Thread: Soil Test
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Old August 30, 2016   #42
brownrexx
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Location: Southeastern PA
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When taking a sample for a soil test, you should always take a composite sample throughout the entire bed, not just one spot. In other words, take 10 - 12 small samples throughout the entire bed and mix them together in a bucket. Take one sample from the mixture and submit that for testing.

As for adjusting pH when the native soil is acidic anyway. I adjust my soil to suit the needs of the plants that I intend to grow. They may not be native to my area and not like the pH of my native soil.

I also agree that too much adjusting gets done by some gardeners and can cause other elements to get out of balance. However some plants are pretty fussy with their pH range and an unhappy plant will not produce or grow well.
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