Soil testers

Anyone own a soil tester? If so, how well does it work?

 

Hi Donna. I use simple paper strips with tips that have been saturated with a reagent.
You mix some soil with a bit of rainwater and read the results by matching the colour of the tip with a colour chart. I know that there are folks on here that have more sophisticated analysers. Hopefully they will come forward and tell you about them.

If you decide upon getting one of these fancy ones, why not consider getting one that also measures elements like potassium, nitrogen etc as well?--You know, one of the "all-in-one" types. They may cost more, but then you have an impliment that can be helpful to you on different levels.

 

Hi Sjoerd, I like the idea of the paper strips. I have never seen them. Going to check them out. Thanks.

 

Yeah...labs and doctor's offices have them to test patient's urine with. Perhaps they could get some for you or tell you where to get them. Good luck, miss.

 

Did not realize they were the same. I did check them out and they got some good reviews. So I will pick up a bottle next trip to town. Thanks again.

 

At your service ma'am.
Yes, they are the same...urine has a pH too. ;-)

 

Donna,
We have a 4-way tester. It checks Ph, light, fertilizer and moisture. The best price we found was from Stokes seed catalog. I couldn't find it in their online catalog , but in the paper copy it is on page 3 of the accessories section.

(The next best price I have seen lately was from J.W. Jung Seed Co).
In the Jung catalog it is on page 41.

I use it, but not very often.

 

Now thats funny. I just finished looking at Stokes seed catalog and ear marked that page. Great minds think alike.

 

I use a self test kit,,I plant a seed and if it doesn`t grow,,I know it needs something. If it grows well,, its perfect. Its cheap too.

 

Thanks mart. Love your reply. I think I've had one of those kits before.

 

LOL ! If you want those test strips you can buy them at any drug store or Wal Mart in the section for diabetics. I just haven`t found that it would help. I was a member at another website and those people (even though very nice) made gardening a college course. Took all the fun out of it and made it worse than work. They were terrified to put a seed in the ground without a bunch of research. I kept saying just plant the darn seed,,it will either grow or not.