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SOIL TESTS & INTERPRETATION This technical note discusses most of the soil tests used at Hill Labs, and gives very general interpretive information for each. Information for this Technical Note has been taken from Chapter three of the Field Consultants Guide to Soil & Plant Analysis. Hill Labs has organised its soil tests into two groups.
- How to Test Soil Ph with Strips
- Accuracy of Ph Test Strips
- Amending Your Soil Ph
- How Much of These Amendments Should You add?
1. Collect your soil sample
The first part of testing soil pH is collecting the soil sample to be tested. depending on how small or large the area is you can collect your soil sample in a number of ways. If the area is large – like a field – you should sample the plot in an X formation. Then take a sample of the soil every 10 yards/ meters. To take the sample you should use a soil corer – a metal tube you push into the ground 4 to 6 inches, and then you eject the plug of the soil sample into a bucket. If you don’t have...
2. Prepare your final soil sample for testing
Once you have your final soil sample ready for testing you should add it to a bowl or some type of vessel to hold the soil and the water you will add to it. As I said before less than a handful of soil is needed. The soil in this container should be free from stones sticks, grass, or other bulky materials which might make mixing the soil with the water difficult.
3. Adding water to the soil sample
The next stage is adding water to the soil so we can take a reading using the pH test strips. Many guides have stated that you should use deionized water to add to the soil, but in reality, not many people have deionized water laying about the place. If you live in a developed country with water treatment works– they adjust the tap water pH to a more neutral limit (pH 7 to pH 8) before supplying the public so it’s not that big of a deal to use tap water rather than deionized water. Hard water...
While it is always beneficial to have any indication of where your soil pH lies, pH test strips are not designed to give accurate measurements. It is recommended to use a digital soil meter to provide you with an accurate pH reading to detect small changes in pH. Having a pH meter that is more accurate is essential when you are in the process of ma...
After you have read the pH of your soil, you may realize that you need to lower the pH or you may need to raise pH. Sometimes the pH is fine and it won’t need anything. Usually, growers will know the soil typethey live in and if it is prone to need the pH raised or lowered. For example, those who live in peaty areas will have soil that tends to be ...
As with most things related to growing plants, there is no one size fits all. Each plot of land has its own unique features and requirements. Every grower will get to know their plot and how it responds to amendments. My advice is to add the minimum amount required to give a result and re-test to see how it performed. The following year you can adj...
Jun 6, 2024 · Some plants like garlic, asparagus, beans, brassicas, and alfalfa tolerate slightly alkaline soil (7.0 to 8.0), but most plants struggle to grow with a super high pH. This quick guide makes it easy to understand these numbers: High pH = above 7.0 = alkaline = add sulfur if you need to lower the pH. Neutral = 7.0.
Add baking soda to one jar and mix. Then add vinegar to the other and mix. If the baking soda mixture bubbles, you likely have acidic soil; if the vinegar mixture bubbles, you likely have alkaline soil. This method is best used as an initial assessment of your soil pH or as an educational activity. 5.
Mar 16, 2021 · For an overall test, collect equal amounts of soil (1-2 tablespoons is plenty) from a depth of 3-4 inches from several locations around your garden. If your test kit wants you to use dry soil, then do your best to mix all of it up together, breaking down chunks with a clean utensil. If your kit requires you to mix the whole batch of soil with ...
Soil testing with indicator paper Field scientists use a pH meter to test soil pH. Although these give a good level of precision, they can be quite expensive. Indicator paper - often called litmus paper or pH strips - offers a cheaper but reliable way to test soil pH. You can usually buy a few hundred strips for 1.
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Soil pH Chemical Test Kits. Pros: Easy to use, all-inclusive Cons: Multiple kits needed, hard to read & dispose of, a limited number of tests. pH chemical test kits are like test strips in that they are easy to use, but also have several drawbacks. Using a soil test kit involves adding your soil, distilled or DI water, and some chemicals (these ...
