Just spent $300 on a fancy soil test kit and I'm not sure it was worth it

Everyone in my local plant group swears by these detailed lab tests you mail in. I got one that checked for 12 different nutrients and pH. It took two weeks to get the results back, which was a long wait when my citrus tree was looking sad. The report basically told me what I already knew from using a simple $15 home test strip: my soil was low on nitrogen. I could have just bought a good fertilizer for a fraction of the price and been done with it weeks ago. Has anyone else found these expensive tests to be overkill for home gardening?

2 comments

2 Comments

kim.thea20d ago

My buddy did the same thing last year. His report was basically a fancy note saying "add compost" which he already knew. Felt like a total waste of money.

jake_mason3020d ago

My cousin paid 200 bucks for a soil test on his new property. The lab results came back with a single paragraph telling him his dirt was "sandy" and to mix in organic matter. He was so mad, he could have gotten that advice from a gardening pamphlet at the hardware store for free. It really seems like these services just give you the most basic info possible. Makes you wonder what they're actually doing for all that money.