Do you do soil testing?

schoolsoutbride

Was thinking about getting a soil Ph tester.  It's our 3rd year gardening here and things have grown well before, but I thought maybe we'd have better production if I amended the Ph (if need be.)

treesapplaud

I don't. I have had an allotment (a rented garden space) for three years. The soil differs from place to place on our plot so I know if I tested I'd get 10 different readings and would drive myself nuts. I practice crop rotation though. 

kastle

we did before we put our garden in.  You may want to do an NPK test too to see if there are any macro nutrient deficiencies...and it may be more useful than pH since most plants can tolerate a large range of pH.  

Surfinbride

My poor soil. I don't know if it should even be called soil - it's kind of a mix of weird putty colored sandiness with some rocks. There are a few decent spots. Whatever it is, ferns, cedars and other conifers have done well with unamended soil. We have some giant conifers behind our house. If they have been there for 100 years, I'm not going to adjust their soil.  I leave that area alone and plant my gardens elsewhere.

Because most of the soil is awful, we have to dig it out and put in good soil every time we plant. What's the ph of Miracle Grow soil? haha, that's what we have.

Here is some information that may help you:

http://www.richsoil.com/ph/

sammy1856

call your local cooperative extensive service.  You can go by pick up a soil sample kit.  They give you directions on how to collect samples, send them in, and they send you back the results.  They will give you recommendations upon what you are doing with soil.  I did one for front yard, back yard and garden.  It helped tremendously with knowing how to fertilize.

FoxinFiji

sammy1856:

call your local cooperative extensive service.  You can go by pick up a soil sample kit.  They give you directions on how to collect samples, send them in, and they send you back the results.  They will give you recommendations upon what you are doing with soil.  I did one for front yard, back yard and garden.  It helped tremendously with knowing how to fertilize.

This.  Don't waste your time on the at home tests they are extremely inaccurate.  Our college extension has a form you fill out for each sample that asks you what you are going to plant there (ie. veggie garden, flower bed, lawn, etc.) so they can give you exact directions on what you need to do for each area.