Have any of you actually used litmus paper test strips to test your soil pH?

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I've seen it mentioned a time or two but if there is a thread about this, I missed it.

Have any of you actually USED litmus paper test strips to test your soil pH?

I think I already know how it's supposed to be done. It's not terribly complicated. But I've been looking at litmus paper on Amazon and it's not uncommon to find 5% to 10% of reviews telling that they just don't work. And once again, paralysis by analysis is setting in.

Something between $5 and $15 on Amazon and they'd deliver me something that may or may not work that would give me a bunch of readings. An actual soil test through UT or another testing company might cost me $20 a pop, but that's one sample only. It'll tell me a whole lot more info, too.

I'd still spring for the pH strips if I had an idea of whether they would actually give me accurate information. But I also don't wanna amend wrong, either, as the plants will care. It's also what I eat and what I hope to sell so it is important.

Anyway, I kinda wondered if some of you have already been down this road and come to a conclusion. I'm kinda leaning towards just getting the commercial tests done. But if I'm missing out on a useful tool with litmus paper, maybe I should at least consider getting some. (?)

Interested in your thoughts if you'd care to share.
 
Haven't tested the soil in several years but we do try to put balanced organics in it when we grow plsnts. We did use some non organics in raised bed from hydropons but try not to use chemicals at all. We don't have fields so it is not that hard for us to keep soil fertile for raised beds and containers..
 
We use litmus strips all the time to test the hot tub water. Soil, I have not done before, but I do have a few suggestions.

(1) You're going to have to mix the soil with water to test the slurry. The water out of your tap is probably not neutral (I can personally verify that based on results of testing our hot tub!) I would test the tap water all by itself (no soil in it) at first, to determine where it sits. Most likely you will have to use distilled water for your soil test. I would also check just that distilled water (by itself) initially, so you know it is actually neutral before you start with the soil.

( Note: I seems all kinds of things will affect pH. We test our hot tub and get pH #1. We add a little bit of "shock" - a chemical used to kill bacteria, not change pH. However, the pH changes quite a bit after adding the shock. You quickly learn to make small adjustments, one at a time, and test things repeatedly. )

(2) Your skin is not neutral either. So do not touch the soil you are testing. Or wear gloves while you're doing it. You don't want to contaminate your sample.

(3) If you really want to see how accurate your testing methodolgy is, get one test spot of soil mixed well (no touch though!) and send a sample from that to three different labs. And do your own tests using three different sets of litmus paper of that same sample. Compare results. If you get three tests in agreement, use one of those for future testing (hopefully one of those agreeing tests will be with cheap litmus paper!) If the majority of the tests disagree, give up on your hopes of ever successfully testing the pH of your soil.

[edit] p.s. - In the hot tub world, there are things you can add to increase pH, to decrease pH, and to "buffer" pH (supposedly meaning to keep it stable, while not changing it). Is there such a buffer available for soil? I don't know. Might be useful is it exists though. [/edit]
 
Thanks Haertig, good info!

I have a friend that works at the UT Extension office. I was asking him about a plot I wanna use next year and he pretty much told me straight up that I should dump quite a lot of lime on it, sight unseen, this fall, and then test again in the spring. Soil in this area is known to be quite acidic. I did put some on, not as much as he suggested, but I wanna test to get it more into the sweet spot somewhere around 6.5 or so, give or take a little.
 
I like the idea of getting a lab to verify your results.

American Science and Surplus sells a soil test kit.


https://www.sciplus.com/rapitest-multi-soil-test-kit-1176-p
That I have used. A kit will test pH as well as N-P-K. Good for 40 tests. I also purchased enough refills to do hundreds of tests.

I also own a quality pH meter that can do a 3-point calibration using references. The results for the meter were close to the pH from the soil test kit.

Please note that distilled water will never be exactly 7.0.

Ben
 
I like the idea of getting a lab to verify your results.

American Science and Surplus sells a soil test kit.


https://www.sciplus.com/rapitest-multi-soil-test-kit-1176-p
That I have used. A kit will test pH as well as N-P-K. Good for 40 tests. I also purchased enough refills to do hundreds of tests.

I also own a quality pH meter that can do a 3-point calibration using references. The results for the meter were close to the pH from the soil test kit.

Please note that distilled water will never be exactly 7.0.

Ben

Thanks for the review on the kit. I saw that on Amazon and wondered if it was too good to be true. Might give that one a try.

I will probably go ahead and get a full blown soil test for at least the new plot this year, though. I like to get the micronutrients, and CEC and some happy horse hockey like that, just to see where we're starting from. It'll tell me a lot about the soil. Still like having a little test kit around, though.
 
Thanks Haertig, good info!

I have a friend that works at the UT Extension office. I was asking him about a plot I wanna use next year and he pretty much told me straight up that I should dump quite a lot of lime on it, sight unseen, this fall, and then test again in the spring. Soil in this area is known to be quite acidic. I did put some on, not as much as he suggested, but I wanna test to get it more into the sweet spot somewhere around 6.5 or so, give or take a little.
The extension office guy hinted at the truth.
As a taxpayer, you already paid for soil tests.
They are free.
The soil in most areas is pretty much the same for miles in any direction.
That's why the blanket answer from the UT guy.
Your county extension agent can do much more.
They will analyse the soil sample you give them, ask you what you want to grow, and tell you how much of what to put on it.
Remember Mr. Kimball on Green Acres?
You already pay their salary.


Hopefully, yours is better :rolleyes:.
 
I'm a soil scientist, so I know something about soil pH. When you get a soil pH result back from a certified soil testing lab it means that the lab followed a standard analytical method to obtain the result. For soil, pH the standard method usually involves stirring for a specific length of time, a specific weight of soil mixed with a specific volume of deionized water. Then, the solution is allowed to settle for a specific length of time at room temperature. Soil labs use a pH probe and take the pH reading in the suspended layer that exists between the settled soil below and the water above.

I guess what I am saying is, you could use litmus paper and obtain a pH result, but it will likely not be the same results a soils lab would obtain using a standard method. The litmus test may get you in the ball park, however.

If you plan on using litmus paper, I would recommend that you buy narrow range strips that cover the range you hope to have your soil pH at some day. In other words, a 6.0 to 8.0 litmus strip might give you more precise results than a 0 to 13 litmus strip.
 
Soil science is not an elite profession, it's actually a dirty job. :)

It's a subject I really like but I have a problem trying to retain the information. I've sat in several classes that went pretty deep into it but with not using the information over time, it just goes away. I hate that about myself.

The upside is, I can't hold a grudge... in time, I forget.
 
I have a pH meter butI'venever used paper. I just sent a soil sample in and got a full report on my garden soil. The report had so much information I couldn't figure out what it all meant. I called the lab that did the test and was told to do nothing to my soil. He said, "plant your seeds, water and watch them grow." I did and it turned out nice.
 
I have a pH meter butI'venever used paper. I just sent a soil sample in and got a full report on my garden soil. The report had so much information I couldn't figure out what it all meant. I called the lab that did the test and was told to do nothing to my soil. He said, "plant your seeds, water and watch them grow." I did and it turned out nice.

If I did that, when I called to ask for advice, they'd probably say, "Move!" LOL!!
 
Soil science is not an elite profession, it's actually a dirty job. :)
C.F. its also a mind bending job!:confused2:I studied it in Hort class Plant Science in 1995 ,I was oldest student in my class.I made good grades but some of the younger ones was crying over test. I was teachers pet,lol. I still have my Plant Science book. I'd read into tape recorder,then listen to it at night. Only one semester.
We know this dirt so well ' sandy loam' don't need test.
I'm pretty much' Jill of all trades and Ayn of none ' :).
 
C.F. its also a mind bending job!:confused2:I studied it in Hort class Plant Science in 1995 ,I was oldest student in my class.I made good grades but some of the younger ones was crying over test. I was teachers pet,lol. I still have my Plant Science book. I'd read into tape recorder,then listen to it at night. Only one semester.
We know this dirt so well ' sandy loam' don't need test.
I'm pretty much' Jill of all trades and Ayn of none ' :).
Actually, I have a BS and MS in Soil Science and a BS in Agronomy. However, my life's work turned out to be in environmental management specifically in the area of safe and beneficial utilization of waste products.
 
Actually, I have a BS and MS in Soil Science and a BS in Agronomy. However, my life's work turned out to be in environmental management specifically in the area of safe and beneficial utilization of waste products.

Very impressive Cabin, that is some intensive study. I barely made it one little semester.:thumbs:
 
litmus paper is no good for soil tests. It only tess you if it is acidic or alkaline. It won't tell you the gradient.
I know you meant PH test strips but someone else might go and get Litmus paper and find out they wasted their money.
meters are wonderful for the garden as long as the soil is moist. I still prefer PH test strips.
 
No, I Have a soil test done at Clemson Extension office, putting my tax dollars to work.

"The optimum pH range for most plants is between 5.5 and 7.0. In this range, most essential plant nutrients present in the soil are readily available to the plants."

That is a big range, even at 1.5, because blue berries & many fuit trees like 5.0-5.5 & most garden vegetables like 6.0-6.5.
So the question what pH do you need for what plant.
I have my soil tested for pH,17 elements & any adverse toxins that may be in my soil.
This soil test should be done at least once every five years.
 
I did a litmus test on our soil when we first moved here in the early 1980's, the test showed, the soil to be slightly acidic, in a perfect range for blueberries and other fruit trees to grow. In the summer when the soil dried out I can smell the acidic soil and that's why I tested the soil. I've had apple trees start from apple cores thrown on the ground, as well as plum and cherry trees. The only trees that have a problem with our soil is peach and apricot, they get leaf curl and that's supposed to be from fungus in the soil, they have to be treated with Micro-cop so that the trees can get established otherwise they'll just up and die on you.
 

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