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Testing Mel's Mix pH Toplef10Testing Mel's Mix pH 1zd3ho10

Hello Guest!
Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum.
There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.

Testing Mel's Mix pH I22gcj10Testing Mel's Mix pH 14dhcg10

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Testing Mel's Mix pH

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camprn
rabbithutch
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Testing Mel's Mix pH Empty Testing Mel's Mix pH

Post  rabbithutch 4/20/2014, 4:17 pm

Thank you, Marc!

You mentioned soil testing:  Can regular soil and pH testing kits be used on MM?  If not, what is needed to test it?

I have a moisture probe and a pH probe.  I thought I'd buy a soil test kit, too.  That way I can test before each season (we have 2 in Texas) and if I see any signs in the plants that there might be problems.

TIA Testing Mel's Mix pH 3170584802


Last edited by camprn on 5/4/2014, 9:24 am; edited 2 times in total (Reason for editing : corrected title)
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Post  camprn 4/20/2014, 4:23 pm

rabbithutch wrote:Thank you, Marc!

You mentioned soil testing:  Can regular soil and pH testing kits be used on MM?  If not, what is needed to test it?

I have a moisture probe and a pH probe.  I thought I'd buy a soil test kit, too.  That way I can test before each season (we have 2 in Texas) and if I see any signs in the plants that there might be problems.

TIA Testing Mel's Mix pH 3170584802
Mel's mix has no soil in it so for best results send it out to a lab using the soilless greenhouse medium on the order form.

http://soiltest.umass.edu/

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Post  rabbithutch 4/20/2014, 4:25 pm

I've been looking at this soil test kit and wondering if it would be adequate for testing MM and regular soil.

Does anyone here have experience testing their own MM?  Do you think this kit will be helpful in maintaining a balanced growing medium?

TIA  Testing Mel's Mix pH 3170584802
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Post  rabbithutch 4/20/2014, 4:27 pm

camprn wrote:
Mel's mix has no soil in it so for best results send it out to a lab using the soilless greenhouse medium on the order form.

http://soiltest.umass.edu/

I was hoping to be able to do my own testing whenever I wanted to - like before each 'season' or whenever a problem seems apparent.  Is it impossible to test MM yourself?
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Post  boffer 4/20/2014, 4:30 pm

I think you're better off sending it to a lab.

camprn wrote:Mel's mix has no soil in it so for best results send it out to a lab using the soilless greenhouse medium on the order form.
http://soiltest.umass.edu/

You get a lot more value for the money:
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t8673-mel-s-mix-lab-analysis-results
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Post  CapeCoddess 4/20/2014, 4:33 pm

Since mm is a soilless mix maybe this one would be better IF you can find it.
http://www.amazon.com/SciEd-Soil-Less-Garden-Lab-Investigation/dp/B0017UGZKQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1398025834&sr=8-2&keywords=soilless+test+kit

My moisture probe doesn't work in my s f g. I found that out by just about drowning my poor plants. It comes up dry everytime.
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Post  sanderson 4/20/2014, 5:22 pm

Camp, it looks like the Mass Univ is cheaper than my local US Davis Lab, CA. A plus is that Mass has a reasonable turn around time. Two (2) liters (2 quarts) of MM in ziplock bag. ?? I couldn't find "soil-less" but there is Compost on the submittal form. ??

I think I will try it on my current new MM made with last summer's compost, and on this Berkeley pile after 2 weeks of ambient temp. Any advice?

If anyone else uses this lab with same test, it would be fun to post results. Comparing apples to apples, not apples to oranges. Maybe a separate topic is there are more that 2 people doing this!
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Post  boffer 4/20/2014, 5:43 pm

rabbithutch wrote:... Is it impossible to test MM yourself?
Some members have expressed satisfaction doing so.

Back in the day, I was a metrologist, and worked in civilian and military laboratories.  (A metrologist has nothing in common with a meteorologist!)

To make a valid (useful) measurement, we need repeatability and accuracy over a given range.  From what I've read, home test kits provide neither.  One reason is that the sample size is so small.  Another reason is  interpretation of the results is inconsistent from test to test, and person to person.  There's just no way to know if one's results are accurate.

As I said in your other thread,  I had my MM tested by a lab.  I also tried a home kit using the same MM sample that I sent out.  I did three tests, and  the results were all different.  I threw the kit out.
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Post  boffer 4/20/2014, 5:50 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:...My moisture probe doesn't work in my s f g. I found that out by just about drowning my poor plants. It comes up dry everytime.

Mine wouldn't work either.  Somewhere on the forum, Plantoid provided detailed instructions on how to clean a moisture meter so that it works.  Pfft!  I threw it out; my finger works just fine!
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Post  camprn 4/20/2014, 6:11 pm

sanderson wrote:Camp, it looks like the Mass Univ is cheaper than my local US Davis Lab, CA.  A plus is that Mass has a reasonable turn around time.  Two (2) liters (2 quarts) of MM in ziplock bag.  ??  I couldn't find "soil-less" but there is Compost on the submittal form.  ??

I think I will try it on my current new MM made with last summer's compost, and on this Berkeley pile after 2 weeks of ambient temp.  Any advice?

If anyone else uses this lab with same test, it would be fun to post results.  Comparing apples to apples, not apples to oranges.  Maybe a separate topic is there are more that 2 people doing this!

A few years ago Boffer posted his test result from UMASS.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t8673-mel-s-mix-lab-analysis-results


and another thread:
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t10252-soil-test-results?highlight=test


Regarding the cost, how much does a reliable home test cost? How long do the chemicals keep? When sending to the lab there's no muss, no fuss and you get extensive, reliable results.

Here is the link to the soilless greenhouse medium. Mel's mix is a soilless medium.

http://soiltest.umass.edu/sites/soiltest.umass.edu/files/forms/soilless-greenhouse-media/Greenhouse_110713_1.pdf

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Post  camprn 4/20/2014, 6:21 pm

I have moved some posts to this thread.

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Post  donnainzone5 4/20/2014, 8:26 pm

As long as I get good results, I don't worry about testing.
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Post  sanderson 4/20/2014, 9:54 pm

Camp. thank you for posting the lab Form. If I ever give a class, I can show the results (assuming the results are excellent). Embarassed  Dang, they better be  What a Face 
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Post  camprn 4/21/2014, 7:05 am

boffer wrote:
Back in the day, I was a metrologist, and worked in civilian and military laboratories.  (A metrologist has nothing in common with a meteorologist!)

.

That's cool and explains a lot! What a Face

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Post  camprn 5/4/2014, 9:24 am

http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/soil-ph-zm0z14amzkin.aspx#axzz30kjJds6Z

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