What soil testing can reveal about the health of your soil
Soil tests provide information about the nutrient presence and availability in the soil. the most important information gathered from a soil test is the status of the soil's acidity, or pH. Soil pH influences the nutrient availability and uptake by the plants, the activity of soil microorganisms, and the organic degradation and mineralisation.
Soil pH scale
The concentration of hydrogen ions is marked as pH, representing a certain ratio between hydrogen (H+) and hydroxyl (OH-) ions in the soil. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral, below 7 being acidic, and above 7 being alkaline.
Plants generally prefer slightly acidic soils with pH values between 6 and 6.523. However, there are some expectations. For instance, azaleas prefer more acidic soils, whereas ferns prefer more alkaline soils.
Soil nutrients
Soil tests also reveal the nutrient content of the soil, including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which are essential for plant growth. The test will tell you the percentage of organic matter you have in your soil and will "credit" you a certain amount of nitrogen for it. This will minimise the risk of applying excess nitrogen, which might then wash out of your soil into surrounding waterways.
Soil tests can also determine the current fertility and health of your soil, and pinpoint nutrient deficiencies, providing the information necessary for maintaining the most optimal fertility each year.
In summary, soil tests reveal the following about the health of your soil:
- Soil pH
- Nutrient content, including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium
- Nutrient deficiencies
In some cases, you may want to test for the presence of a specific compound, such as heavy metals. This particularly applies if you want to know if your land is safe for livestock or horses to graze.
Would you benefit from getting your soil tested?
Order your soil testing kit from ProGreen. Simply take a sample, send it to the lab using the prepaid envelope in your pack and a specialist team with analyse the soil. You'll receive a comprehensive report with a summary on the health of your soil and highlighting areas for improvement.
We have a wide range of soil tests for various environments, including horse paddocks, bowling greens, flower beds, vegetable patches, lawns and more.
