social

Testing Your Own Garden Soil


Silver Post Medal for All Time! 398 Posts
November 1, 2010
Testing Your Own Garden SoilTo test for acidity: In order to do a quick soil test, wet a small sample of soil and put in a pinch of baking soda. If it fizzes at all, it might be too acidic for most garden plants and vegetables. Ashes from wood can improve this type of soil.
Advertisement

To test for alkalinity: Put a few drops of cider vinegar to the soil. If it fizzes, it is alkaline. Use peat moss to reduce alkalinity.

Source: Reader's Digest 1001 Hints and Tips For Your Garden

By Robyn Fed from Hampton, TN

 
Read More Comments

More Solutions

This page contains the following solutions.

October 12, 2006

How does one make his own soil testing kit?

Read More...

7 Questions

Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.

June 4, 2012

How do I test my soil? Do I hire someone to do it or is it a DYI project?

By judy from Riverside, CA

Answers

June 4, 20120 found this helpful
Best Answer

In my state the University has a cooperative extention service that does soil testing. When I contacted them they sent me instructions and a box to put the soil sample in to mail back to them.

Advertisement

In a couple of weeks I recieved a print out and information on how to improve the soil. The cost was about 10 dollars.

 
Answer this Question

May 24, 2009

I was wondering, how do you test the soil in your garden?

Thank you.

Hardiness Zone: 5a

By Joyce from Janesville, WI

Answers


Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 290 Feedbacks
May 24, 20090 found this helpful

www.uwex.edu/.../
Click on: "Have a garden question?"

Here's another site with more telephone numbers:
www.wisconline.com/.../countyoffices.html

 
May 29, 20090 found this helpful

Go to your local Extension Service Office. They have a kit that you can buy (reasonable) and they will tell you how to collect the soil in different areas. You then send the sample away where it will be checked and you will get a reply.When you talk to the extension office-they explain every thing to you.

Advertisement

Good luck. If you don't test your soil, how will you know how to amendent it. You will be wasting money, if you add some thing to your soil that is not necessary. Jeannnette

 
Answer this Question

April 30, 2010

I purchased a premium soil test kit by Ferry Morse. I followed the directions to the letter. I was testing for PH, I came up with a color that is not on the color chart. It came up an olive drab, army green. Any input would be appreciated.

The kit also comes with a filtering device for other tests. I didn't have any luck with it either. Couldn't come up with a color that came close to the chart.

Advertisement

Hardiness Zone: 5a

By Dan

Answers


Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 147 Feedbacks
April 30, 20100 found this helpful

Call your county extension office. They should be able to help you.

 
Answer this Question

February 7, 2017

If you're starting a new garden or your plants and flowers just aren't growing well despite your best efforts, then having your soil tested probably makes sense. This page shows you how to test your own soil.

Testing Your Soil

Archives

ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.

May 24, 2009

By testing your soil in your lawn every 3-4 years, you can keep on track if your lawn needs to have nitrogen added or not. Nitrogen is the key nutrient needed for a thick, green lawn.

 
Read More...
Categories
Home and Garden Gardening SoilJanuary 14, 2013
Pages
More
🍀
St. Patrick's Ideas!
💘
Valentine's Ideas!
🎂
Birthday Ideas!
Facebook
Pinterest
YouTube
Instagram
Categories
Better LivingBudget & FinanceBusiness and LegalComputersConsumer AdviceCoronavirusCraftsEducationEntertainmentFood and RecipesHealth & BeautyHolidays and PartiesHome and GardenMake Your OwnOrganizingParentingPetsPhotosTravel and RecreationWeddings
Published by ThriftyFun.
Desktop Page | View Mobile
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Contact Us
Generated 2024-02-03 08:59:19 in 10 secs. ⛅️️
© 1997-2024 by Cumuli, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
https://www.thriftyfun.com/Testing-Your-Own-Garden-Soil.html