Hi Sarah, 

Firstly, I'd like to say that without knowing your other gardening practices, I can't guarantee the issue is all in your soil. Light and sun exposure, watering practices, how/what/where you plant, temperature, pest activity, location, cultivation practices, and many other things could factor into a vegetable garden's inability to thrive.

I would also be interested to know the symptoms and specific issues you are seeing in your crops - as that could provide some clues too!

Soil test interpretation, however, is absolutely the best first step! My immediate thought is over amendment, which happens in a lot of home gardens. This means the addition of composts and fertilizers and other high nutrient additives when the soil already has sufficient reserves of nutrient. An easy win is to stop or slow down on nutrient rich amendments to your soil - compost, fertilizers, manure, etc. 

I reviewed your soil tests and as you mention, you have high organic matter and excessive levels of nutrients like Phosphorus (P) andMagnesium (K) and even the Potassium (K) is showing as on the high end. This tracks with your description of how you have been filling your beds - seems like a lot of compost/organic matter/nutrient dense matter has been added. How often do you add something less nutrient rich, more coarse and "plain" like topsoil? Do you add nutrient dense composts/manures/fertilizers every year? 

Plants need the nutrients provided by these amendments of course, but a soil test will tell you what is already in your soil, and what you actually need. Over amendment at best will cost you $$ and not improve yield or health of your plants - at worst it can cause damaging runoff, and hamper the conditions for ideal crop growth. 

I am hearing your soil already started pretty dense and clay, which means organic matter % is maintained at a higher level by the soil. Things like the P and Mg that you are excessively high in are nutrients held onto by the soil, especially if the soil is dense and rich in organic matter as yours is. This means they build up over several seasons if not used up by the plants. 

You'll notice your report recommends Nitrogen additions, because this is one nutrient that moves through the soil quickly, and is a default recommendation for most vegetable gardens. So although most other soil nutrients are present in excessive amounts, I would say adding the recommended nitrogen amount from your soil test report is advisable each and every year. 

I would start by adding only inert soils next season if you need more soil volume and aeration, and certainly avoiding any nutrient rich soil amendments (aside from a source of Nitrogen as mentioned). This includes compost, manure, etc until a soil test can demonstrate the levels have reduced back within the optimum range. Your soil pH is only barely on the high end of the recommended range, so its not an immediate concern, but more amendments especially manure can slowly increase that number and I suspect if further amendments are avoided for a time, it may settle to a more neutral # as well.

I also noticed a high level of sodium in your report (as well as Manganese and Zinc levels above optimum), which can result in plant toxicity and/or an inability to thrive. Sodium can come from the water you are using to irrigate, or present in the original soil, but also it can come from a lot of manure based compost or fertilizer with sodium content in it, which seems like a reasonable culprit here. High salt content in soil will affect a plants ability to take up water, and really high content can cause dark or white crusting on the surface of the soil. If you are watering with water that has a high salinity, its possible you may see leaf burn, especially on younger plants. 

Some suggestions: 

- Soil Texture: To address overly clay soil, fibrous material can be added such as composted wood chips, straw, etc. If you need more soil in your garden but want to avoid over adding nutrients and moisture, choose a well draining topsoil (one that doesn't include compost) that will balance out the clay texture of your soil, and wont add any of the nutrients you have plenty of already. Mix these additions thoroughly until incorporated well with the existing soil.

- Over Amendment: Don't add anything to your garden beds next season that contains high nutrient content, aside from a source of Nitrogen only - a fertilizer that is mainly Nitrogen would be a good choice. Apply as directed in your soil report. Avoid compost, manure, biosolids, etc. Waiting and time will help here. If you want to see quicker reductions, existing high nutrient soil can be removed from each bed, and inert topsoil can be incorporated into the beds to "dilute" the levels you are seeing on your test.

- Test and Monitor: Retest your beds before next planting season begins, and it can't hurt to retest when seeing new issues, before considering significant soil additions/amendments,  before sowing any new crops, or before putting your garden bed to sleep next winter (which I assume is what prompted you this time). When testing, be sure to take samples from all beds, using soil that is acquired from different sections of the bed, different depths, etc to make sure you have a representative sample. If you notice certain beds that have much more significant issues, feel free to create a separate sample of those beds, label them clearly, and remember which beds that sample came from. This may provide clarity, or make it easier to narrow down the problem. 

Resources:

https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/diagnosing-saline-and-sodic-soil-problems/#:~:text=If%20you%20suspect%20salinity%20or,Can%20be%20Done%20After%20Diagnosis

https://extension.umaine.edu/gardening/2025/01/27/if-my-soil-test-shows-above-optimum-organic-matter-why-is-my-garden-not-doing-well/

https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/soil-amendments/

https://nevegetable.org/cultural-practices/fundamentals-soil-health-and-fertility

https://extension.umn.edu/nutrient-management-specialty-crops/correct-too-much-compost-and-manure

https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/ec-1478-soil-test-interpretation-guide

You’ve got it! Leaves are fine for mulching but I wouldn’t bother digging them in to the soil- in nature they would decompose at the top level and leach into the soil. Given your nutrient level I’d also say they weren’t necessary as far as providing nutrients - however. As far as additive I would aim for a plain old topsoil that is well draining and intended for garden beds. They’ll usually be the more inexpensive option than mixes that contain compost and other additives. Keep testing, and feel free to reach out again to check in next year! 

Kristin

You’ve got it! Leaves are fine for mulching but I wouldn’t bother digging them in to the soil- in nature they would decompose at the top level and leach into the soil. Given your nutrient level I’d also say they weren’t necessary as far as providing nutrients - however. As far as additive I would aim for a plain old topsoil that is well draining and intended for garden beds. They’ll usually be the more inexpensive option than mixes that contain compost and other additives. Keep testing, and feel free to reach out again to check in next year! 

Kristin