soil testing

Do you do soil testing?
For what? pH, NPK, micronutrients, organic matter level?
Do you recommend a particular test kit, or use a professional service?

I have gardened for many years, but never bothered with soil tests, planting whatever I want. Some things grew and some didn't, no big deal. However, this year I plan to record carefully my methods, labor, and results, and will need info on soil fertility.

Suggestions please!

I have done two types of soil testing.

I had received a Luster Leaf Soil Testing Kit off of Amazon for a variety of tests and I find it to be helpful. I do not know the accuracy but I had some suspected PH stuff going on and it seemed to support that thought. Confirmation Bias? I'm not sure.

I really appreciate being able to utilize Agricultural Cooperative Extensions in the US. Many of them have soil testing options that you can send/pay for a sample and get back a myriad of data. I am not a scientist. I am bad at numbers. I however appreciate how I can get people who are good with numbers and like dirt to be able to help me. I did this for suspected contaminated soil and had my concerns wiped away.

I too have used the Cooperative Extension's test before. It was only $15 to get done, and it had an option to select whether their recommendations were organic or not. Just keep in mind that the numbers do not tell the whole story. There might be the same amount of phosphorus in two fields, but if one of them has been worked over commercially and is dead soil, and the other has been worked over organically and is full of soil life, there will be far more phosphorus available to the plants in the second field.

Soil tests have a place though it depends on what a person wants to find out.

I like the suggestions for using the Cooperative Extension test.

I lean towards finding out what amendments are best for my soil.

Here are some threads that help explain this:

https://permies.com/t/87348/Examination-Accepted-Soil-Testing-Proceedures

https://permies.com/t/113090/Soil-Testing-Genius-Snapshot-changing

I am going to say something controversial, but here we go, I don't think most people need or could even benefit from a soil test. The reason I say this, is because the recommendation that always results from the soil test is "add nitrogen and add organic material. Now, soils always seem to be low in Nitrogen and these soil tests seem to be the main way of selling fertilizers. If you have high PH = add organic material. Same for low ph. Doesn't matter if the soil is sandy, clay, or rocks the answer is to add organic material and let biology handle the rest. I would only worry about a soil test if you have a specific concern about the soil. Are there indicator plants that indicate a toxicity? Are animals getting sick after eating the plants? Is there a history of mining or something that might poison the soil? Then I would suggest a detailed soil test. Otherwise, the time and money spent on a soil test would be better served making a compost pile.

My husband is an organic/biodynamic Soil Consultant (retired) and can do  soil tests but we totally agree with Skyler.  They are not only not necessary, the results can be skewed and incorrect.  Observation of what is growing or not on that soil, how healthy it is, and how friable the soil is tells you more than anything.  Is there organic matter in it, does it clump together, or is it so porous that water washes right through.  If it does, so will your nutrients.  Make sure humus levels are high, add calcium/phosphorous and trace minerals in the form of kelp, azomite, a tiny bit of wood ash, gypsum so you have sulphur in addition to calcium, a little borax.
If you are on the west coast and boron/selenium levels are naturally high there, you can omit the boron and selenium.  Sulphur is high naturally if you are in an area where volcanic ash was accumulated.  IF humate levels are high the soil can buffer amazingly well and take what it needs, as those nutrients and water will sequester and release slowly.  Well made compost will have enzymes from the animals gut that helps microbes flourish also, so don’t underestimate the value of that.  Always keep a mulch on soil and never let it dry out.  

Most weeds are an indicator of soil deficiencies,  usually calcium and/or phosphorous.   The old farmers always say look for plantain and dock as where it grows you have good soil.  However, they indicate calcium deficiencies too.  Where clover is rampant, that soil may be excessively high in magnesium.   High nitrogen levels can make noxious weeds like buttercup grow.   If you have thistle, add more lime, and dig out the roots, and chop the tops and put it in your compost, it is a great biodynamic accumulator, high in trace minerals.  Or just keep mowing it and adding calcium, a little at the time.  They seek it out in some parts of Portugal to add to their compost piles and grow incredibly lush fruits/vegetables there.   There is a lot of nitrogen in the air,  brought down by rain; and adequate calcium levels and active microbes, actinomycetes in particular, convert it to usable form for your crops.  

Skyler Weber wrote:I am going to say something controversial, but here we go, I don't think most people need or could even benefit from a soil test.

While in general, I agree, never having needed testing in the past, in this case I am documenting carefully, for a specific purpose, as background for a report I am planning to write. I am leaning towards a lab report.