Steve Calvin wrote in message ...
FarmerDill wrote:
Are these small soil testing kits reasonably reliable?
They wouldn't have to be 95% accurate to put you in
the ballpark, and point you in the direction of what
additives are needed. Do you use them, or rely on
your county agent for analyzing samples?
TKS for any advice.

Jon

The cheap ones usually have almost no valid results, especially the ones which
rely on colorimetry.

And assuming that you're in the states, your local county co-operative
will do an analysis at a cost which is significantly less than it'll
cost to get a test kit that will be accurate.

All of this is correct, but if you live in a place (like mine) where I
have former bog patches and sand dunes, grass and woodland, then those
test kits will at least give you a map of your soil. If you have a
small plot with uniform soi, then sure, it is as you say.