Anybody Soil Test

[dilligaf]

I am on my fourth soil recycle...all organic or natural...i use biozome to break down my used soil and rootballs faster...thinking about getting a soil test kit...tests for nitrogen,phosphorus and potassium and ph...does anyone know what the numbers need to be for our plants...i am assuming some things don't get used up as fast as others so I would like to know more about what I have left in the soil after the harvest...any thoughts are welcome

D

 

[Seamaiden]

That's a good question, and I don't know the answer in regards to what the numbers should be. I was going to suggest a La Motte kit.

 

[dilligaf]

That's a good question, and I don't know the answer in regards to what the numbers should be. I was going to suggest a La Motte kit.

some strains use more than others...i just don't want to get it too hot with nutrients...guess I could mix small batch using new soil and check that for a reference point and check used soil to see where I am on numbers ...thanks

D

 

[straincreation]

Im intrested in this, think ill stand by on this one. Im currently trying to see if it is possible to revive salts ridin soil back to not so hot and alive soil this will help mee log my results over time.
Happy farmin;)

 

[straincreation]

I think the only way to be sure is to have some fresh soil and do a controlled test on that, then compare to your current soil. Just a thought.
happy farmin;)

 

[MGRox]

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...L6J1ZGEhkKnmQ4ReyN2gtSg&bvm=bv.85970519,d.eXY

:)

 

[Bulldog11]

I would ditch the home kit and send your soil samples to Logan Labs. http://www.loganlabs.com/ Standard soil test for 35$ which will tell you everything the home kit will plus another 10 elements. They also will give you results back which has a % value for your cations and your anions. This is very important.

The ratio you want are the William Albrecht element ratios. Also look into The Ideal Soil by Michael Astrea. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions, I will try to check back in this thread. Good luck.

 

[eastcoastjoe]

^^^^
that seems a little high. all the major universities do it for less than half of that. ive always used umass but i think any of the major universities would be where i would start

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...jTwyYzwKc0YeuRaZg&sig2=8pxlLGw7UST8BgLXCZ5y4A

 

[slap14]

I think this is a great article plus some video (I like video) about Saturated Media Extract (SME) Test, from what I understand this is what people like myself should use since we are using potting soil mixes. However this article gives some other suggestions on other methods that may be better for the average person. I haven't tried this yet but think I will give it a try just to see where my recycled soil is at.

https://extension.umass.edu/floricu...-greenhouse-media-testing-and-how-they-differ

If your in california here is a list of Labs

http://ucanr.org/sites/ccmg/files/51308.pdf

Slap

 

[Bulldog11]

The universities use a different scale than Logan Labs. I prefer the Albrect ratio's.

 

[dilligaf]

:eek:followed the above links...did I forget to mention my incomplete education...lol...thanks for the input my friends

 

[CannasaurusR]

Im intrested in this, think ill stand by on this one. Im currently trying to see if it is possible to revive salts ridin soil back to not so hot and alive soil this will help mee log my results over time.
Happy farmin;)

Aside from testing, for salt ridden soil, I would be scraping top 10% of soil off container and thinning it down with fresh soil and let rain water and the bugs digest those salts. A couple months should do it, then back to the mix. I believe (most cases with rols) buildup during the season can only come from a high ppm water source or lack of biological activity in a too rich mix IMO. Numbers are not much of a concern to me, but definitely will give a better picture when trying to reverse soil change over time. Test, change, test. Less is more with organics, my best grow practice...bar none...is patience, and I'm still working on that one. It depends on your style, but I'm building soil over years, and knee jerk reactions set me back always. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Seamaiden]

It's not usually salts building up in the scenario you describe, it's the carbonates in the water itself. They just don't evaporate. That said, peat happens to lock onto those carbonates very well, so well that it's how I used to soften and acidify water for the wild-caught South and Central American fishes.

 

[CannasaurusR]

From my limited my understanding all carbonates and chlorates and nitrates are salts and the high ppm (dissolved salts (solids)) water just overloads things and stops up bio action. I have always wanted to try an acidic environment (peat filter) in a tank, but I have enough trouble with hardness and my swimming pool, lol. I can just see the red gills on the sensitive neons, I can kill plants while learning, but fishies are animals, and they are more expensive than seeds. It would be cruelty to let me mess with aquarium water this way. I'd kill them with love......I even feel sad when I chop a finished girl........until I burn her corpse and give a proper respectful cremation in a rolling paper. Thanks Seamaiden

 

[Seamaiden]

Gotcha (re: salts)!

 

[CannasaurusR]

I know Amsoil dealers usually have a soil test lab they all use locally, and if you use their fertilizer nutes, the dealer will hook you up cheap. Yeah biggest synthetic petrochem oil producer has an owner who likes to hunt, and feeds his deer yard organically. Go figure! Thru my 'oil guy' I can get cheaper lab testing for soil and water.