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soil test info pls??????
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Posted by
tumblingtomatoes fl ,space coast (
My Page) on
Tue, Nov 16, 10 at 12:02
| Hi everyone, we've recently moved to another rental house & wanted to do a good/detailed soil test. The extension office's test doesn't check for things like lead levels in the soil & after reading some new gardening books which mentioned that this was really important, we'd like some suggestions on where to get our soil tested byt a good/reputable company/lab who checks for things like lead as well as the acidity, pH & so on.
Any suggestions?
Thanks! |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: soil test info pls??????
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| Testing for contaminates or heavy metals - like lead - is typically a separate process from the usual soil nutrient test so you may have to submit samples to a more detailed lab. And these types of soil tests tend to be expensive. If the extension service test is free or relatively inexpensive, go ahead and take advantage of it - it will provide the info on soil pH and current plant nutrient levels (doubt they test for N -- many extension labs don't and adding N to a garden is pretty much SOP anyway) you need and make recommendations for changes, if necessary. Then send another test to the independent soil lab of your choice to determine any issues with contaminates or heavy metals. There are a number of other soil testing labs in the area. take a look at this link and scroll down to your state and see what's available. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Soil testing labs
RE: soil test info pls??????
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Gardengal, wonderful link! I wish I knew about this one sooner. I'll bookmark it lol.
Under the Ohio one, Kent State University supposedly does soil testing (domestic only), which I am surprised about. The name Joseph D Ortiz is my former geochemistry professor!
I wonder what the dates are for though, is that when they begin their testing programs? |
RE: soil test info pls??????
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| Thanks very much for the info & link! Yeah, the extension test is only $7 so I'll go ahead & get it done but also contacting these others your link showed for more detailed testing. thanks for the quick reply too! |
RE: soil test info pls??????
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| Don't know what the numbers are for......would have guessed the date of the last inspection by APHIS but quite a number of them are in the future. If one was seriously curious, you could always contact APHIS and ask. |
RE: soil test info pls??????
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| Kenstar said: I wonder what the dates are for though, is that when they begin their testing programs? Quote from 1st Paragragh: "Facilities inspected to receive foreign soil samples have the permit expiration date in parenthesis following the name and address" |
RE: soil test info pls??????
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| Ahhh, I got it. Thanks Jon kentstar |
RE: soil test info pls??????
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Hi,
I have heard that the UMass soil test facility takes out of state samples. They test for lead for a reasonable price. I currently am double checking with them on the out of state acceptance, if they do it that is where I'll be sending mine to check the lead levels. |
Here is a link that might be useful: UMass soil test
RE: soil test info pls??????
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| That is a list of laboratories holding permits to receive soils. Holding a permit does not mean the laboratory does commercial soil tests or provides any service to anyone. I know some of those permit holders; their research involves their own research collaborators sending them soil samples. They do not test soil samples for others. |
RE: soil test info pls??????
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| I kind of figured so, because I've never known KSU to do soil testing for the public. I'm sure it's like you said, collaborators and collegues. |
RE: soil test info pls??????
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| TumblingTs: what book suggested testing for lead and I guess other heavy metals, what reason was given, what other analytes were suggested? |
RE: soil test info pls??????
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Just a follow up:
UMass will test soil from anywhere in the country. You can get a standard soil test with Lead for 9$. A good deal.
good luck. |
RE: soil test info pls??????
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| Keep in mind the testing methods when deciding what to do with your numbers. The fact that they give a buffer pH tells me that it is a test aimed towards acid soils. (A buffer pH is used to give a lime requirement to adjust the pH up. If it were a test designed for alkaline soils they would be giving you lime content and/or sulfur requirement to adjust the pH down). That's great if your soil is acid but if you use that type of test on an alkaline soil, your values will come back all wonky and not really represent the nutrient status in your soil. Another thing to consider is that published levels of heavy metals are based on specific extraction methods determined by the EPA, which are different from those used for agriculture and horticulture. It's likely that they're doing everything, agronomic and environmental, on one extraction. You can get a lead number from any extraction but it could be very different from the number you would get from EPA methodology and, therefore, wouldn't mean anything when compared to published levels. I could determine lead for you with eight different extraction methods on the same sample and come up with eight very different numbers. Also, unless I'm mistaken, a "safe" level in those tables typically refers to direct exposure and doesn't help much when trying to determine whether or not plant uptake will be an issue.
I can't help you much more than that with the environmental / heavy metal stuff. It ain't my bag. I just wanted to let you know what to look out for. I think toxcrusader, who I see around here from time to time, does that stuff for a living. Otherwise, you could contact the EPA and see if they can help or google "environmental consulting". |
RE: soil test info pls??????
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| Gargwarb: Excellent points about the analytical side of things and how it relates to published data, I.E. that from the EPA. No point in comparing apples to oranges. Chosen methodology is critical when comparing results, I know you already know that Garg but likely others don't. |
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