University of Minnesota example · mixed vegetable garden · 100 sq ft. The development fixture assumes a Minnesota Area 1 mineral soil and a user-confirmed 6–8 inch sampling basis.
Measured pH was 5.6; Sikora buffer pH 6.5; Bray-1 phosphorus 15 ppm; ammonium-acetate potassium 89 ppm; organic matter 3.5%. The example's compatible targets were pH 6.0, phosphorus 20 ppm and potassium threshold 100 ppm.
| Material | Example amount for 100 sq ft |
|---|---|
| Clean, analyzed wood ash 0-1-3, 43% CCE | 10.0 lb |
| Calcitic agricultural lime, 1,000 lb ENP/ton | 2.9 lb |
| Fish bone meal 3-16-0 | 0.625 lb (10 oz) |
At its verified example analysis, 10.0 lb ash supplies 0.30 lb K₂O, 0.10 lb P₂O₅ and about 4.30 lb lime-equivalent per 100 sq ft. Use only clean untreated wood ash whose analysis and contaminant screening match the example.
After crediting the ash, apply 2.9 lb calcitic lime at 1,000 lb effective neutralizing power (ENP) per ton.
Apply 0.625 lb fish bone meal 3-16-0, supplying about 0.10 lb P₂O₅. It also supplies a small amount of nitrogen and calcium.
No separate nitrogen correction is issued: soil nitrogen was not measured. Do not substitute dolomitic lime without a magnesium result.
QMA recalculates the complete blend rather than simply substituting another material at the ash rate. For this same 100 sq ft example, use 1.4 lb langbeinite 0-0-22 for potassium, 1.25 lb fish bone meal 3-16-0 for the full phosphorus action, and 11.5 lb calcitic lime at 1,000 lb ENP/ton for the full liming action. This replacement-plan recalculation is provided at no additional plan charge.
Weigh materials. Do not substitute untested ash, and do not use these rates for acid-loving crops or scab-sensitive potato beds.
Wood-ash-unavailable alternative: Do not apply ash. Instead, use the recalculated 1.4 lb langbeinite, 1.25 lb fish bone meal and 11.5 lb calcitic lime per 100 sq ft, following the same incorporation and retest safeguards.
For this historical example, the compatible soil-test interpretation called for 0.20 lb P₂O₅ and 0.30 lb K₂O per 100 sq ft and an estimated 5.74 lb lime-equivalent. Verified ash provides all K₂O, half the P₂O₅ and 4.30 lb lime-equivalent. Fish bone meal supplies the remaining 0.10 lb P₂O₅; calcitic lime supplies the remaining neutralizing value.
| Calculation | Result per 100 sq ft |
|---|---|
| Ash: 10 lb × 3% K₂O / 1% P₂O₅ | 0.30 lb K₂O / 0.10 lb P₂O₅ |
| Fish bone: 0.625 lb × 16% P₂O₅ | 0.10 lb P₂O₅ |
| Lime: (5.74 − 4.30) ÷ (1,000 ÷ 2,000) | 2.88 lb, rounded to 2.9 lb |
The ash also carries calcium and magnesium; fish bone meal carries nitrogen and calcium. These overlapping contributions are counted rather than treated as separate deficiencies.
| Material | Recalculated amount per 100 sq ft | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Langbeinite 0-0-22 | 1.4 lb | Supplies the 0.30 lb K₂O action without wood ash |
| Fish bone meal 3-16-0 | 1.25 lb | Supplies the full 0.20 lb P₂O₅ action |
| Calcitic lime, 1,000 lb ENP/ton | 11.5 lb | Supplies the full 5.74 lb lime-equivalent action |
This is a recalculated alternative, not an add-on to the wood-ash blend. QMA provides this material-availability recalculation at no additional plan charge.
| Evidence | Value / example rule |
|---|---|
| Soil pH / Sikora buffer | 5.6 / 6.5 |
| Bray-1 P / ammonium-acetate K | 15 / 89 ppm |
| Organic matter | 3.5% by loss on ignition |
| Example target | pH 6.0, P 20 ppm, K threshold 100 ppm |
The source is the Balanced Amendment Blend University of Minnesota example used in the August 23, 2026 development walkthrough. This public five-page presentation preserves the original scenario and arithmetic. Magnesium, sulfur, calcium, nitrate-N, boron and lead results were not supplied; no missing value is treated as zero.