The Mysteries of Soil Testing Explained

Soil Testing

Testing your soil every year before you start your garden is very important. Especially, if you plan on doing any amendments (adding fertilizer or organic matter). Otherwise, you might end up with too much or too little of any given nutrient causing potentially detrimental effects. The most common tests that can be done are soil type, pH (acidity), organic matter content, and various nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Some tests will also include micronutrients like iron and sulfur.

Why it matters?

Each item that can be tested for is integral in the proper growth and health of your crops. So, outlined below are some of these elements and what part they play in you garden. 

Soil Types

Sandy – soil that is sandy has excellent drainage, however, it does not hold moisture or organic matter very well. That being said, it also doesn’t hold nutrients very well either.

Silt – this type of soil makes for great farm land, but due to how light it is, can run off easily, be blown away and is prone to erosion.

Clay – clay soil holds nutrients and moisture very well. The problem with clay is that it can be rock hard without water and often needs amendments.

Loam – it is considered the most desirable type of soil for growing in because it holds the most nutrients and moisture. Loam is generally a combination of approximately 40% sand, 40% silt, and 20% clay.

pH (acidity)

Acidic soil (soil that has a pH lower than 7) – some plants, like blueberries and tomatoes, thrive in acidic soils. This is not the case for some others.

Alkaline soils (soil that has a pH higher than 7) – many vegetables like a more alkaline soil. Some examples are asparagus, yams, okra, beets, cabbage, cucumber, celery, oregano, parsley, and cauliflower.

Nutrients

Nitrogen (N) – this is the king of nutrients. It is extremely important to have because it is needed for chlorophyll which is how plants make their food. It is also a key component in amino acids which are the building blocks of proteins. Nitrogen can be found in compost and can be quickly leached from or added to your garden simply with the plants that are grown.

Phosphorus (P) – This nutrient is vital for plant growth and cell division. Without it, the plants growth will be slowed.

Potassium (K) – Potassium is important for the transport of water, nutrients, and carbohydrates in the plants. It is also key in the production of energy.

How to get a test

There are a couple of different ways that you can get your soil tested. One way is to have it sent off to your state’s land grant college. Here is a link to the University of Idaho Lab. This is going to be a much more comprehensive test than anything that you do at home. Depending on what you order, you can have all physical and chemical properties tested.

The second way is a little more cost effective and can be done at home. Unfortunately, the problem with this type of test is that its not as accurate. That being said, this is the type that I opted to do this year due to price and the time frame that I had to complete it in.

How I checked my soil

One of the tests that I opted to do is The Master Soil Test. It has the supplies to do ten pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium tests. For a guide and video on how to perform this test check out my guide on completing a soil test at home and what I did with the results. This test is simple to complete and comes with some tips for amending the soil after you receive your results.

To find out what type of soil that I have I did a mason jar test. This is an extremely simple test that I sent my kids out to do while I typed this post. To see how its completed and how to interpret the results check out my mason jar soil test guide.

Overwhelmed?

Learning about soil can be daunting sometimes and honestly after four soil and soil/plant application classes in college I still have my times that I feel either overwhelmed or need to go look something up. Bottom line is, there is an abundance of information that could be consumed, and you just need to gather enough to match  the level of project you’d like to compete.

If you want a tomato plant on your patio. Then after completing a soil test, you can simply purchase an all purpose fertilizer that fits your soils needs at your local garden supply. 

If a large permaculture garden in where your heart lies, then possibly having a lab test or speaking to your local extension office for direction would be your best option.