Looking for a mail in soil test

growerNshower

Well-Known Member
Hey y'all. Looking for a RELIABLE mail in soil test. I know there are several companies out there, but there's some shady reviews on most. Anyone with a reliable source? UMass is inop due to COVID, btw.

Thanks.
 

growerNshower

Well-Known Member
Have you not looked into home soil test kits?
Thanks, yeah I've heard about 'em, but I heard they're wildly inaccurate. Real soil labs should be able to run tests that are inaccessible to home labs. Wonder if anyone has compared a home test to a real lab test?
 

radiant Rudy

Well-Known Member
Hey y'all. Looking for a RELIABLE mail in soil test. I know there are several companies out there, but there's some shady reviews on most. Anyone with a reliable source? UMass is inop due to COVID, btw.

Thanks.
Ive used Spectrum and Logan. I think both are reliable and provide prompt service. I worked with an agronomist who had more faith in Spectrum's reports so i have more experience with them. When sampling with a new lab expect differences in measurements from other previous lab tests even if same methods are used. In my experience repeat testing using the same lab shows up useful info better than comparing values from different labs.


Im a huge soil testing advocate.
 

Trainwreckertonville

Well-Known Member
Listen to one of the newer Tad Hussey podcasts he has an agronomist from logan labs on. I spent a few hundred on soil tests and it basically got me no where and the podcast reveals why. The tests are designed for native soils and it’s a miniscule sample size, the complex soils we use give indifinitice results and doesn't pick up any of the layering in no till soils. I dont know if I trust them.
 

waktoo

Well-Known Member
Listen to one of the newer Tad Hussey podcasts he has an agronomist from logan labs on. I spent a few hundred on soil tests and it basically got me no where and the podcast reveals why. The tests are designed for native soils and it’s a miniscule sample size, the complex soils we use give indifinitice results and doesn't pick up any of the layering in no till soils. I dont know if I trust them.
That was in reference to the results of the Melich3 (base saturation/CEC) test.

The saturated paste report offers results based upon what's carried in the soil solution. That data is inherently more accurate and valuable in determining soil toxicity/deficiency issues, especially in potted soil mixes. The grand majority of nutrients are adsorbed by way of mass flow, driven by leaf transpiration.

 

MustangStudFarm

Well-Known Member
Listen to one of the newer Tad Hussey podcasts he has an agronomist from logan labs on. I spent a few hundred on soil tests and it basically got me no where and the podcast reveals why. The tests are designed for native soils and it’s a miniscule sample size, the complex soils we use give indifinitice results and doesn't pick up any of the layering in no till soils. I dont know if I trust them.
He also had the creator of Soil Savvy test on episode #17.
 

MustangStudFarm

Well-Known Member
Ive used Spectrum and Logan. I think both are reliable and provide prompt service. I worked with an agronomist who had more faith in Spectrum's reports so i have more experience with them. When sampling with a new lab expect differences in measurements from other previous lab tests even if same methods are used. In my experience repeat testing using the same lab shows up useful info better than comparing values from different labs.


Im a huge soil testing advocate.
I like the way that Spectrum Analytic uses the bar graph, it's hard to read Logan Labs at times...
 

radiant Rudy

Well-Known Member
Growers if you want to get into more soil testing info, base saturation dynamics and micro antagonisms than you might ever require check out Slownickel's thread on icmag. He is far more knowledgeable than hussey or 99% of the canna guru's. Also John Kempf's AEA pods and webinars on youtube are enlightening and well grounded in practice and research.
 
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