Soil test kits

[repete]

Anyone ever used a soil test kit? Either the mail in the sample or the test yourself type? What are your experiences with them if you have?

 

[ponytug]

Well, it has been hashed through here recently, but for what it is worth, I have had poor success with the low cost kits available around here at garden centers and home improvement stores.

If your county offers soil testing, I would start there, and if not they should be able to recommend a lab.

Good luck!

All the best,

Peter

 

[Wakey]

I used my county extension office to get the kit and if you follow their directions you will have good results. You take soil samples and mail it in to a lab. I’ve done the same with my well.

 

[Jstpssng]

I've tried both, and will stick with going through my county extension service.

 

[K5lwq]

We sent one in from the farm in Mississippi with sand from Florida. They sent it back and said you need everything but more sand.

 

[Wakey]

We sent one in from the farm in Mississippi with sand from Florida. They sent it back and said you need everything but more sand.

 

[repete]

We sent one in from the farm in Mississippi with sand from Florida. They sent it back and said you need everything but more sand.

But it was accurate...

 

[K5lwq]

But it was accurate...

Definitely!

 

[RalphVa]

I've used the simple kits bought at like Lowes. Have also volunteered at extension office and handed out soil sample "kits". The kits were just a folded up small box and instructions on how to take the soil sample. Around here, one could also take soil in a plastic bag into the local Southern States store. They used another lab from what the county used.

I've never compared the simple kit results with what I got from the extension office. Seemed to work okay.

 

[Jstpssng]

I have several piles of old, rotted down stumps which have returned to soil. Using a home test kit it shows that I have no nutrients and the pH is neutral. I plan to send a sample from the same piles to our Extension Service to see how it compares.