Gardening and Landscaping Stack Exchange
Gardening and Landscaping Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [soil-test]

Tests for various soil characteristics including nutritional and contaminant content.

Soils can be tested for a wide range of characteristics. These can be used to help diagnose problems (eg. due to a mineral deficiency), guarantee safe crops (eg. no heavy metal contaminants in the soil), or provide pointers as to the best kind of plants to grow (eg. according to acidity).

Many soil test kits are available from nurseries and big box garden stores. Specialist tests and services are also available.

Some of the tests that might be considered:

  • Major nutrients (NPK) - fix with fertilizer
  • Minor and secondary nutrients (Ca,Mg, Fe, Cu, etc)
  • Acidity (pH) - different plants prefer different acidities
  • Contamination (from air, ground water, industry, gas stations, dry cleaning, etc)
  • General composition (humus,sand,mud,clay)

Use this tag for all questions about soil tests and testing.

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Why is it a problem to use manure as a fertilizing amendment over the long term?

I had my soil tested last fall. As part of the submission I checked the box that said I use manure as a soil amendment / fertilizer. In the results from the lab, they included a note that said that manure is a good source of many necessary…
bstpierre
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How can I correct a nutrient excess in soil?

The soil sample I took last fall from my vegetable garden came back from the lab with this result: Optimum Range Calcium, Mehlich 3 (Ca) 2063 (ppm) H 800 - 1200 Magnesium, Mehlich 3 (Mg)…
bstpierre
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What type of tester works best for measuring soil pH?

I want to measure the pH of soil in my potted plants (especially for the dwarf citrus trees that I just bought). I've seen many different options: expensive laboratory-grade meters, cheap digital meters, analog meters, pH test paper strips, and so…
Steven T. Snyder
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Where should I get my garden soil tested?

This spring, I plan on growing vegetables on land that is new to me. How do I find a lab to test my soil? Will some labs give me information that others might not? Also, how much can I expect to pay for a soil test?
jeffreywrichards
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What are the best tools for testing soil?

I have a large pile of ashes from burning leaves, wood, limbs, pine straw etc, and I've read that ash can be helpful to plants if my soil pH is not over 7.5. How would you recommend that I test my soil, and what tools should I use? I'm looking to…
Oscalation
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Excess Zinc in garden soil

I had the soil in one of my garden beds tested for a wide spectrum of minerals. This bed was originally filled with bought topsoil and mushroom compost, then it was cultivated with parsnips and spinach, finally I have added some homemade compost.…
usumdelphini
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Is it possible to do my own extensive soil/organic matter testing?

I've read the posts on soil testing, and I realize it's cheap and widely available through local universities, etc. Question: Is it possible to do my own soil testing? Are there some compounds that it's very difficult to test for without a big…
themirror
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How can I measure the pH of my soil?

I was told to measure the pH of my soil to help identify some of the symptoms on my vegetable plants. Does anyone have recommendations of a device I can purchase to measure soil pH?
JStorage
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How do you figure out if you have Rhizobia bacteria in your soil?

I have prepared a leaf-rich garden patch (see here). To promote decomposition of the leaves I have planted a lot of beans and peas to promote nitrogen fixation in the soil. However, I don't know if there are any Rhizobia bacteria in the soil. How…
Om Patange
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Soil test came back. I need help

The test came back pH a tiny bit to low but the sodium, sulfur, potassium and phosphorus are way to high. Manganese to low. We are square foot gardening. Raised beds. Made. Mel's. Mix with 1/3 Vermiculite 1/3 peat and 1/3 Eko compost(which comes…
Danielle Irby
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How can you analyze if a land has good soil?

I have a feeling that my question is not a good question, but don't know how else to formulate it. I'm an engineer by profession, but I did spend a full season working in an organic farm. I'm thinking of buying a small piece of land (less than 2…
hba
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Can I measure chemical elements in soil myself?

What sort of equipment would one need to ensure that plant soil contains the right concentration of the 13 mineral nutrients necessary for plant growth? Specifically, can this be measured in real-time without involving sending samples to a lab? As…
augustzf
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How do I determine what the soil conditions are where I live?

I am starting to get into gardening since I have a bit of garden space for the first time. When I do research online, I often see recommendations for plant soil quality like "rich, porous, somewhat moist soil" for Hydrangeas. I imagine that soil…
user7520
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Acidic soil containing chalk?

I’ve recently bought a property in a ‘dry chalk valley’. It’s an old barn with a paddock out the back. I bought an electronic soil pH meter (two prongs with an analog dial meter) and followed the instructions. The result was a pH of 4.9. I’m…
Deejay
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Is there an accurate way to test a mixture of multiple soils?

Last night I started putting together a mixture of soil for blueberry plants. This mixture includes: top-soil garden soil organic mushroom compost sphagnum moss (I also have pine bark mulch to help keep the acidity of the soil) I…
The Flash
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