Capitol Hill Garden Club features Alex Dencker of the Smithsonian Gardens, on Native Plant Alternatives to Replace Invasives, at its Tuesday February 7, 2023 Zoom meeting at 7:30 pm. Link is at capitolhillgardenclub@gmail.com.

Feeling beset by gardening problems? Send them to the Problem Lady c/o the Editor, Hill Garden News. Your problems might even prove instructive to others and help them feel superior to you. Complete anonymity is assured. ◆