We have never tested the soil here ever since we moved in. I think that it is fair to say that our success with growing vegetables has been “variable”. Some, although not all of it, maybe due to the quality of the soil. It is time to do some tests!!
Jo found a kit online that contains enough chemicals for up to 40 individual tests. Given that we are growing vegetables in a number of different locations on the property, it makes sense to do a number of tests in different locations.
The tests are easy to do once you get the hang of it. There are four separate tests: PH, Phosporous (P), Potassium (K), and Nitrogen (N).
For the PKN tests, the results all follow the same categorisation:
4 = Surplus
3 = Sufficient
2 = Adequate
1 = Deficient
0 = Depleted
So we tested four different locations where we are growing vegetables. The results are shown below
| Test | Left Veg Patch | Right Veg patch | Polytunnel | Greenhouse |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PH | 5.0 | 5.25 | 5.5 | 6.5 |
| P | P3 | P3 | P3 | P3 |
| K | K2 | K0 | K0 | K0 |
| N | N0 | N0 | N0 | N0 |
With the exception of the greenhouse, all of the soil is a little bit acidic and can do with being raised. Ideally, the PH should be between 6 and 7. All of the samples, including the veg patch where we have been growing peas and beans, is indicating that it is low in Nitrogen.
I am not sure how accurate these test kits are. Having read the reviews for various test kits on Amazon, the feedback on these kits seems to be “mixed”.
