JWM2
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Ya I checked out a couple of those and its must be nice to do a deep soil test with plants that don't grow roots like pot does, they dig in the soil nice and deep down 3-4" and grab some soil. Not a root disturbed or broken. iI there any video's you know of that show it done on pot plants or something with roots similar to pot plants?I have mentioned the OGCFam show. The latest series of video presentations are all about slurry tests.
The OCGFAM Show
Oregon’s Constant Gardener. Presents the OCGFAM. #NectarFam Nectar for the Godswww.youtube.com
I did, that's why I'm bitching. I was encouraged to one so I did and got the same results doing a root damaging deep soil slurry test as I do with a runoff test within a couple of points. I get doing the test but to get a sample out of the center mass on pot plants roots are going to get damaged. Is it worth it when a runoff test gets very similar results. I'm not sold on it.Well, it has been accomplished by many. Just carefully try it.
I did, that's why I'm bitching. I was encouraged to one so I did and got the same results doing a root damaging deep soil slurry test as I do with a runoff test within a couple of points. I get doing the test but to get a sample out of the center mass on pot plants roots are going to get damaged. Is it worth it when a runoff test gets very similar results. I'm not sold on it.
I have no doubt the slurry test is the most accurate method but do a couple of points really mater. If a runoff test gives you a 4.8 I think you can be pretty sure a slurry test will give you similar low results. Its not like your going to get a runoff result at 4.8 and a slurry test result at 5.8. I'm new at this soil testing but after my 1 time try to get soil from the pot I can see no possible way to do it without damaging roots and if a runoff test gets me in the ballpark then that seems to be the safest way. Checking and logging runoff throughout the grow like you said should prevent the drastic measure of doing a deep soil slurry test in the first place.I read an article about this by an agricultural soil tester and slurry is the most accurate way to test. It was about slurry vs. the expensive probe meters. And for testing farm, garden etc. soil it makes sense. For testing custom soil mixes it makes sense to me too. But checking and logging runoff is the standard of container gardening. And with pre bagged premium buffered potting soil i think chasing ph is a fools errand anyway.
I know this is older but IU yse a SS drinking straw the wider the better.. and I wiggle push it down into soil give a twist and pull it out and tap the soil out into test container.. I pull from 3 places around plant and only use the bottom half of soil for testing to ensure a deep pull for test... then do the slurry test as described above! That how I do it and has worked so far!Great nice work! Now can you show us how to do a deep soil slurry test with plants that already have a root ball. How to do it without munching through roots is what I need to see please.
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