• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • John F Dean
  • Timothy Norton
  • Nancy Reading
  • r ranson
  • Jay Angler
  • Pearl Sutton
stewards:
  • paul wheaton
  • Tereza Okava
  • AndrĂ©s Bernal
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
gardeners:
  • Jeremy VanGelder
  • M Ljin
  • Matt McSpadden

pH testing kit?

 
Posts: 53
7
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Gonna test the pH level in the soil where I will plant my trees in a couple weeks. Does anybody have recommendations for a meter or testing kit they've found particularly reliable? I read some bad reviews on one I was looking at and it occurred to me to come back here and ask.
 
J Lovejoy
Posts: 53
7
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I will add that I'm also interested to know if it's a kit that does/tests other stuff well too - most of the kits I've seen are multi-purpose and I imagine a day will come when I might be interested in some other kind of soil analysis beyond the pH. Even if just for curiosity's sake.
 
Posts: 4
Location: PNW 7B Ca
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Following. I need to test my soil as well and looking for recommendations
 
pollinator
Posts: 356
Location: Oz; Centre South
84
trees books cooking fiber arts writing
  • Likes 4
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hello J.L. and Harrison - I have a pH meter that I use for testing acid/alkalinity of dye solutions which seems to be working OK.  It is Gardman brand and came from the UK, although it is labelled "Made in China".  Good instructions for soil testing on the reverse of the packaging, how to fix if the result isn't what is required and a summary of the likes of veggies, flowers and fruits.  
 
J Lovejoy
Posts: 53
7
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Thanks Jill! I looked up the Gardman meter (attached image) and if that's the one you're talking about, I did end up buying a similar one to that by the brand Sunjoe (also made in China lol). I haven't tried it yet but I'm glad to hear that a similar one gets good marks from someone here. Yours comes with much better and more thorough guidance though; this SunJoe one has bare-bones instructions, nothing about how to fix anything or profiles of any plants etc. That makes me think the Gardman may be a more trustworthy product than the SunJoe.

I see there's another Gardman that is single-prong and only for pH; I guess the two-prong one is for moisture in addition to pH (my SunJoe has the same dual purpose - and a third, measuring light level/intensity, for whatever that's worth).

Might pick up the single-prong pH Gardman someday if I ever get really picky/fixated on pH, and use both just to be sure I'm getting an accurate/truthful reading.
5184JG7FzgL._AC_SL1500_.jpg
[Thumbnail for 5184JG7FzgL._AC_SL1500_.jpg]
 
Jill Dyer
pollinator
Posts: 356
Location: Oz; Centre South
84
trees books cooking fiber arts writing
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Mine is the single prong pH only.  
Your other option is to get a bunch of pH strips.  Over to you on that one - they usually come with a colour card to match the result of the test.  Might be something a Brew kit shop might have?
 
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic