Soil PH Tester

[jasyk34]

Newbie here so not sure if this is the correct forum to post this request. I have just got some raised beds built in my back garden and would like to test the PH of my soil. I came across this item from amazon and wondered if anyone has any experience of how good (or bad) this item is Amazon.co.uk: 3in1 Light, pH, Moisture Meter - E-Sun ETP-300C: Kitchen & Home or any other recommendations on different products that you use would be greatly appreciated. There are no reviews yet on the amazon site and a bit wary of purchasing if it is useless.

thanks

[terrier]

Hi Jasyk34, welcome to the forum, I hope you enjoy your visits here. Your device sounds a bit gadgety, how much does it cost? As far as a light meter goes, there's not much you can do about light, unless you want to move your beds to a sunnier position, as for moisture, your growing medium is either wet or dry, push a trowel in a few inches and see what comes out! As for Ph, most veg plants are pretty tolerant of soil Ph and presumably you know what you have filled the raised beds with. Most shop bought compost is fairly neutral, animal waste (equine or bovine) is slightly acidic. It's probably something you will use once and then just get on with the growing. See what other posters think.

[snake the squadie]

hiya and welcome. this is probably bad advice but i never test my soil. i do have a ph tester but its still in its box. i have read a lot of things about the right soil but i find you spend more time messing about trying to get the right soil it sort of takes the fun out of it. i just go with the tried and tested method of plant it and see. bad i know but it works for me

[jasyk34]

Hi Jasyk34, welcome to the forum, I hope you enjoy your visits here. Your device sounds a bit gadgety, how much does it cost? As far as a light meter goes, there's not much you can do about light, unless you want to move your beds to a sunnier position, as for moisture, your growing medium is either wet or dry, push a trowel in a few inches and see what comes out! As for Ph, most veg plants are pretty tolerant of soil Ph and presumably you know what you have filled the raised beds with. Most shop bought compost is fairly neutral, animal waste (equine or bovine) is slightly acidic. It's probably something you will use once and then just get on with the growing. See what other posters think.

Terrier, thanks for the welcome and reply. Look forward to posting here and of course reading topics here over the next few months and years !

The cost for that item is £9.99. You're right in saying its a bit over the top. I was only looking a ph tester but this one included the other "useful" measurements. I was only intending to use it once just to check that the top soil I got delivered for my raised beds was suitable for growing in but thought that it was cheap enough to use once and forget about. Just didnt want to pay the money if it didnt actually work though.

All the best

[jasyk34]

hiya and welcome. this is probably bad advice but i never test my soil. i do have a ph tester but its still in its box. i have read a lot of things about the right soil but i find you spend more time messing about trying to get the right soil it sort of takes the fun out of it. i just go with the tried and tested method of plant it and see. bad i know but it works for me

Doesnt sound like bad advice to me as it seems to work for you. As I had said in my reply to terrier, I was just looking to confirm that the top soil I got delivered for my raised beds was suitable for growing but your approach might be cheaper that forking out for a device that mightnt do what I need ?

[Hazel at the Hill]

If you do want to check your soil ph (not a bad idea as it's new soil) I think that you can get little dispossable kits from Wilko for a couple of quid.

[jasyk34]

If you do want to check your soil ph (not a bad idea as it's new soil) I think that you can get little dispossable kits from Wilko for a couple of quid.

I live in Northern Ireland and dont have any wilkinsons stores in NI. i did check their online website but they dont seem to sell them on there.

[Hazel at the Hill]

I've just had a look on ebay and this soil testing kit is the sort of thing.

[jasyk34]

I've just had a look on ebay and this soil testing kit is the sort of thing.

Many thanks for this. At that price I cant really go wrong. Just ordered one.

[PAULW]

Just to upset you Aldi have them in from thursday for £3.99

ALDI - Thursday Special Buys 14th February 2008

[Hans Mum]

welcome from me too, i didnt test my soil either, just thought i'd see what happens, good luck anyway

[jasyk34]

Just to upset you Aldi have them in from thursday for £3.99

ALDI - Thursday Special Buys 14th February 2008

luckily we dont have ALDI here in Northern Ireland Maybe Lidl will do them at some point, although by the time the items get to Lidl in NI they have increased in price for some reason.

[kernowyon]

Just to upset you Aldi have them in from thursday for £3.99

ALDI - Thursday Special Buys 14th February 2008

thanks for the tip, will be going to aldi on thursday then, will just have to close my eyes as i pass the seeds for 29p or the three fruits for £1.99, i will resist, if i can give up smoking (20 months now) i can resist buying seeds can't I!?

[oldie]

John Yeoman in his book The Lazy Vegetable Grower says you can do a crude test using beetroot juice. Put some slices of fresh beetroot in some boiled/filtered water or better rainwater. Soak for a ten minutes. Mix a teaspoonful of soil with similar water, let it settle and put in a few drops of the beetroot water. If it goes blue you have alkaline soil, red and it is acidic. If there is no real difference it is neutral.

[sheep farmers other half]

I tested my soil last night with one of those cheap disposable kits, and guess what it was neutral!, well thats why everything grow well there!, should of saved my £1 and bought more seeds