a good soil test

[7800]

I'm looking at doing some better soil tests than the usual P,K,Mg & pH.
I'm thinking : P,K,Mg & pH with
Sulphur
OM content
Texture
CEC
Anything i've missed?
probably use NRM. Not really thinking a Albrecht test as i'm not sure i buy into it.
Anyone recommend a good soil/nutrient consultant thats not trying to sell potions and is not albrecht?
cheers 78

 

[franklin]

I get pH, P, K, Mg, Ca, Sulphur, Manganese, Copper, Boron, Zinc, Molybdenum, Iron, Sodium and CEC.

OM and texture? Not a lot of point unless you are going to invest in soil OM. Texture? I use fingers for that.

Costs about £20.

Is that a "good" soil test? It's only good if you learn something.

 

[Brisel]

Forget sulphur. It is like nitrogen in terms of leaching & availability.

OM & texture might be of limted use. What will you do with the answer? That's the key.

What area are you? A decent experienced (grey hair!) independent agronomist will be able to discuss what you need to know .

 

[Clive]

I'm looking at doing some better soil tests than the usual P,K,Mg & pH.
I'm thinking : P,K,Mg & pH with
Sulphur
OM content
Texture
CEC
Anything i've missed?
probably use NRM. Not really thinking a Albrecht test as i'm not sure i buy into it.
Anyone recommend a good soil/nutrient consultant thats not trying to sell potions and is not albrecht?
cheers 78

you must get Ca and Mg

 

[franklin]

In any case, you probably will be offered the "basic" pH, Mg, P, K ; or the fancy one with most of the others ; then the texture and OM on top.

 

[7800]

Forget sulphur. It is like nitrogen in terms of leaching & availability.

OM & texture might be of limted use. What will you do with the answer? That's the key.

What area are you? A decent experienced (grey hair!) independent agronomist will be able to discuss what you need to know .

The world and his wife are doing soil N tests so why not sulphur. Maybe not the whole story but gives an idea of reserves?

 

[7800]

In any case, you probably will be offered the "basic" pH, Mg, P, K ; or the fancy one with most of the others ; then the texture and OM on top.

I'll see what NRM offer

 

[7800]

you must get Ca and Mg

Sounds like mr albrecht? i'm on chalky boulder clay so Ca is inherently high. Not sure theres much i can do about that background state of play?

 

[Clive]

Sounds like mr albrecht? i'm on chalky boulder clay so Ca is inherently high. Not sure theres much i can do about that background state of play?

i guess it is a bit but there is things you can do about your expected high Ca - I think this is a thread that would benefit from the input of @York ???

 

[Brisel]

The world and his wife are doing soil N tests so why not sulphur. Maybe not the whole story but gives an idea of reserves?

The whole world & their wives don't read too much into soil mineral N results either. It is just a rough estimate of what is in the soil at that point in time, not what is necessarily available to the crop for its needs that season.

Like N, sulphur tests every year will help build up a picture of variations from one season to the next. They have greater validity where there may be higher levels of fertility e.g. after several years of FYM or high fertiliser dosed vegetable crops with a great deal of green mulch ploughed back in.

 

[Cab-over Pete]

You don't need to "buy into" anything. If you get a full spectrum test done, you can do what you like with the information.

 

[franklin]

The thing is that your soil test will probably include S for no cost. Soil mineral nitrogen / deep core N tests cost more on top and are a pile of crap in all but the high muck / veg / sludge situations. I got a good range of things for £20. There was no choice to pay say £18 for all but S.

 

[7800]

For all the usual with S plus lots of trace elements, including CEC and OM level, NRM are about £25 . Add a tenner for soil texture.

 

[franklin]

Only other point worth noting is that you should stick with the same company to keep the results comparable.

 

[Elmsted]

EDIT

How about just sticking with the basics. As anything else is down to your pockets ability to resolve it, if it is worth solving given financial/practical circumstances. And just find out what the plants are getting. Called Tissue testing cost low. Results quick

Put another way, when you get to Doctor or hospital they do an analyis of ones blood or various bits. Not what you are eating.
As a result they may recomend you change what you eat.

 

[whitefox]

EDIT

How about just sticking with the basics. As anything else is down to your pockets ability to resolve it, if it is worth solving given financial/practical circumstances. And just find out what the plants are getting. Called Tissue testing cost low. Results quick

Put another way, when you get to Doctor or hospital they do an analyis of ones blood or various bits. Not what you are eating.
As a result they may recomend you change what you eat.