I would never trust a home test. Having said that, I do use them. What a hypocrite, huh. You should always get a test done by the local extension office. I get one about every three years and use the home test just to check each year. I don't usually have to adjust much, since I grow cover crops and use lots and lost of compost. Don't ever buy a cheap one.

RyanStorm- Now I know how you got your 7.0 pH result. Sorry to say, but you wasted 10 bucks. That meter will never give accurate results. I have read dozens of people over the years who were mislead by those pieces of carp. It doesn't matter who is the manufacturer. ( I've tested them myself, and they are way off.) And wasted a lot more than 10 bucks making mistakes amending their soil and planting the wrong plants. There ought to be a law.... I was highly suspect of 7.0, just thought you had an accurate test done. Most of the state of Utah has soils with a pH of 7.8 or more. If you want accurate results, send a sample to a lab or two. To the Rest of Tree Peeps- I have tried the pool thingy and it was actually quite accurate, using distilled water. However, I'm not here to endorse them. But they are a much better tool than the probe meters. Like my hero, Ronaldus Magnus, said, "trust, but verify", which is also the case with pool pH meters. And they're cheap. Measuring the pH of a soil is in actuality, measuring the pH of the water in the soil, not the soil itself. M

Your University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service no longer provides soil testing, although they do have a list of labs that will. Get a good soil test done. That "soil specialist" at that nursery is suspect because of his statement that the fertilizer you were using was not working properly and he had another one that would, without looking at the plants or doing a soil test. You need a good reliable soil test to determine what, if anything, needs to be done. These simple soil tests may also help. 1) Soil test for organic matter. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. For example, a good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drainsâ too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. Here is a link that might be useful: UI CES

A soil test done by Michigan State University through the Cooperative Extension Service office is $13.00 per sample, others are less, some more. With that soil test you get information about what is going on in your soil and how to correct any deficiencies. A good, reliable soil test cn help save you money by showing you that you may not need to apply certain materials, or maybe not in the amount someone tells you, one reason why many farmers rely on them to guide what they apply to their fields. in addition to that soil test these simple soil tests can also help. 1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains� too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. Check with your states Agricultural School, the one with the Cooperative Extension Service offices, to find out about having that good, reliable soil test done.