Barb,

The easiest way to test pH of soil is with a store bought kit for this. I do not trust the meters at all. The good meters are hundreds of dollars and require calibration, specialized storage and frequent probe replacement. The cheap meters may or may not be accurate out of the box, but are unlikely to remain accurate for long. I have the Rapidtest Meter and initially it read my soil was 6.8, which it is. However, it then told me the pH of everything was 6.8 including media I knew to be strongly acidic. It seems 'stuck' on 6.8, the pH of the first test.

The pH paper will also work fine and provide the same accuracy as the store bought vials. (which is good). They won't tell you the difference between 7.1 and 7.2, but they can indicate in .5 increments. The paper are for liquids though, not soil so they are inconvenient.

To use the test paper put a handful of loose soil in a coffee filter. Fill with distilled water to the saturation point and let drain. Repeat one more time. Last step once the soil has fully drained the second time is add a tiny amount of water, just enough to get a drip out of the coffee filter. Test the ph of that drip with the paper. That is the soil ph. Your test paper should have come with a color indicator card.

In my opinion the test strips are much easier to use with liquids and the vials are much easier for soil. Those soil test kits are available for around $5 or so at most garden centers and usually have 5-10 uses.

Purdue no longer does soil testing? What do the soil science students do? Does your local Extension office have suggestions on where to go for a soil test?
Neither the paper tapes nor the cheap meters will tell you why your soil pH is where its at and attempting to adjust it with the wrong material is a waste of your time, energy, and money. What you want from a soil test is basic information and unless each bed has to be different they can be tested together, no real need to test them seperately unless what you are growing requires vastly different soils.
Soil pH tests measure the free hydrogen ions in the soil, the more there are of those the lower the soil will test. On a pH test a measurement of 7.0 indicates that the hydrogen and oxygen ions are in balance. Why they get unbalanced is what you want to know, is it because of an imbalance in the calcium/magnesium ratio or something else. Since the vast majority of nutrients are most available with a soil pH range between 6.2 and 6.8 that is where you want your soil to be for most plants, however some do better with a lower pH and a few others do better with a higher pH.

Since I learned that there are differences in the way plants use the soil and the way soils are tested, I've become very skeptical of university soil tests. Go to the website for the Texas Plant and Soil Lab, read about their soil tests, and see if you want to send them your samples. They test soils from around the world, so I think Indiana would be fine. If there are other soil labs that can correlate plant nutrient uptake with fertilizer application, I am unaware of them. These guys are a national asset as far as I'm concerned.

Thanks for the answers. I don't know why Purdue doesn't do this anymore, nor did our local agent. He gave me a name of a place in Michigan. With that many beds, I thought they have had different elements added to them. Do I just take a small sample from each bed, or what? Will look into that Texas Plant and Soil Lab and try to get something done. Will try the other stuff also and see what develops there. Anyway, I do so appreciate your help and will try my best to see what is going on. - Barb

Barb,

In most cases the pH around a yard will be similar. Where this isn't always the case is when a garden bed is made using imported materials. In that case the pH of topsoil can vary from bed to bed while the subsoil will be fairly consistent.

A university test can be fine, but if you simply want to know pH you can buy a test kit for 5 bucks with 5-10 tests and they come with instructions. You basically just take a small amount of soil (like a pinch) from a few inches down and put it in a glass vial. Add the powder in the provided tablets and then distilled water to the fill line. Wait 30 seconds and compare the color of the solution to the colors on a card and you have your pH.

These cheap at home tests are very accurate within a .5 range.

Each bed is likely going to require different quantity of amendments & be at a different PH level. To my thinking mixing them would not be productive. Having no idea what they charge, I would say if you can afford it, do separate samples. If you can only do two, then do two. I think the outcome will be much more accurate.

But hey that's me. Looking in my notebook, I sent out 29 separate soil samples. And will do it again in the fall. Luckily the local aggie does not charge.

ps. those test strips are subject to interpretation & only give an idea where the PH is. A soil test will give a complete analysis.

My 3 cents.
Your choice,
Gumby_CT

Most plants grow well in a range of PH levels. Are your flowers growing well? If so, I wouldn't worry about the PH. If a particular plant or bed is not thriving, you can use one of the cheapo store tests on it.

I agree with Bill :-) I think we tend to over-analyze gardening a bit too much. Unless you are contemplating plants that have soil pH preferences skewed significantly to either acidic or alkaline conditions or you suspect your soil is similarly skewed, worrying about pH is seldom necessary. As noted, the vast majority of plants will tolerate and even thrive in a range of pH levels that typically encompasses most garden conditions. I'd be more concerned about the tilth and biology of the soil and how well it drains.

dchall;I appreciate your comments and link... a USGS-NAWQU(National Water-Quality Assessment Program) Publication specific to my area is just one of the resources I am finding useful....Under the USGS heading is a motto:"Science for a changing world" ....and with inherent contemporay issues of continued urban development,as well as the industrialization of emerging nations (more than C02>,mind you,I would think that soil pH readings are the least we can do....

Yup- if things are growing lush, then your pH is right :)

one might administer all sorts of pesticides and produce a "lush plant."...looks good to me, might even win an award somewhere....think I'll hold onto my references....

We're talking about pH in an existing bed, not pesticides.

Pesticides are not likely to produce lush growth in plants - rather they most often directly damage plants (herbicides) or otherwise disrupt other ecological conditions that would further compromise good plant growth. Soil amendments are NOT pesticides.

oh good grief...river water is used quite extensively out here and it's good to know about breeches and baseline levels of pesticides, water pH; salinity graphs and so on .Perchlorates have been identified in 35 states, the last time I checked....(Is this part of our current Ag. water tests? Just the state of affairs, no need to get upset about it....

Not sure how that has anything to do with the thread. The question was about pH. If the pH is wrong, the plants will suffer.

I didn't even worry about checking mine, I just added my amendments, some topsoil, some woody "not redwood or pine" outdoor potting soil, and topped it off with 1 cup fast prilled dolomite lime per 100 square feet, and 1 cup crushed oyster shells per 30 square feet. This year is my first time growing in this plot, and all of the veggies (except the tomatoes) which got tobacco mosaiac desease from my cigar butts, are lush, producing well, and show zero signs of stress. I also tilled to a level of 24". I know that ph is important for some varieties, but the prilled dolomite and oyster shells seem to keep a happy balance for all the plants to flourish. just my .02 iffen ya don't want to spend the $ on the tests. RD

Rootdoctor- exactly. If you've been growing stuff and it's doing well without testing- then why test? Heck- if I got more tomatoes and peppers, it would be a burden!

well excuse me, but no.... soil pH tests are a fundamental input.Hope you don't proffer your efforts and sell your goods on a farmers marketplace.....

I hope nobody tells my tomatoes they need a soil test to grow properly. They seem to be perfectly happy growing in ignorant bliss. I'd hate to disturb them.

"well excuse me, but no.... soil pH tests are a fundamental input."

I really have no idea what you are talking about. The soil doesn't need to know what a lab test says. If it grows what you want it to grow well- then there's no need for a test. If you have issues growing stuff- then, sure- test. Remember we're talking about an established bed growing stuff.

"Hope you don't proffer your efforts and sell your goods on a farmers marketplace"

What does that have to do with testing pH? Are you back on pesticides- which wasn't the topic?

.... Accountablity may come into play if one is feeding young children or is involved in the marketplace....

any precautionary inputs involved with your thinking beyond common observations? Soil pH testing is definately one useful tool,in my view, particularly at this point in time... I was more interested with dchall's post within this thread. Another time perhaps ....but does one dismiss contributors to this forum with regards to soil pH mineral nutrition? I have a headache....goodby

".... Accountablity may come into play if one is feeding young children or is involved in the marketplace...."

Accountability for the pH of the soil that food was grown in? Huh? We're talking about pH.

I'm curious if you have a comment ABOUT THE TOPIC.

By the way- I have no issue with people getting soil tests. In fact, I used to work in an environmental lab doing soil/water testing between college and grad school. If you have plant growth issues, working a new plot of land or new soil, want to maximize yield, or are just curious and interested- great!

My only point is- if you're a home gardener and get great yield and good growth- then that's a good indication that you're doing things right already.

I'm an analytical chemist and haven't tested or had my garden soil tested! LOL- maybe I'm just loath to think about that if not needed when I'm off the clock :)

Pablo:

I'm an analytical chemist

Great! We have been looking for someone like you. This comment was posted in the Lawn Forum:

When you use soy please remember that it is my understnading that it must first be digest by those little critters then we use the waste. My point is how much of the nutients actually get past/through these little critters? If you put in say a 7-3-1 what comes out 5-1-1 maybe 8-8-4. These are things we need to think of. I use Soy and like the results but do not know the answer to this question.

When the protein in soybean meal is converted into a substance that is usable by plants (nitrogen, etc.) how much (if any) of the energy of the soybean meal is lost due to the conversion by the little critters in the soil. They have to eat too.

When people quote the NPK numbers for soybean meal, are they quoting the composition of the soybean meal before it is digested by the critters in the soil or are they listing what the lawn will actually get after the critters digest the soybean meal?

Can you shed a little light on the whole "protein" to "grass food" conversion?

Thanks,
-Scott

"When people quote the NPK numbers for soybean meal, are they quoting the composition of the soybean meal before it is digested by the critters in the soil or are they listing what the lawn will actually get after the critters digest the soybean meal?"

I believe that's the composition of the soy before it's applied.

Also- we think of the fertilizer's potential to grow plants as energy. Instead- we should be thinking of the fertilizer as containing components. What you need to keep in mind is conservation of mass. The N, P, and K are part of molecules in the soy meal. The molecules get broken down, and the N, P, and K get released and recombined into other molecules or ions.

The microbes and critters have to eat- but they are still in the soil containing those nutrients. Matter is neither created, nor destroyed by microbes. Some "nitrogen" may be lost to the atmosphere as one of a number of volatile gases that it could be converted to. (I put nitrogen in quotes, because it's part of a molecule, not N2 gas or free N radicals). P and K are non-volatile.

So- I'm not a biologist, but I can say that the P and K will still be there in some form unless they leach out, but some N will likely be lost to the atmosphere. If some of that P and K were locked up as part of a microbe- well- they have a pretty short life- it will get released eventually.

....reviewing my resources, I conclude you might be off track here, pablo, if you take into account how your input just might be translated by forum members -most inportantly :"under contemporary conditions" In my opinion ,it is the time where one might elect to weigh positive aspects of science coupled with revisions of testing procedures over our common perceptions...

Sorry- I really don't know what you are trying to say.

a courtesy then, pablo....beyond what is written about pertaining to mineral nutrition and availability, gardens are not insulated from atmospheric deposition, water quality issues,,pesticide drift, storm runoff breeches,urban development and so forth... Depending on what one grows, (for ONE example): leafy greens, it may be useful to look at historical (optimum ) soil pH accounts for these cultivars translated to plant uptake studies and soil pH/soil characteristiscs for say "Cadmium"..... from written accounts:(Marschner); plantstress.com/; APBS abstract center; WS pdf docs and so on ....There was once a professional organic grower from Australia who shared his approach:(plant tissue heavy metal scores with swiss chard).. one does what one can... Soil pH readings should not be dismissed as many of our gardens are in transition anyway... or if one moves: we often lack a historical account of ammendments used...ect... just one issue to help justify this test... Marschner, Agrios, ect writes about other related topics... God bless

OK. We're talking about NPK values of organic amendments, and whether microbes make them unavailable.

Yes, pH has an effect, but the question wasn't about pH. Yes, other metals and nutrients are also effected, but the question wasn't about those either.

Point is- if you add it, then NPK doesn't disappear when microbes consume it. Some N leaves as a gas. Some stuff may leach away. Temporary use by microbes doesn't mean that it will never be available.

You and I don't know the conditions in that person's garden, so it's customary to adopt the "all other things being equal" mode of answer. Otherwise we'll need a serious dissertation that won't help anyone, should they drink enough coffee to stay awake and read the whole thing :)

from -
I understand that you can purchase ph testers, but are they reliable?

to -
... Depending on what one grows, (for ONE example): leafy greens, it may be useful to look at historical (optimum ) soil pH accounts for these cultivars translated to plant uptake studies and soil pH/soil characteristiscs for say "Cadmium"..... from written accounts:(Marschner); plantstress.com/; APBS abstract center; WS pdf docs and so on

waaaay toooo deeeep for me
are you talkin thesis here or backyard gardening?
not really impressed but hey dats me

oh, i would say that ph testers are not reliable - imo

Hey- DarkCloud- you wouldn't happen to be DarkCloud from western MA that used to frequent traditional archery boards, would ya? (slim chance, but gotta ask- he was a really cool guy)

I still say that if stuff is growing well in a home garden- then growing conditions are good. Testing, adjusting, retesting when there's no issue with plants growing well... sounds way too much like a job :)

Darkcloud,

I have a soil pH meter from Kelway price about $50 and a couple $10 ones. The main issue is soil moisture to get soil cunductivity aka mhos. If I wet the soil to a 3 on a moisture meter, then take pH rreadings, they appear to be repeatable.

4th and 5th digit accuracy, forget it, In fact if the home gardener can get within 0.5, they are doing good.

Just as an example, medium clay/loam soil it takes 1 lb of sulpher to adjust the pH 1 point/100sq. ft.. The scale is logarithmic. How much sulpher for 0.1 pH point change? How do you apply it???

darkcloud; I'm interested in revisions of testing procedures per dchall's post...I am assuming Rodale,OMRI, OCA,USDA/ONP have addressed my concerns....A front page article in the WSJ dated Tuesday June 10th, entitled :Serge in Internet Use, Energy Costs Has Big Tech Firms Seeking Power
'....one large data center can consume enough juice to power a small city of 30,000 to 40,000 people...."

...Think I am leaving recommending peer reviewed sites and noteworthy, evaluated, textbooks....
goodluck

pickwick, now you've lost me. :^)

A front page article in the WSJ dated Tuesday June 10th, entitled :Serge in Internet Use, Energy Costs Has Big Tech Firms Seeking Power
'....one large data center can consume enough juice to power a small city of 30,000 to 40,000 people...."

What does data center power consumption have to do with pH meters or soil microbes converting protein to lawn food?

Data center design/layout is one of the things I think about "during the day". The organic lawn stuff is just my hobby. I am stumped as to how the two might be related.

Please enlighten us. :^)

-Scott :^)

scott - I am with you- dazed & confused. woooow, let me get a drink I'll come back to this.

pablo - naada - not me, sorry

byron - I respect your opinion & experience, but hey it's miller time. more to come

wooooow

Pablo,
I think it mighty nice of you to respond to an OT question in such a concise yet clear manner.
Glad you still post here.