Test Procedures
- Use a soil test kit to test for nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium,
and pH.
- Find the instruction booklet inside your test kit.
Follow directions given in the soil test kit for the following test:
pH |
Phosphorus
test |
Nitrogen test |
Potash (potassium) test |
- Record your results on Data Table 1
Data Table 1
Soil Test Results
Sampling ID __________________________
Date of collection ____________________
Soil pH _____________
|
|
Nutrient
Concentration |
Nutrient
Requirement |
Comments
/Observations |
Nitrogen |
|
|
|
Phosphorus |
|
|
|
Potassium |
|
|
|
Analysis
- In which of the primary nutrients was your soil sample most deficient?
- If you grew a plant in this soil (without adding fertilizer)
what problems would the plant likely show?
- Did your soil sample have a pH that was alkaline, acid, or neutral?
- Potatoes grow well in soil whose pH is 4.8-5.4 If your soil had
no nutrient deficiencies could it be used to grow potatoes?
- Once the pH is known use the Lime-Alum Tables included in your
soil test kit to determine amount of lime or alum necessary to properly
adjust the soil pH.
- Examine the results of all tests run in the class. What primary
nutrient was the most often deficient in the soil samples?
- Design an experiment to determine how a deficiency of one nutrient
would affect plant growth.
- Use the Plant Preference List to make a list of plants that will
most likely grow well in your soil.
- Use the Fertilizer Recommendation Table included in your test
soil kit to determine how much fertilizer should be added to achieve
optimum soil conditions.
|