Davej wrote:
Is this worth doing, and if so then how?

It depends on what you are trying to acheive. Like so many things to do
with gardening and growing there are very few (if any) golden rules that
always apply in all situations. You need to think in terms of whether there
is a mismatch between the nature of your soil and what you want to get from
it and whether soil testing would actually help you deal with that problem.
Some imagine if you get a soil test done you will get back a recommendation
for treatment and after you sprinkle about some magical ammendments all will
be perfect. It isn't like that.

As for the how, this is an international forum and the answer to that will
depend very much on where you are.

It will also depend on how much effort you are prepared to put into it. It
is likely that many would read this question as being about sending samples
off to a laboratory for chemical analysis. Much of the data you need is not
about chemistry and doesn't need a lab.

There are quite a few simple tests that you can do yourself that will give
you good information about the structure and content of soil for the cost of
a little time and study. I am sorry but I have lost some links, I used to
have a list of sites providing these articles but no longer. Here are some
that will give you a start but there are several others out there that I was
fond of with more about tests you can do yourself:

http://www.ccma.vic.gov.au/soilhealt...pert ies).pdf

http://www.growingcapsicums.com.au/p...soil_tests.pdf

The first contains a fair primer on soil structure and some key concepts
like exchange capacity, the second is more about testing procedures. The
texture, physical content and what your soil will hold is more important
than whatever minerals a lab says are in it right now.

--
David

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A better world requires a daily struggle
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