Soil test kits

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nowheat Midland, TX(Zone 7a) Jan 04, 2004

Do you have experience using those soil test kits you can find at nurseries and garden centers? What do you think of them?

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darius So.App.Mtns., United States(Zone 5b) Jan 05, 2004

I bought one last year but never got around to using it. My pH test kits for checking my swimming pool in Atlanta seemed reliable, though.

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nowheat Midland, TX(Zone 7a) Jan 08, 2004

All the gardening books I read keep talking about getting your soil tested at the county extension office. And the Master Gardeners locally all scoffed at the test kits. I'm not sure if it's because they aren't good at chemistry, or because the kits really don't work!

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SwiftWoods Orlando, FL(Zone 9b) Jan 08, 2004

I tried using one unsuccesfully about 1 1/2 years ago. I wasn't sure if it was me or the kit, but it didn't work. I was able to use my pond and aquarium kits with no problem, so I blamed the soil kit. I just moved and this time I am going to the county extension office to have the soil tested. I'm in a new state and zone with soil I am not used to and I want a reliable answer.

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nowheat Midland, TX(Zone 7a) Jan 09, 2004

I suppose the thing to do would be for me to take a soil sample, send some of it off to be offically tested, and then test it myself as well; write down my answers and see if my test-taking passes the test, so to speak.

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Miggy Long Island, NY(Zone 7a) Jan 09, 2004

I have used the soil test kits quite a bit, sending a sample away is definately more reliable and informative.
I have bought a kit or two where the test for phosphate was completely defective. Which left me to wonder about how reliable the rest of the results were.
Also, those little capsules are a big drag to open without spilling!
Plus the kits aren't particularly cheap either.
I would stick to using the PH kits, which are pretty reliable and not too pricey and send a sample away for the rest of the analysis.

Mig

This message was edited Jan 9, 2004 10:10 AM

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Karrie20x Spokane, WA(Zone 5b) Jan 12, 2004

I used a soil kit last fall for pH as well as nutrients. The main thing I noticed is that you really have to give the soil/water solution a chance to settle (can be up to 2 or 3 days for some soil types). If you don't, you won't get a good reading.

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nowheat Midland, TX(Zone 7a) Jan 17, 2004

Thanks! Being the impatient type, I guess I will have to plan ahead -- and practice my patience.

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