|
Post by daylilydude on Jan 8, 2011 9:02:36 GMT -5
Do you trust the hardware store test kit or do send it off?
|
|
rintintin
Pro Member
Posts: 150
Joined: December 2010
|
Post by rintintin on Jan 8, 2011 19:55:03 GMT -5
The cheap home gardener models would not be suitable for lab use, but will give you a good enough reading for all practical purposes. Sending samples off to be lab checked is expensive and time consuming. It is recommended to take samples from various parts of your garden to get an average reading, so the results will not be accurate for any one spot anyways. With the home tester, in a few minutes you can have 'close' readings for each section of your garden, rather than a 'precise' reading that has been averaged for your entire site.
Anybody serious about gardening should have one in their tool shed. MHO
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Joined: January 1970
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2011 18:38:57 GMT -5
I have a home soil tester kit, and use it every spring before anything goes in the garden..I make any adjustments to the soil depending what the tester reveals.....
|
|
|
Post by paulf on Jan 10, 2011 11:25:26 GMT -5
For the $10 it costs to have a soil test done professionally, and it is recommended to test soil only every two or three years, it is not worth the trouble to buy a soil sample kit and try to be sure the testing is being done properly. I thought I was pretty well versed on sampling procedures and preparation to "get pretty close". To my dismay, when I compared my results to the professional results, I was not in the ballpark.
I thought I spend a lot of money on a very good piece of equipment only to be disappointed. My $100 does not even come close to the thousands of dollars for the "real" testing machinery. At $10 a shot every other year that's more years than I have left in me just to hit the break even point.
I say do it right and don't guess with your testing.
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Joined: January 1970
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2011 20:03:45 GMT -5
I have never tested my soil. I just keep adding compost every year. It is finally starting to break up the black clay we have here.
|
|
nolika
Pro Member
Tomato Junkie
Posts: 235
Joined: December 2010
|
Post by nolika on Jan 11, 2011 1:21:15 GMT -5
Our clay is orange!!! But it is still clay. I haven't tested my soil yet either, but plan to do so soon as I really want to see if my soil is good after all the amendments I've added over the years...
|
|
|
Post by txdirtdog on Jan 12, 2011 22:00:20 GMT -5
I had my test done last spring at Texas A&M. Primarily low on N and salt (who woulda thought living within spitting distance of the Gulf of Mexico I would be low on salt? Lol). So I won't do one this spring, as I didn't get enough leaves and horse manure in the garden this season to make a huge difference. This winter I am putting a lot of leaves in the garden and making some decent sized compost heaps, so next fall I intend to get another test from TAM. At that time, I'll probably buy a home kit to compare results and go on home kit from that point with once every 4 or 5 years a TAM test.
|
|
adobo
Pro Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 255
Joined: January 2011
|
Post by adobo on Jan 17, 2011 1:19:53 GMT -5
How could you convert black sticky clay into a rich growing soil?
|
|
|
Post by stratcat on Jan 17, 2011 17:53:51 GMT -5
How could you convert black sticky clay into a rich growing soil? Over time, I would work into the soil coarse sand along with organic amendments of compost, manure, leaves and unsprayed grass clippings from the lawn.
|
|
|
Post by bluelacedredhead on Jan 20, 2011 16:22:17 GMT -5
I have used a home testing kit but I agree with Paul. If you are a serious breeder or raising veggies for competition, then the $10+ it costs for professional results is well worth the money.
TX, I was going to suggest you use seaweed as mulch in your garden, but then I remembered the oilspill earlier in the year. Prolly not a good idea right now...
|
|
|
Post by txdirtdog on Jan 20, 2011 23:36:23 GMT -5
Well, the oil spill is one reason, the other is don't get to the beach much at all and honestly, I don't remember seeing seaweed when I have gone. Hmmm, I would think there is seaweed in the Tx gulfcoast, but I don't know....
Kinda sad I live that close to the water and don't go, huh?
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Joined: January 1970
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2011 18:33:12 GMT -5
Yup, you bet there is. Once A year, I bring back 3 - 4 bags of seaweed that I slowly add to my compost. With all the minerals, it is good to compost then add to the garden.
|
|
|
Post by txdirtdog on Jan 21, 2011 19:23:21 GMT -5
Looks like I need to plan a trip to the water.
|
|
|
Post by daylilydude on Jan 22, 2011 17:43:41 GMT -5
Yes, I agree, but in my area it only cost $6.00.
|
|
|
Post by stratcat on Jan 22, 2011 19:07:20 GMT -5
I'd go with the lab for the accuracy.
For the nominal fee of the county Extension Office, I had my soil tested by the Michigan State University lab. The ph was high so I've added agricultural sulfur and other amendments. My gardens have been getting better.
|
|