Fertility questions
by Susan Smies
(Sheboygan, WI)
Nope, I have enough kids, than you very much. I just want to know if the tools I see advertised that tell you what your soil needs are worthwhile. I have several different gardens, created using different topsoil for each over the years. I suspect that one or more need some help, but I don't know what. My local University extension charges an exhorbitant amount for doing this fertility testing. Are there less expensive options I can use now and in the future?
Doug says the small home test kits are pretty much a waste of time if you're looking for good results. They're just not "fine" enough and there are huge margins of error in them. You "might" be able to use them reliably enough for pH testing but other tests would not stack up next to the extension tests.
Having said all that - since I sold my nursery and the $2-300 testing equipment (and even that was low end) behind, I have never tested my soil. Yeah, shocking. But here's the deal.
Add compost. Add even more compost.
That's it. Once you start adding compost and mulching your garden, your soil fertility issues are going to disappear.
Simple - easy and a no-brainer for a guy like me to do. And very, very practical.
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