Are they accurate? Do you use them as just a guide or as the gospel? Which model do you use? If you don't use a handheld model what do you use?
I use mine as a guide. I test my plot in several locations, and take multiple tests in each location. They are pretty simple, and give a pretty accurate number. They don't give you any info that a soil test won't give you, but this is an immediate answer. You can test and know how much lime you need, instead of waiting for the soil test results. I have one made by biologic, it's a couple years old and it looks like they replaced it w. a digital model. It cost more than the ones you can pick up in the garden department other places, but I was buying the wrong time of year, and this was the only one I could find at the time.
Get a soil sample, they're free and they tell you a lot more than just PH. They reccommend what fertilizer and how much plus a lot more.
Every other year....... it takes some time for the lime to completely blend in with the soil. Local coop is where I go.
I wish the local coop here did free soil testing. I went in and asked them about soil testing and they looked at me as if they were clueless. I went to the local soil and water conservation district, and they charge you for doing a soil test. I ordered the kit from WTI, because that was the cheapest route for me.
Not to sound stupid (which I am) but how and how much soil do you take to the coop? Do you just take a shovel and put several soil samples in a zip lock bag or what?
I googled it when I first started doing them. You take several slices of soil about an inch or so thick and about 6 inches deep. I tiling spade works good for this. You mix the samples together and fill a quart ziploc 1/3 full. Repeat for each plot.
Thanks Greg. I have a coop right across from where I work. Is that where you buy all your fertilizer, lime and seed as well?
you are suppose to use a soil sample spade..Its a tube aproximately 1 1/2 in diameter and 6 inches long. you step in into the ground and empty the contents inside. You take several samples from different points to give you an overall assesment of your plots or fields.
I buy my fertilizer from the coop. I get ag lime from an excavating company and my seed from a different coop (they sell Frigid Forage seed ).
how do you like frigid forage? i was thinking of trying the big and beasty this year but not sure fow good it really is
I like the Frigid Forage. Bill Winke is a spokesman for them and has a good Q & A section for food plots. http://www.midwestwhitetail.com/faqs/9/general-food-plot-advice.html
When I sent my soil samples in years ago, I sent to Mossy Oak for a nominal fee. I also had one of the PH tester units and the numbers were pretty different from what the sample testing showed.
