Test acidity of soil.

[SirJoe]

How do you test the acidity of your soil? Do you test various samples or just the one sample?

 

[marlingardener]

If you plan to put gardens in several areas, test each. We have three contingent vegetable gardens and we did one test for the three. The here-and-there flower beds, we tested each.

 

[Chuck]

I took numerous samples from around the garden and averaged them

 

[SirJoe]

I took numerous samples from around the garden and averaged them

Don't you run the risk of having the wrong measurement? What if you have one part of your garden that is basic and another acidic, the average could bring it close to neutral.

 

[BlueLotus]

I didn't do a soil test for my wild flower garden because they were Californian natives. Most of California is fairly acidic near the beach. But for my vegetable and fruit garden, I've gotten used to have a soil test before I plant and after i plant to compare the difference. It makes choosing the right amendments easier, especially if you used fresh manure and it needs to sit all winter.

 

[Chuck]

Don't you run the risk of having the wrong measurement? What if you have one part of your garden that is basic and another acidic, the average could bring it close to neutral.

When I started my garden it was unimproved land. Numerous trees and all kinds of brush. My garden is at the bottom of a bunch of small hills and plateaus so whatever soil washed down in the 1000's of years was all averaged out to begin with. My soil tests proved this. If you garden spot is not like this then maybe you might have a point. Such as imported topsoil and fill.

 

[SirJoe]

When I started my garden it was unimproved land. Numerous trees and all kinds of brush. My garden is at the bottom of a bunch of small hills and plateaus so whatever soil washed down in the 1000's of years was all averaged out to begin with. My soil tests proved this. If you garden spot is not like this then maybe you might have a point. Such as imported topsoil and fill.

Oh in that case it should be very similar, I have some neighbor of mine that had a problem with his crops. Someone had bought in some soil before he bought the place and didn't mix it very well. His veggies were growing in patches. It was all a little strange at the time until they tested the soil and he saw what was causing it.