Collecting Soil Samples for pH and Other Testing

It is important to get a representative sample of any area you wish to monitor, almost regardless of the size of the plot or field, since you will be treating the area in the same way. Unless there is a significant difference in the soil across particular parts of a field you will expect to treat a whole field in the same way and therefore you can combine your samples for testing.

The total amount to be collected for each test is between a half and one kilogram.

Collect the samples in a roughly 'W' pattern, with sample points at fairly regular intervals, put each sample in a clean polythene bag and label it clearly.

To make the sampling process easier, use a soil auger that takes a representative core sample, then either send your samples to a laboratory or use a soil testing kit, such as those available from Novanna.

Repeated testing over a period of about a year or more will help you to build a picture of your soil's character and response to treatments, climate, planting, harvesting and so on, while a more prolonged period of testing can only add to your understanding of your soil's behaviour.

Soil pH Testing and pH Meters

Chemists use pH as a measure of acidity or alkalinity, on a scale from 0 to 14. The higher the pH number the more alkaline a substance or mixture is, and 'neutral' is therefore around pH 7.

As it happens, this neutral pH is also the best acidity level in soils and growing media for the majority of plants, as it allows nutrients in the soil to be released and absorbed by the plants' roots. This acidity can be measured in a number of ways, including liquid analysis using indicator strips (like the litmus paper you might have used in school chemistry lessons) or electronic measurement of soil activity or conductivity (measuring the level of positive hydrogen ions in the soil), with pH meters.

Acidity can be different when the soil is 'resting' compared with when crops are actively growing and so it's important to measure the pH of your soil at different times of year and at different stages of the growing cycle to build a clear picture of your soil's pH cycle.

Soil can also have very high levels of nutrients 'locked up' due to non-optimal pH, and adding fertiliser to soil in these circumstances is expensive and wasteful.

By measuring at testing your own soil you can take these measurements as often as you like and in as many sample sites as you wish, to build a full understanding of your soil and take the appropriate action (often simply liming) without overdoing it 'just to make sure'.

A full range of soil analysis kits and equipment is available to buy online directly from Novanna Measurement Systems. 

Article - Why Soil Analysis?

We've added a new page to the main website, called Soil Analysis - the Whats and Whys.

On that page you'll find an explanation of the role of soil analysis in optimising crop yield and nutritional value by making existing soil nutrients available to growing plants, thereby minimising waste and pollution from excessive fertiliser and chemical use.

You'll the article at http://www.novanna.co.uk/why-soil-analysis

Soil Analysis and Testing - New Video

Here's the latest video from Novanna, highlighting our soil analysis and testing equipment. We also supply all ancillaries and consumables for soil analysis and other agricultural measurements.



This is a perfect time of year to test and analyse your soil and Novanna will deliver your analysis kits and equipment within days of ordering online at www.novanna.co.uk.

Agricultural Measurement Systems, Soil Analysis and More

Our new video has just been uploaded to Youtube, and here its is!



As`you can see, the video explains many of the types of products available online from Novanna, including soil analysis test kits, water test kits and biogas measurement and control systems.