There are so many tests of the two-probe meter, but none that I found that do the comparison to the testing lab. So this one is a REAL test. Thank you.
Very pleasant and informative. I am a farmer of ten years, but I like to review fundamentals once in awhile. You are so lucky to get free lab analysis! That is a $50 value. I would recommend going with that method because the software that prints your results is based on sophisticated agronomy. Not only due they consider ph impact, but npk, and various ratios and micronutrients and organic matter. But any testing method can only be as good as the sample provided.
Thank you. This is exactly what I was looking for...accuracy of instant read testers. Not 100% accurate method, but possibly good enough for my gardening till I can afford better equipment. You did an excellent job showing us a true comparison.
Great info, Jill - amazing how revealing a soil test is! All the year's I've gardened, I've never done one, but you've inspired me to give it a go. The soil probe looks very simple and easy to use!
It is super-simple! After I posted this, a reader of mine tried it in his area and compared it to a professional soil test, and he found his pH on the probe to be about a half point higher than the pro test. I have a hunch the saturation level of the soil might play a role, too. But at least it gives a "ballpark" reading for when we want a quick check of the soil pH.
I just bought the probe to test my soil before I amend it for preparation for blueberry plants. I know fairly certainly that my soil is going to have a PH that is higher than what blueberries like. I wanted a way to test before, and then again after I added the soil acidifier to know that my soil had responded positively to the acidifier. I heard that elemental sulfur takes awhile to change the PH of the soil, and I wish I had put it in the soil in fall for early spring transplanting but I just decided this January to do blueberries. I’m glad to hear the probe was fairly accurate.
Your meter matching the lab is a happy coincidence. Throw some vinegar into the test hole, and watch what changes; nothing. I have four of those meters, all four give different readings in the same hole.
One thing I have found with those probe type testers is the water level in soil and the cleanliness of the actual probes. If I really polish up the probe it is much more accurate, even just the lightest tarnish changes the reading.
Hi Jill I just stumbled onto your channel awesome stuff! One thing I’ve found to help with nitrogen loss is planting nitrogen fixers along with my crops such as clover mix. Good luck in your future gardening adventures!
Thanks Scotty! I've just begun to experiment with cover crops myself. I tried a vetch last fall but since I let my chickens in the garden over the winter, they ate it all. Haha! But I'm pretty sure their manure helped with the nitrogen. :)
Interesting. I have been watching ph methods videos and, oh my gosh, results are all over the map. I'm going to try the probe you used and follow directions carefully. Thanks for the comparison.
See my comment above. Re: directions. Those probe type meters measure current flow between different metals. The probe must be clean. I use very fine sandpaper. Using a chemical cleaner or steel wool will surely contaminate your reading.
I regularly wonder about any such test. Including the cooperative extension. First I would wonder if, samples gathered at the same time sent to two different labs would get the same results. As to the probe type testers. I have three different ones of the cheap type. None of them read the same. By the way, your report that your probe type meter reads 6.1. Other than one of the more expensive digital reading ones none read .1. Perhaps important is to be sure your read the meter head on. A view from the side causes parallax and with the tiny compact scale will dramatically change what you read.
I don't trust the probe meter. First of all, how did you get a 6.1 ph reading? It's an analog meter that only shows approximate values. The second issue is the probes easily bend. How important is the probe distances apart? Doesn't seem reliable to me.
It's a VersionTech. It's the only one I have tried so I can't say if others are more accurate or not. I felt this did an adequate job for the price point, understanding that the results produce more of a range than an exact measurement of pH. amzn.to/2zHRjp0
Yes this is the same thing i done with my soil and then i gone to the lab to see how they testing, guess what they have a device wich less or more is the same and nothing on a real lab test just a digital reading. Then i gone to a chimical lab where they done on the microscope reading and the results was diferent.
What if the professional testing service just has a random assortment of the same testing tools and sometimes uses the 3-in-1 probe, and sometimes uses the rapid test? Then we wouldn’t know what is accurate, we’d just be verifying that we figured out which test method they used for which soil sample 🤔
Hi there! You should be able to visit the Boone County Cooperative Extension Service in Harrison. (The address is online but since you're rural you might call first to get their instructions. 8707416168) P.S. I graduated high school from Alpena! :)
@@thebeginnersgarden you may want to redo this while making sure you're using distilled water. Using any other type of water will give you false readings.
@@TheProfessor936 I did this a year ago, but I am pretty sure I used distilled water. (I bought a gallon of water specifically for the test, and I'm almost positive it was distilled.) Thank you for the reminder, as that's an easy step to overlook.
skip to 3:19 to get down to why you clicked on this video in the 1st place ... notoriously too much talking. FYI - The probe can be showing false results for pH if the soil isn't moist enough when testing.
There are so many tests of the two-probe meter, but none that I found that do the comparison to the testing lab. So this one is a REAL test. Thank you.
Very pleasant and informative. I am a farmer of ten years, but I like to review fundamentals once in awhile. You are so lucky to get free lab analysis! That is a $50 value. I would recommend going with that method because the software that prints your results is based on sophisticated agronomy. Not only due they consider ph impact, but npk, and various ratios and micronutrients and organic matter. But any testing method can only be as good as the sample provided.
Thank you. This is exactly what I was looking for...accuracy of instant read testers. Not 100% accurate method, but possibly good enough for my gardening till I can afford better equipment. You did an excellent job showing us a true comparison.
Great info, Jill - amazing how revealing a soil test is! All the year's I've gardened, I've never done one, but you've inspired me to give it a go. The soil probe looks very simple and easy to use!
It is super-simple! After I posted this, a reader of mine tried it in his area and compared it to a professional soil test, and he found his pH on the probe to be about a half point higher than the pro test. I have a hunch the saturation level of the soil might play a role, too. But at least it gives a "ballpark" reading for when we want a quick check of the soil pH.
I just bought the probe to test my soil before I amend it for preparation for blueberry plants.
I know fairly certainly that my soil is going to have a PH that is higher than what blueberries like. I wanted a way to test before, and then again after I added the soil acidifier to know that my soil had responded positively to the acidifier.
I heard that elemental sulfur takes awhile to change the PH of the soil, and I wish I had put it in the soil in fall for early spring transplanting but I just decided this January to do blueberries.
I’m glad to hear the probe was fairly accurate.
Great video. I appreciated that you showed the different results so I can make a better decision.
Your meter matching the lab is a happy coincidence. Throw some vinegar into the test hole, and watch what changes; nothing. I have four of those meters, all four give different readings in the same hole.
Great execution, comparing readings on the same samples. Good, helpful information. Thanks.
One thing I have found with those probe type testers is the water level in soil and the cleanliness of the actual probes. If I really polish up the probe it is much more accurate, even just the lightest tarnish changes the reading.
Good to know, thank you!
Yeah. They need to be washed with distilled water between each use. And the soil needs to be wet when you use them.
Great video! Clear, concise and so helpful. You also seem like a lovely person.
I used the same exact probe tester when I lived in Vietnam. I was skeptikal of it's accuracy, good to know it was accurate.
Lab testing is the only way to go, especially for beginners! You get Macro and Micro nutrient results! Calcium and Magnesium numbers are so valuable
Like the way you thoroughly explained the results
Nea here!!! Glad to see more Arkansas folks here
What if the extension service used the probe.
NICELY DONE. I think I will send off my samples.
Thanks for testing Soil tests.
Hi Jill I just stumbled onto your channel awesome stuff! One thing I’ve found to help with nitrogen loss is planting nitrogen fixers along with my crops such as clover mix. Good luck in your future gardening adventures!
Thanks Scotty! I've just begun to experiment with cover crops myself. I tried a vetch last fall but since I let my chickens in the garden over the winter, they ate it all. Haha! But I'm pretty sure their manure helped with the nitrogen. :)
Great video. You just might make my purple thumb turn green. I am a older beginner!
Thanks! For info. I just bought one. I subscribed 🌹❤️
Interesting. I have been watching ph methods videos and, oh my gosh, results are all over the map. I'm going to try the probe you used and follow directions carefully. Thanks for the comparison.
See my comment above. Re: directions. Those probe type meters measure current flow between different metals. The probe must be clean. I use very fine sandpaper.
Using a chemical cleaner or steel wool will surely contaminate your reading.
I regularly wonder about any such test. Including the cooperative extension. First I would wonder if,
samples gathered at the same time sent to two different labs would get the same results. As to the probe type testers. I have three different ones of the cheap type. None of them read the same.
By the way, your report that your probe type meter reads 6.1. Other than one of the more expensive digital reading ones none read .1. Perhaps important is to be sure your read the meter head on.
A view from the side causes parallax and with the tiny compact scale will dramatically change what you read.
You just save the world 🌎!
My probe pH meter always reads between 7 and 8 even under our hydrangea which has deep blue blossoms
very interesting. thanks for the video.
Thanks that tells me a lot. I will buy a probe and start testing!
I don't trust the probe meter. First of all, how did you get a 6.1 ph reading? It's an analog meter that only shows approximate values. The second issue is the probes easily bend. How important is the probe distances apart? Doesn't seem reliable to me.
The distance between the probes doesn't affect readings. What does are things like salt build-up on the probes and wetness or driness of the soil.
For those probes to even possibly work, you must have wet soil. So do it after you water or a heavy rain.
Good to know, thank you!
I brought that probe brand new, but the ph meter does not seem to work. Everything cannot be alkaline. It doesn't move.
What brand of probe meter was you using or what probe meter would you recomend.
It's a VersionTech. It's the only one I have tried so I can't say if others are more accurate or not. I felt this did an adequate job for the price point, understanding that the results produce more of a range than an exact measurement of pH. amzn.to/2zHRjp0
Very helpful. Thanks very much.
I have both the rapid test and the probe living in NYS I haven't yet used the rapid test but I question the accuracy of my 3in1 soil probe
Fungus and bacteria plays a roll in why plants uptake nutrients. What is the effect of round up on this process ?
Not sure since I don't use round up in my garden so I couldn't offer a comparison.
Just an FYI... Not sure if anyone ever mentioned, but your audio goes out of sync around the 6:00 min mark...
My meter is 0.6 wrong in the alkalin way. 6.0 is actually 6.6 I have the same meter.
I bought a probe that looked just like that one and it broke after the first season
Great job!
I live in West Bengal,India.I want to start soil testing because it is very important for agriculture. How can I get help from you.thank you.
you can get the 3 in 1 probe from Aliexpress for $4.00 shipped.
An they don't work
Very interesting.
Perfect thanks
A cheat $8 meter off eBay woulda been neat in the comparison, but the test is still appreciated, ty.
Yes this is the same thing i done with my soil and then i gone to the lab to see how they testing, guess what they have a device wich less or more is the same and nothing on a real lab test just a digital reading. Then i gone to a chimical lab where they done on the microscope reading and the results was diferent.
What if the professional testing service just has a random assortment of the same testing tools and sometimes uses the 3-in-1 probe, and sometimes uses the rapid test? Then we wouldn’t know what is accurate, we’d just be verifying that we figured out which test method they used for which soil sample 🤔
The extension office does more accurate laboratory testing.
I love a girl that knows soil-talk,,!
And I love a girl who can cook
Do the university test and the rapitest give phosphorus and potassium in PPM?
The university test does, but not the rapitest.
@@thebeginnersgarden Yeah. I thought so.
i live in boone county AR, how do you get the test done for free?
Hi there! You should be able to visit the Boone County Cooperative Extension Service in Harrison. (The address is online but since you're rural you might call first to get their instructions. 8707416168) P.S. I graduated high school from Alpena! :)
Very interesting! Thanks for the video.
For Rapitest, did you use distilled water or just a normal tap water?
Alec K d
Alec K I bought a gallon of water at my grocery store. I assume it was distilled but I can't recall the label exactly. It was not tap water though.
Journey with Jill in the Garden I hope it wasn't mineral water!
@@thebeginnersgarden you may want to redo this while making sure you're using distilled water. Using any other type of water will give you false readings.
@@TheProfessor936 I did this a year ago, but I am pretty sure I used distilled water. (I bought a gallon of water specifically for the test, and I'm almost positive it was distilled.) Thank you for the reminder, as that's an easy step to overlook.
And what about mousture metering?
I have found that the moisture meter of the probe is helpful.
skip to 3:19 to get down to why you clicked on this video in the 1st place ... notoriously too much talking. FYI - The probe can be showing false results for pH if the soil isn't moist enough when testing.
Best quility water ph meter tds ec meter plß
Very informative thank you.................
Saya sangat suka,kalaw ada bahasa indonesianya
this tells me , none of the results are accurate..
Just get a litmus paper
If made in China. Don't bother
Everything is made in china.