How to Test Nutrients in Soil
Testing your soil is one of the most accurate ways to determine what nutrients are available in your soil. You should test your soil before adding fertilizer or other supplements to your soil. While you can send your soil samples out for testing in a lab, this can be quite expensive. You can test your own soil with a simple soil testing kit.
Items Needed:
- Soil testing kit
- Small spade or shovel
- Newspaper
- Distilled water
- Wooden spoons or chopsticks
- Timer or watch
- Purchase a soil testing kit at your local home and garden supply store. There are a variety of test kits available, so look them over before you select one. Some tests only test for certain nutrients while others offer a more comprehensive test.
- Use a small spade or shovel to dig at least 6 inches into the area you wish to sample. Follow the instructions on your soil testing kit to determine how much soil you need to gather for your sample.
- Spread the soil out on a piece of newspaper and place it on a flat surface. Allow the soil to dry overnight.
- Gather any additional materials needed according to the instructions on your soil testing kit. You may need distilled or filtered water, for example. Use wooden spoons or chopsticks to stir the solutions so that metal does not interact with the chemicals. You should also have a timer or a reliable watch on hand since the soil tests are timed.
- Mix the soil and the chemicals as directed in the soil testing kit instructions.
- Compare the results in your test sample after the proper elapsed time with the colored charts included with your test kit. This gives you the result for your soil test. Repeat as often as needed for the different nutrients you wish to test for in your soil.