How do home soil tests compare to a professional lab? In this analysis, I take samples from three different areas of my garden and compare a 3-in-1 soil meter and the Rapitest to the results from my state’s cooperative extension service.
In this video I share my method and the results of the comparison.
Bottom Line? I will continue to use my cooperative extension service yearly, but I will use these home tests throughout the year when I need quick results or when an approximate range will do.
Here are my affiliate links to the products above:
3 in 1 Soil Meter: https://amzn.to/2zHRjp0
Rapitest: http://amzn.to/2yl72Fn
Check out my podcast, The Beginner’s Garden Podcast at journeywithjill.net/podcast!
One thing I have found with those probe type testers is the water level in soil and the cleanliness of the actual probes. If I really polish up the probe it is much more accurate, even just the lightest tarnish changes the reading.
I love a girl that knows soil-talk,,!
very interesting. thanks for the video.
i live in boone county AR, how do you get the test done for free?
Yeah well, what's to say that the extension office doesn't have a drooling intern standing around testing bags of soil with the same or similar probe?
Great execution, comparing readings on the same samples. Good, helpful information. Thanks.
Very interesting.
I don't trust the probe meter. First of all, how did you get a 6.1 ph reading? It's an analog meter that only shows approximate values. The second issue is the probes easily bend. How important is the probe distances apart? Doesn't seem reliable to me.
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Nea here!!! Glad to see more Arkansas folks here
Thank you. This is exactly what I was looking for…accuracy of instant read testers. Not 100% accurate method, but possibly good enough for my gardening till I can afford better equipment. You did an excellent job showing us a true comparison.
I have the same probe and it is the bees knees. It makes life so much easier, and it was under 10 bucks on Amazon. Can't beat it!
Your meter matching the lab is a happy coincidence. Throw some vinegar into the test hole, and watch what changes; nothing. I have four of those meters, all four give different readings in the same hole.
Yes this is the same thing i done with my soil and then i gone to the lab to see how they testing, guess what they have a device wich less or more is the same and nothing on a real lab test just a digital reading. Then i gone to a chimical lab where they done on the microscope reading and the results was diferent.
And what about mousture metering?
What if the extension service used the probe.
Do the university test and the rapitest give phosphorus and potassium in PPM?
Thanks that tells me a lot. I will buy a probe and start testing!
Very helpful. Thanks very much.
My probe pH meter always reads between 7 and 8 even under our hydrangea which has deep blue blossoms
I live in West Bengal,India.I want to start soil testing because it is very important for agriculture. How can I get help from you.thank you.
For those probes to even possibly work, you must have wet soil. So do it after you water or a heavy rain.
This tells me……..who the fook knows…….you can't trust any of the tests.
Thanks for testing Soil tests.
this tells me , none of the results are accurate..
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Fungus and bacteria plays a roll in why plants uptake nutrients. What is the effect of round up on this process ?