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Soil analyzers
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Posted by jim_w_ny Zone 5a (My Page) on Thu, Feb 4, 10 at 17:56
| I did a search and didn't find anything.
There must have been lots of comments on this subject before.
So it seems amazing that for about 20 or 30 bucks you can buy a gadget that will tell you what your NPK is, your pH, moisture and sunlight. And no batteries!
Can it be true? What about it? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Soil analyzers
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| Many people spend money on these and think they give them the information they need but most don't and none tell you why you get the reading you get. Is your soil pH due to a lack of Calcium, a lack of Magnesium, what? Do you have an imbalance in the ratio of other nutrients? Since you need only have a soil test done once in a while, not monthly or weekly, this tool may well be an unwise investment. |
RE: Soil analyzers
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| jim; This gadget a little more info. please, light? moisture? Thanks. Curt :-) |
RE: Soil analyzers
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| Supposedly they give you as I mentioned NPK, pH, moisture and light. Truly magic! Hard to believe so I guess it can't be true. All of those results require to get real numbers some rather complex tests with reagents and many steps. It would be nice it it were true! Then I suppose disproving them would need Cornell,or some such,to run a lot of tests to find out. |
RE: Soil analyzers
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The way I look at it is like this:
If you could get results that were even in the ball park with a 30$ gadget, the commercial growers, landscapers and nurseymen wouldn't spend thousands on soil testing every year when their profit margins are razor thin. |
RE: Soil analyzers
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| Sure they would gargwarb: they have all been indoctrinated into the money grubbing, corporate, earth-killing, capitalist, sexist, Republican collective and can no longer think independently nor use logic and reason :-) For another $5.00 you can get the model that plants your seed while you sit on your butt sippin lemonade in the shade. Michael |
RE: Soil analyzers
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| Sounds Good , I'll take two ;-) |
RE: Soil analyzers
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| I have one for ph I don't think I ever got it to work well |
RE: Soil analyzers
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| Come to think about it my local Cornell Cooperative Extension offers for about $25 a complete syientific analysis of a soil sample. Of course that is a one time thing for that particular spot. Something I've done a time or two since living here. Oddly, why are humans so dense at least me, one sample gave a very low pH I think it was 5.2. Then the roses I planted there managed over time, limping along, to die. Did I do anything about it. Well I meant to but never did as it was a place where I moved them when they wern't doing well elsewhere. Well I have two 40 pound bags of lime that are shortly to be put on the ground. I know it's better in the fall but better late than........ I'm dreaming of the wonderful results that will result! |
RE: Soil analyzers
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| Sure they would gargwarb: they have all been indoctrinated into the money grubbing, corporate, earth-killing, capitalist, sexist, Republican collective and can no longer think independently nor use logic and reason Your ideas are intriguing and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter. ;P (On a side note, I wish I was 20 years younger and had some musical talent, just so I could start a rock band and call it "The Capitalist, Sexist, Republican Collective") |
RE: Soil analyzers
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| I bought yesterday a soil analyzer from Lowes, about 12 bucks. It only does pH, moisture and light. Two probes and a 3 way switch. The center position for a tiny light meter in the body that doesn't use one of the probes. Then I got a separate kit for NPK with strips that I don't even know yet how they are used. Now as a simple test the combination seems a little more likely to give reasonable results thatn the multi one from Rapitest. Of course it has limited number of tests so you need to get new test strips. |
RE: Soil analyzers
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| Now as a simple test the combination seems a little more likely to give reasonable results thatn the multi one from Rapitest. No it doesn't. |
RE: Soil analyzers
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| No is not an answer. A little more please. |
RE: Soil analyzers
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| That's actually about all there is to say. Cheap home test kits and gadgets don't work well. If you combine a cheap gadget with a cheap home test kit, how is that going to improve your odds? |
RE: Soil analyzers
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| With all the University Ag schools someone out there must have tested these and reported on them. Maybe a good idea for me would be to ask our local Cornell office where I once was a "Master Gardener"? I'm even a graduate chemist although I couldn't now even pass a test in elementary chemistry. Such are the ravages of age and memory! |
RE: Soil analyzers
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| Jim that is a great idea it would seem that somebody has already tested them at a uni somewhere and if they are truly wothless should be taken off the market I lost any faith in my probe type rapidtest ph meter when I read the instructions it was like if you get x reading scrape off the probe if you get y reading test again... It would have been handy to test several differnt growing areas I'm on 40 acres and sure not going to spend my life savings on university soil tests |
RE: Soil analyzers
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| jim A soil test can't be that hard I don't think your memory is shot. It is not rocket science. I remember as a kid in School we did a PH test in 7th grade science. I don't think soil is harder to test now do you? It should be improved with technology. The litmus paper sold for penneys back then. Why would a test be expensive now. Sorry just had to vent a little good luck on your test. Curt :-) |
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