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Trying to find a good soil analysis lab

OrganicBuds

OrganicBuds

Active member
Veteran
I am trying to find a good soil analysis lab in or around Northern California. Anybody have any places they use and would recommend? Thanks IC community. :biggrin:

Edit: The best looking site I have found is http://www.perrylaboratory.com/index.shtml. It seems easy to understand their analysis.
 
Last edited:
W89

W89

Active member
Veteran
yeah If anyone has any info on were I could get this done in the UK that would be great too... sorry to hijack but saves making another thread...hope thats cool OB
 
V

VortexPower420

Active member
Veteran
I would use Logan labs (loganlabs.com) They do a mehlich 3 test for what is roughly in there and a paste test for what is available at that moment. On top of that they give Albrecht recommendations.

But you also Have-
Earhtfort.com
Aglabs.com (weak acid - Carey Reams)
Kinseyag.com (Albrecth
spectrumanalytic.com
woodsend.org (Solvita Co2)

Also Hugh Lovel recommends a Aqua Regia test for complete nutrient extraction, but there is only one lab in Australia that does the test. They do take samples from around the world.

Just member everyone will be different and will all give recommendations, so pick one and stick with it. Also try and take samples as consistently as possible. for example same temp same time in crop cycle ( just as you chop) The soil nutrient availability will change rapidly.

Hope that helps.

Timbuktu
 
canniption

canniption

Active member
OrganicBuds said:
I am trying to find a good soil analysis lab in or around Northern California. Anybody have any places they use and would recommend? Thanks IC community. :biggrin:

Edit: The best looking site I have found is http://www.perrylaboratory.com/index.shtml. It seems easy to understand their analysis.
Click to expand...

hello OB,check with your local cooperative extention service(CES)alot of them offer soil tests for free to residents.mehlich 3 method.in my state they put a tax on fertilizer sales to pay for it.
 
S

SeaMaiden

VortexPower420 said:
I would use Logan labs (loganlabs.com) They do a mehlich 3 test for what is roughly in there and a paste test for what is available at that moment. On top of that they give Albrecht recommendations.

But you also Have-
Earhtfort.com
Aglabs.com (weak acid - Carey Reams)
Kinseyag.com (Albrecth
spectrumanalytic.com
woodsend.org (Solvita Co2)

Also Hugh Lovel recommends a Aqua Regia test for complete nutrient extraction, but there is only one lab in Australia that does the test. They do take samples from around the world.

Just member everyone will be different and will all give recommendations, so pick one and stick with it. Also try and take samples as consistently as possible. for example same temp same time in crop cycle ( just as you chop) The soil nutrient availability will change rapidly.

Hope that helps.

Timbuktu
Click to expand...
Just finished an article where he discusses testing methods, etc, and what should be being tested for (with specific regard to organic produce). Thanks for posting this. :)

OB, I went to my local ag extension, and they sent me to an outfit out in the valley that was interested only in NPK and solubles. In fact, this has been the main problem I've found with the more local ag suppliers. As you know, we're not after that. I'm going to check out the lab you've found. I was leaning towards going with kinseyag, but if a more local lab will perform the same function, then I would lean towards that.
 
OrganicBuds

OrganicBuds

Active member
Veteran
W89 said:
yeah If anyone has any info on were I could get this done in the UK that would be great too... sorry to hijack but saves making another thread...hope thats cool OB
Click to expand...



No problem at all, thanks for the company.


VortexPower420 said:
I would use Logan labs (loganlabs.com) They do a mehlich 3 test for what is roughly in there and a paste test for what is available at that moment. On top of that they give Albrecht recommendations.



But you also Have-

Earhtfort.com

Aglabs.com (weak acid - Carey Reams)

Kinseyag.com (Albrecth

spectrumanalytic.com

woodsend.org (Solvita Co2)



Also Hugh Lovel recommends a Aqua Regia test for complete nutrient extraction, but there is only one lab in Australia that does the test. They do take samples from around the world.



Just member everyone will be different and will all give recommendations, so pick one and stick with it. Also try and take samples as consistently as possible. for example same temp same time in crop cycle ( just as you chop) The soil nutrient availability will change rapidly.



Hope that helps.



Timbuktu
Click to expand...



Awesome, I have yet to run through all the options, but this is a great place for me to start. Thank you. Also, sound advice.


canniption said:
hello OB,check with your local cooperative extention service(CES)alot of them offer soil tests for free to residents.mehlich 3 method.in my state they put a tax on fertilizer sales to pay for it.
Click to expand...



Great idea, I read this yesterday and looked up the website. They have nothing on the website about soil testing, but they do have a contact in which I have placed a call to already. Thanks for the heads up.


ClackamasCootz said:
OrganicBuds



Check with the horticulture and/or agriculture schools at UC Davis for registered labs in Northern California



CC
Click to expand...



Sound advice, thank you. I have yet to do so, but I will soon.

SeaMaiden said:
Just finished an article where he discusses testing methods, etc, and what should be being tested for (with specific regard to organic produce). Thanks for posting this.



OB, I went to my local ag extension, and they sent me to an outfit out in the valley that was interested only in NPK and solubles. In fact, this has been the main problem I've found with the more local ag suppliers. As you know, we're not after that. I'm going to check out the lab you've found. I was leaning towards going with kinseyag, but if a more local lab will perform the same function, then I would lean towards that.
Click to expand...





Keep me posted on what you find, I will do the same. Let me know the cost of what you're looking at also.

Sinkyone said:
I use Fruit Growers Laboratory Inc:



http://www.fglinc.com/



They have been reliable, accurate, and have always been very helpful when I have had questions.
Click to expand...



I checked out the website and they do have lots of options on what type of tests are needed. They also do soil amendment tests which I would love to test as well. What tests do you get from them? The comprehensive soil group test or do you add on other tests? Have you tested your amends before? Sorry for all the questions, but thanks for the help.
 
Sinkyone

Sinkyone

Member
I test my soil once or twice a year to dial in my amendments. Sometimes I will test new soil and compost when I get it delivered so I know exactly what I am working with. It has been VERY helpful in fine tuning soil prep and one of the factors that helped us get record yields this season.

I just get the comprehensive soil group test, that should tell you everything you need to know. The guys that work there are pretty cool about answering questions. IE one year I had a question about my bulk density (usually another $40 test) but when I called the lab the lab tech was able to calculate it out for me and answer my question - for free. Don't bother paying for recommendations either - if you call and chat with them they will answer questions and make recommendations.
 
B

baldhead

New member
There is a lab that does aqua regia digests in Vancouver, Canada. They test samples for the mining industry, which require high degrees of accuracy.
 
S

SeaMaiden

RanchoDeluxe said:
I've got a list of labs at home. PM me if you'd like as a reminder and I'll try and get it to ya.
Click to expand...

RD, would you mind posting it up here publicly?

Sinky, I remember when you were looking for a lab. This one you're using works well with your organic soil food web methods?
 
Sinkyone

Sinkyone

Member
Yeah their tests have been a huge help in figuring out the quantities and types of amendments to use to get me though and entire grow season with minimal additional input. The only liquid fertilizer I used this all last year was a small amount of organic N and Cal-mag for foliar feeding. Everything else was provided by forking in dry amendments in the spring, a few top dressings of guano during the growing season, and weekly applications of ACT to break it all down. It was cheap, effective, produced great quality buds, and grew some gigantic tree sized plants
 
odogyouknow

odogyouknow

Member
Hey Sinkyone,

So what ballpark test results are you looking for?

I would love to see those test results and get myself working in the right direction.
 
T

The Bling

Member
I am opening a soil lab in upper lake ca

we will have microscopes on site and we will be teaching qualitative soil analysis and selling microscopes though the public will be free to come and use ours on site with assistance.

we will be breeding archaea on site and a variety of other beneficial organisms

we will also distribute beneficial insects with plans for breeding asap

I have access to a over 3 mil worth of lab equipment and process chemists to run it (mass spectrometer, gas chromatography and more) for testing, a full microbio lab . So I cant offer any services now but soon we will be open.
 
Sinkyone

Sinkyone

Member
So two things: Soil testings is NOT an exact science nor is the prep so these numbers are always 'ball park' estimates. Second this is a mix for growing very big outdoor plants - using it in smaller containers may be too much for them to handle. These were the numbers I was shooting for last year in my mix. They are very, very similar to the numbers Butte posted on here a while back. Numbers are for pounds per acre foot. Also it is important to note that these are the end numbers we shoot for. First we test the soil, see where all the levels are at, and then calculate out how much of each amendment is needed to get the numbers to the desired level. Usually N is the most depleted where as K and P tend to stay in the soil much longer and usually do not need as much additional inputs in subsequent seasons. For example one spot I help on had very high K once I convinced them to test the soil - no additional K was needed for the next two years and the plants actually did much better w/o it.

Nitrate-Nitrogen: 5,000 lbs/AF
Phosphorous: 1,000 lbs/AF
Potassium - sol: 9,000 lbs/AF
Potassium - exch: 5,000 lbs/AF

Calcium - sol: 30,000 lbs/AF
Calcium - exch: 5,000 lbs/AF

Mg and Micros I have never had an issue being low once compost was added - so long as they are higher than 'optimum' on the test that seems to be enough.

CEC: 45-55% meq/100g.
pH: 6.5

Moisture: 30-50%
Saturation: 80% minimum - you want it all the way up in 'organic.'
% organic matter: 20%

Also organic matter in this cases refers to soluble organic matter (SOM)/humic compounds. These seems to be a lot of confusion about this - compost and manures are NOT ORGANIC MATTER in reference to these tests. We want to know the humic compounds contained WITHIN the compost and/or manure we are using to amend our mix with. So for example if we want 20% SOM we don't add 20% compost to our mix - that will be way off.

I am still dialing this all in myself so questions, input and ideas are always welcome.
 
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