Doing your own soil tests with a kit from the nursery is another option

even though there are advantages and disadvantages to doing your own soil testing. The biggest advantage is that you get your results right away, so you can begin amending your soil as soon as the testing is over.

On the other hand, the disadvantage is that when soil testing your own soil, you must then figure how much of each nutrient is needed while if you get your soil analyzed in a lab, you are told how much of the missing nutrient must be added to the soil.

For example when soil testing, if your soil has an acidic pH of perhaps 6.2, you have to figure out how much lime is needed to bring up your soil to the best pH of between 6.5 and 7.5 or whatever pH is needed for the particular plant that is growing in that soil. Thank goodness there on the package is there is usually a table of the needed nutrient which will help you figure out how much to buy.

For those who wish to do their own soil testing,

here’s an excellent detailed explanation by ZeroFossilFuel in video #224 Freedom Garden update -5/16 Soil Testing. of how it can be done.

It’s interesting to note that the author who uses the pen name “ZeroFossilFuel” says this when asked why he refers to gardening as Freedom Garden:

“He who controls the food controls the population. This is a food revolution; Freedom from control. There is an up front investment of time and money. It IS work. But THIS work is the path to freedom.
“The less money needed to buy food means less one needs to slave to earn that money or more saved. The more we grow ourselves, the less we buy at markets where it must first be trucked, saving vast amounts of fossil fuels, reducing pollution, etc etc etc.
So, yes. Freedom Garden.” ~ZeroFossilFuel

Here’s his YouTube video explaining in detail how to do a basic soil testing;

that is, figuting out pH and nutrient levels in your own soil.

If your soil has deficiencies, you might find answers on the post “Soil Problem Solutions“.

I hope you have enjoyed this video on how you can do your own soil testing.

Meanwhile . . .
Happy gardening!

Marcie

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This entry was posted on Sunday, June 6th, 2010 at 2:28 am and is filed under (vii) DIY Soil Testing Video, 1. Backyard Gardening, B. All About Soil. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.